As always, while I know a great deal about how the body works and what helps to get and stay healthy, I am not a medical doctor. The information offered here is not meant to be used as a means to diagnose or treat any illness or condition.
That established, I can vouch for each recipe here because I have eaten every one. I can also endorse the current belief that what we eat directly affects our health.
Background Information
Upon awaking I drink at least 8 oz. of water, followed by a hot cup of green tea. My heaviest, calorie wise, meal is usually between the hours of 11 and 3pm each day. Throughout the day I snack on raw carrots, nuts, cucumbers, and fresh fruit. Once or twice a week I eat several sprigs of raw parsley along with 1 fresh chopped garlic clove (no I don't smell like garlic). At night, just before reclining, I drink 4 to 8 oz. of water. Changes that I have noticed:
- Skin: not as dry--I do not need to slather the lotion like before
- Lips: not as dry--seldom use lip balm
- Hair: softer, and easier to manage--do not use conditioner after shampooing
- Joints: no pain. The clicking noise that my knees made before when I walked up stairs is gone
The changes that I have noticed may read as a commercial to some, but this is no sales pitch. I am not pushing any quick fix product or diet book. I am, however, sharing what I experience and what I know about the connection between what we eat and how we feel so that anyone can use what is here as a foundation to building a healthier, happier, stronger life.
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Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of your day. When you awaken, your body has to transition from sleep metabolism to wake. To help with this every day, and to ensure that you do not make your body draw nutrients from you muscles instead of fat, remember to eat breakfast within 1 hour after waking. If you are going to skip any meal, try not to let it be breakfast.Muesli: This is a German word for a recipe that I love to eat in the morning. Muesli provides a great deal of energy for most of the morning, has lots of fiber, you can change the ingredients for spice, and it tastes great. Serves one person.
1/2 to 1 cup raw rolled oats (look for gluten free)
1 banana or fresh fruit of your choice
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 to 2 tsp honey or maple syrup
1 dash cinnamon (has been linked to several health benefits)
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Quinoa Hot Breakfast Cereal: quinoa (pronounced kinwa) is a seed that can be prepared like whole grains such as rice and rolled oats. Quinoa is very low in fat and sodium.
ONE CAUTION: quinoa is a seed and when not processed through a commercial source such as Trader Joe's or Whole Foods the seed needs to be washed thoroughly before eating. The reason for this is the quinoa seed has a bitter tasting coating that should not be ingested.
In a medium pot put:
1/2 cup quinoa
1 to 11/2 cup water
Bring to a boil, cover, and cook on low for about 10 to 15 minutes. One way to tell if quinoa is done--you will see small sprouts from the seeds.
Put the cooked quinoa in a bowl and add:
1 tsp to 1 T honey or a sweetener of your choice
1 scoop (1 T) Brewer's Yeast
1 chopped banana or a fresh fruit of your choice
1 dash cinnamon
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk (add more if needed)
Serves one person.
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Quinoa Hot Breakfast Cereal: quinoa (pronounced kinwa) is a seed that can be prepared like whole grains such as rice and rolled oats. Quinoa is very low in fat and sodium.
ONE CAUTION: quinoa is a seed and when not processed through a commercial source such as Trader Joe's or Whole Foods the seed needs to be washed thoroughly before eating. The reason for this is the quinoa seed has a bitter tasting coating that should not be ingested.
In a medium pot put:
1/2 cup quinoa
1 to 11/2 cup water
Bring to a boil, cover, and cook on low for about 10 to 15 minutes. One way to tell if quinoa is done--you will see small sprouts from the seeds.
Put the cooked quinoa in a bowl and add:
1 tsp to 1 T honey or a sweetener of your choice
1 scoop (1 T) Brewer's Yeast
1 chopped banana or a fresh fruit of your choice
1 dash cinnamon
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk (add more if needed)
Serves one person.
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Banana Breakfast Smoothie: Great way to start a day of low exercise.
In a blender add:
1 to 2 bananas
1 to 2 scoops (T) Brewer's Yeast
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup rice milk
1 T honey or maple syrup (can also use raw sugar)
3 to 5 cubes ice
1 dash cinnamon (sometimes I also add a splash of almond or vanilla extract)
Blend until smooth and enjoy. Serves two to four people.
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Avocado Breakfast Smoothie
In a blender add:
1 fresh avocado (peeled and seed removed)
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup rice milk
1T honey or maple syrup (can use raw sugar)
3-5 cubes ice
1 scoop (T) Brewer's Yeast
Blend until smooth and enjoy. Serves two to four people.
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Lunch/Dinner
Vegan Pizza: Has no cheese, dairy, or meat of any kind and tastes fantastic. I came up with this recipe after trying Trader Joe's vegan pizza and deciding that I could customize a pizza for myself.
1 dairy-free pizza pie (Whole Foods. They come in packages of 2)
1/2 can dairy-free pizza sauce (Whole Foods)
1/2 cup smoked tofu--chopped (sprinkle over the entire pizza pie)
1/2 cup smoked tofu--chopped (sprinkle over the entire pizza pie)
Add a variety of fresh vegetables (suggestions: sliced mushrooms, onions, bell pepper, tomatoes, black olives, broccoli, artichoke). Let your imagination run wild. Experiment.
Put into a pre-heated oven (about 400 degrees) for about 10 to 15 minutes, slice and enjoy. Without the cheese and meat, much of the fat and calories have been eliminated (the first time that I made this pizza, I added smoked salmon. The picture below is of my first. If you prefer, the smoked salmon was very good). Serves 4 people.
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Vegan Quinoa Stew: a good source for fiber, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and E, some trace elements. Very low in sodium, sugar, and fat.
In a medium boiler put:
1 cup quinoa (see above--quinoa hot breakfast for care of seeds)
2 cups water
Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10-15 minutes until cooked. You know the quinoa is done when you see small sprouts from the seeds. Set cooked quinoa aside.
In a large boiler put:
4 to 6 cups water
2 cups black beans or a bean of your preference (if you have time, soak your beans overnight to shorten cook time)
3 to 5 potatoes
1 chopped onion
1 chopped garlic clove
3 to 5 carrots
2 fresh chopped tomatoes
1 chopped bell pepper
6 to 7 fresh chopped mushrooms
Cook the beans until almost done (add water as needed), then add potatoes, carrots, garlic, onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, and mushrooms in that order to avoid overcooking ingredients.
Once all ingredients are cooked, add quinoa and water (1 to 3 cups as needed). Season to taste with fresh basil, cayenne pepper, sea salt (easy on the salt), chili powder, dried bay leaf.
Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes stirring often. Serve in bowls with bread (pumpernickel, dark rye, or sourdough). Serves 4 to 6 people.
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Vegan Stir Fry Casserole: does have gluten (from Trader Joe's Chicken-less Stir Fry).
2 cups of whole wheat noodles (I used flat, but other types also work)
4-6 cups of water
1/2 package of Trader Joe's Chicken-less Stir Fry other brands of soy protein can work as well
1 clove fresh garlic
1 onion
1 cup chopped bell pepper
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 fresh tomatoes chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 dash cayenne pepper (to taste)
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
fresh basil and sea salt to taste
Cook the noodles as directed. In a separate pan, add vegetables, soy stir fry, and olive oil. Cook on medium heat until done (some people like crunchy vegetables some not so much. The longer you cook the vegetables, the less crunch they will have).
Combine noodles with vegetables and add seasoning (see list above). If needed, add a splash of water and stir ingredients on low heat for 1-5 minutes. Serve with salad (balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing). Serves 2-4 people.
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| Early summer 2012 |
Between you and me BYM, the time when other people selected, prepared, and cooked what I ate primarily was a time when I was the sickest in my life. Just sayin'.
You may have noticed that I now identify vegan recipes when appropriate. While every recipe on this page is dairy free, not all are vegan. I am personally moving in the direction of living on a vegan diet exclusively. This does not include what I wear--leather, wool, silk. Fur, not so much.
What I have found thus far, is that it is easier to eat a vegan diet than many would think (I include myself here). Most of what it requires is reading food labels consistently and knowing as much as possible about each ingredient, which is something we should do regardless. Switching to a vegan diet also requires reading as much as possible about what a vegan diet actually is. You may find the video on this blog: 101 Reasons to Go Vegan to be an informative source.
Of course it helps that I have been on a dairy free diet for years so the switch to vegan is not such a big jump. Just means a bit a tweaking--eliminating eggs and honey.
Hopefully what I have learned and will continue to learn will help anyone who wants to either become dairy free, which I strongly recommend, or vegan.
From my PowerLife to yours,
Elandus
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| 2012 |
