Pursuit of Wellness

 

 "Wellness is very big among my yogamates. If Wellness were a person, it would be Michael Jackson circa 1984, and my yogamates would be screaming, crying fans jumping up and down just to be so near to it." - Yoga Bitch, Suzanne Morrison

In my breathless pursuit of Wellness, that willowy, lovely ideal of balanced health, I am planning to draw my focus to the physical aspect, but for once, my resolution is not "lose fifty million pounds." It is to "Be healthy by moving regularly and eating mindfully."

Ever blown it on your weight-loss resolution?  I have some shocking news for you: It's not your fault! According to Dr. Leanne Deardreuff, DC in Inner Transformations Using Essential Oils,

"Starting a weight loss diet in the winter works against the system and actually makes the body want to put on more weight since it thinks it has been thrown into the starvation mode during the cold months when it already needs to conserve all the energy it can. This is one reason that New Year's weight-loss resolutions often fail: It's simply the wrong time of year."

The trouble is, if you've gone off the holiday deep end like me, the body may be craving balance and respite from the feasting. Dr. Deardreuff goes on to say that cleansing in the winter can still be beneficial, "especially if your body is screaming for it."

So, to honor my screaming body, I'm doing a cleanse! I've decided to use my blog posts from 2012 that were based on Kathy Freston's 21 Day Quantum Wellness Cleanse, but I will also be integrating other things I've learned about and experienced over the last couple of years, like juicing, green smoothies, and using essential oils and essential oil enhanced products. I may even have some new recipes.

I'm starting this coming Monday- January 12th. Would you like to join me? My blog posts each day will have enough information for you to follow along, whether for the full 21 days or to flirt for a week, even a day here or there. If you simply read along without doing it, you'll still find surprisingly great recipes and info.

This cleanse is the perfect way to refresh your digestive system. It gives your body a break from all of the things that contain the most toxins and use up all of the energy for digestion. These items are:

•     Caffeine

•     Alcohol

•     Gluten

•     Animal Products

•     Sugar

Some of the changes you can expect, according to the author are:

•     More energy

•     Clearer skin and eyes

•     Weight Loss

•     Cessation of certain aches, pains, and digestive ailments

•     Release from addictive habits

•    A profound and deepened awareness of your personal power and the effect you have in the world

Well, those things sound awesome! And it's only 21 days. You'll be done by Valentine's Day...but will you still look at the candy the same way? Hmmm... So you're in, right?

A Refreshing Way to Welcome Fall

With the changing of the seasons, this is a great time to participate in a cleanse – a stepping out of your food habits and giving your body a break from working so hard on digestion.

The ancient Eastern wisdom of Ayurveda recommends simplifying both physical and emotional elements in your life.  For the physical, you can avoid canned and frozen foods for a week, opting for very simple foods, like soup, rice and beans, or just vegetables, focusing on one type of simple food for the whole week.  For instance, make one giant pot of soup and eat it all week.  If you can, omit cheese, milk, and coffee.  Drink only water and tea. 

On the emotional/mental side, this is a wonderful time to take extra special care of yourself.  Get a massage, make sure your house is clean to refresh yourself visually, use a sauna/steam room every other day, go outside in nature as often as possible and enjoy the quiet, listen to gentle music, release any negative emotions, turn off the TV, and find a yoga class or other gentle exercise to get your energy moving.  Ayurveda recommends cleansing for one week, though many other cleanses you can find go anywhere from 7 days to 28 days.  It’s all a matter of finding what works for you and your schedule, but still refreshes your system for the new season.

It is part of our American culture to rush ahead always, constantly pushing ourselves on from one thing to the next.  Our bodies are naturally in tune with the changing of the seasons and even the changing from day to night.  This is an important time to recharge- to let yourself get ready for the new season and take a little breath.

The most nurturing way you can kick off your cleanse is to make some homemade soup completely from scratch.  It is not difficult to make soup stock, it just takes some time to stick close to the kitchen mainly to stir and initially to chop.  Please enjoy this step by step recipe from last year, towards the middle of the post. It even has pictures.  The top is a little embarrassing, as it’s titled “Get Silly and Make Some Soup (from Scratch)!”  But enjoying yourself and having some fun is important, too! 

Also, the post is labeled as “Day 13” of a 21-day Cleanse from Kathy Freston’s book Quantum Wellness Cleanse.  If you are interested in participating in a 21-day cleanse, start here  and follow day-by-day.  You’ll find the cleanse posts in July and August 2012.  There are recipes each day to support the cleanse, as well.

However you decide to do it, this is the time to honor your body, your emotions, and the seasonal change from summer to fall.

*This article was originally published in the Geauga Family Farms CSA Newsletter in my weekly column, Creative Cooking for an Organic Life. 

This post is linked to Party Wave Wednesday at HolisticSquid.com!

Caffeine's Catty Side and Lemony Lentil Soup

Once again, I’ve underestimated my old friend, caffeine.  What a sneaky frenemy.  She is so toxic!  No matter how nice she croons; begging me to take just one little sip, she’s just waiting to make me feel like crap again.  Bitch.

So, I caved for just a moment, thinking, “What harm would one little cup do?”  I was having breakfast with friends, everyone was drinking coffee, blah blah blah, excuses.  I slipped and took a sip.

No matter how many times I prove it to myself, I still can’t believe it.  Two days later and I’m sleeping like crap with exponentially increased anxiety and grumpiness.  SERIOUS grumpiness.  I’m waking up groggy and wishing for “just a cup today.”  After just one cup of coffee!!!  And I really only drank half.  I wish I’d at least made it a salted caramel mocha – this crappy feeling is totally not worth a regular, boring cup of coffee.  When will I learn????

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Caffeine is evil.  Seriously, she is smiling while plotting behind your back.

Kathy Freston shares (in Quantum Wellness Cleanse) that Caffeine:

• Is a central-nervous-system stimulant

• Affects perception, mood, and behavior

• Raises dopamine, increasing feelings of pleasure, but depleting future stores of dopamine, making you need more and more

• Blocks adenosine receptors, which calm you and help you sleep, leading to anxiety, restlessness, and inability to sleep (but it does not take away the need for sleep.)

• Exhausts the body by stimulating adrenaline production, also raising cortisol (stress hormone)

• Extended overuse of caffeine leading to stress fatigue and high levels of cortisol can lead to:  lowered thyroid function, cognitive problems, decreased bone density and muscle tissue, higher blood pressure, lowered immunity, raised inflammatory reaction in body

According to Freston, “The very things we take caffeine for – more energy and mental focus – are sacrificed over the long term by ingesting it.”

I just made my own lentil soup and was so excited that I wanted to share with you.  This was much easier than most soups I make.  It's very flavorful.  I’ve always dreamed of making soup as good as Aladdin’s and I think I’m pretty close.  Let me know!

Laura’s Lemony Lentil Soup (Vegan & Gluten-Free)
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1 TB extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 TB for later
3 medium onions, diced
1/8 cup white wine
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced small
1 tsp oregano (dried)
1 tsp basil (dried)
1 tsp parsley (dried)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp Kapha seasoning (optional – my favorite Indian spice – you can buy it from the Chopra center)
6 -8 cups vegetable broth  (I started with 6 and added more as the lentils ate the broth)
½ lemon, peel washed thoroughly
1 apple, cored and quartered
1 ½ cups lentils
½ cup spinach
¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste (I barely needed to use any at all.)

1.    In a stock pot, add 1 TB EVOO and sweat onions on med-low for 10 minutes, medium for 10 minutes, then back to low for another 10 min.  Stir often to avoid burning or sticking to the pan.

2.    Deglaze by pouring in white wine and stirring the onions.

3.    Add celery, potatoes, garlic, and lentils and toss with the remaining 2 TB of EVOO.

4.    Add dry spices (save fresh parsley for garnish).

5.    Add broth.

6.    Add lemon, apple (if desired), and bay leaf.

7.    Simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

8.    Stir in spinach and remove from heat.  Let sit for a couple of minutes and add more veggie broth if too thick.

9.    Serve topped with fresh parsley.

Day 21- The Beauty of a Plant Based Diet

“What we eat is a matter of life and death.  Food is who we are.” – Scott Jurek

It’s the 21st day!  We’ve done it!  I’ve heard wonderful stories from many of you about losing up to 11 pounds, feeling lighter and happier, performing better in sports and increasing running distance, and feeling liberated by the consciousness of your choices.  I concur with all of these, although I’ve only lost 7 pounds (so far).  Works for me!

We’ve learned a great deal about how beneficial it is to eat a plant-based diet.  Here are a few more facts.

“Genetically and structurally, we are designed to thrive on plant foods…Plants store the sun’s energy, which we receive by eating them.  If you can, just picture the light energy from the sun beaming down to the vegetables and fruits, and as we eat those foods, imagine that energy being transmitted into our bodies.  Our nervous systems are maintained and stimulated by this light.  What an amazing gift from nature- to be able to eat such pure foods that give our bodies so much!” – Skinny Bitch

If you’d like to step it up a notch, opt for organic, preferably locally grown veggies.  According to Dr. Todd Pesek’s book, Eat Yourself Super, based on studies performed on individuals who display longevity, it’s “worthwhile to note that their foods are locally produced whenever possible and grown in rich soils.  Your sense of place is in your local ecosystem.”

The picture to the left is all produce from local farmers.  I'm not sure what I will do in the winter!

Click here if you would like more info on where to find local produce.

If you would like more information on going vegan or vegetarian, there is some great info at Goveg.com and you can even order a free vegetarian starter kit.
 If you enjoyed this 21-day program, another one that I would strongly recommend (that I have done several times and really like) is PCRM's 21-Day Vegan Kick Start.  They share delicious recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for all 21 days.

“My refusing to eat flesh occasioned an inconveniency, and I was frequently chided for my singularity, but, with this lighter repast, I made the greater progress, for greater clearness of head and quicker comprehension.” – Ben Franklin

Not only does a vegan diet “restore health and tighten waistlines, there’s evidence it extends our lives as well.  The U.S. National Institute on Aging did a study of the longest-lived peoples in the world and found the people of Okinawa (Japan), Sardinia, and Seventh Day Adventists are among the longest lived on earth.”  Their common traits are:

• They eat lots of fruit, vegetables, and whole grains

• They don’t smoke

• They are active every day

• They stay socially engaged

• The Adventists also eat lots of nuts and beans

-The Kind Diet

Thank you for joining me on this journey of learning and experimenting with health and nutrition.  It has been an absolute joy for me to share this information with you and I hope you’ve found it helpful.  I’ve found this way of living to be so beneficial that I plan to continue a vegan lifestyle, while avoiding gluten, sugar, caffeine, and alcohol.  It sounded so difficult at first, but now I’ve found many delicious substitutes and new recipes.  I will re-introduce occasional dark chocolate (it’s dairy free!) and may have a glass of wine, a cup of green tea, or fresh baked bread from time to time, but I fully intend to maintain this healthy lifestyle.

If you decide to continue omitting any of the Big 5 from your diet, Kathy Freston encourages us, “remind yourself that you have free will and it is your choice to have or do whatever you want.  And then say to yourself, ‘Okay, I can have this piece of cake [or jigger of Scotch or chunk of cheese, or what have you], but if I do, these are the consequences.’ And then list them.” 

Starting tomorrow, I will begin regularly posting on Mondays and Thursdays.  I hope you will follow my adventures as I continue the search for life’s balance through nutrition, exercise, and whatever else life brings!

To conclude the cleanse, I would like to share Kathy Freston’s parting words:

“Now you know just how powerful you are.  Now you know that you are the healer who can heal yourself and extend that healing out into the world.  May you be well and thrive in every respect, and may you use this foundation of power to help move us all forward.”

Day 20 - Awakening to the Power of our Food Choices

“Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” – Albert Einstein

There are some weighty health and spiritual implications that we have now managed to free ourselves from for nearly 21 days – long enough to change a habit!  We will discuss conditions that affect our health in the big business of meat and dairy, a little bit about the abilities of animals, as well as the severe environmental toll caused by these industries.

This is all so important – I wish everyone could know these scary facts about what happens to our meat.  You must know what you are putting into your body.  You have a choice.  Though this gets a little heavy, I left out the bits about the animal treatment in the slaughterhouses.  You can look that up for yourself, if interested.

“You have just dined, and, however scrupulously the slaughterhouse is concealed in the graceful distance of miles, there is complicity.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

First, let’s continue talking about our health:

“Illegal hormones are regularly pumped into veal calves, which are suspected of increasing the growth of cancer cells in the humans who eat them.  The USDA has not only been accused of overlooking these practices, but also of falsifying lab results, altering records, and pressuring staff to lie about events.” *  If they operate like this with veal, who is protecting the rest of the meat?

When a worker in a horse slaughterhouse was interviewed, he said, Might be part of him’s [a contaminated horse] bad, might be the pneumonia’s traveled everywhere.. The meat’s supposed to be condemned, but still you’d cut it up and bag it.”  When asked, “Doesn’t it have to be stamped ‘USDA inspected?’ the factory worker replied, “He [his boss] got the stamper.  He can stamp it himself when the doc leaves…You take a condemned horse, skin him up, sell the meat…We’ve sold it as beef.”

The USDA has also allowed the processing of “downed” animals, or ones that are too sick or injured to walk.  In 2004, with the outbreak of mad cow disease, this was banned.  But then in 2005, it was announced that downed animals could once again be used for human consumption.  “So in addition to all the other filth you’re eating, you’re also eating whatever illness the animal had.  You are what you eat.”

At the expense of our health, large corporations are making billions of dollars.

Did you know that the USDA is “responsible for ‘the safety’ of meat, poultry, dairy and eggs and also promotes the sale of them.  In fact, they even go so far as to purchase the products themselves, using our tax dollars.  The USDA will spend $30 million a year on beef buyouts alone.  Another $30 of our hard-earned money goes toward pork purchases…” 

And where do these products go that couldn’t be sold to consumers?  The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is “a nation-wide $4 billion scheme that allows the USDA to buy up all this meat, milk, and cheese with our tax dollars, and then dump this crap into the bodies of more than 26 million school children.  Ever wonder why school lunches are required to include milk?  The NSLP directly benefits the meat, dairy, and poultry industries at the expense of our nation’s children.”

When we hear the terms “grass-fed” beef, “free-range”, “free-roaming”, we imagine happy animals enjoying sunshine, fresh air, and the company of other animals.  “But labels- other than ‘organic’ on egg cartons” or beef products are not subject to regulation by the USDA.  And even if the farm is free-range and humane, the animals are still being sent off to the slaughterhouse, where the conditions are unconscionable. 

Then there is the spiritual side – the kinship with other living beings.  Did you know that “cows actually nurture friendships and bear grudges?  One study showed cows displaying excitement while solving intellectual challenges.”

“Chickens are as smart as mammals, including some primates…they are apt pupils and can learn by watching the mistakes of others…A PBS documentary revealed chickens’ love for television and music.”

And here’s a fun one – Pigs can play video games!  “They’ve been labeled as more intelligent than dogs and three-year-old humans.”

If you choose to go vegan, you are sparing the lives of over ninety animals a year.

“An individual can adopt the way of life of the future- the nonviolent way- without having to wait for others to do so.  And if an individual can do it, cannot whole groups of individuals?  Whole nations?” – Mahatma Gandhi

There is also issue of environmental devastation.  In Quantum Wellness Cleanse, Kathy shares the results of a United Nations scientific analysis of raising animals in order to eat them.  They declared eating meat, dairy, and eggs is “one of the …most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems at every scale from local to global” and “should be a major policy focus when dealing with problems of land degradation, climate change and air pollution, water shortage and water pollution, and loss of biodiversity.”

According to Freston, the meat and dairy industry’s deleterious effects on climate change, for instance, are more significant than “all the cars, trucks, and planes in the world combined.”

To look at the even bigger picture: “The amount of feed that it takes to funnel through an animal to create one 8-ounce steak could fill forty to fifty bowls with cooked grain….the world’s passion for meat is a much bigger cause of global hunger than its passion for the car.”  This means that choosing to eat a vegan diet helps to combat world hunger!

In Matthew Scully’s book, Dominion, he writes “…inside the factory farm, animals…received no comforts, no names, no affection, no nothing, only my silent and resolute indifference…  Each creature bred and born just for me.  Confined and isolated just for me.  And then in lonely terror packed off to die, just for me.  And every time I saw and heard them I would have to remind myself just why I as doing this, to ask if my taste for pork loins or ham or steak or veal was really worth this price, to ask if this was really my choice and there was no other way…Therefore, I want no part in any of it.  I do not want this product…When you eat flesh extracted in this way, as novelist Alice Walker puts it, ‘You’re just eating misery.  You’re eating a bitter life…’ For me, it comes down to the question of whether I am a man or just a consumer…Whether to side with the powerful and comfortable or with the weak, afflicted, and forgotten.  Whether, as an economic actor in a free market, I answer to the god of money or to the God of mercy.”

*All quotes are from Skinny Bitch unless indicated otherwise.

Meditation (From Quantum Wellness Cleanse):
“I awaken.  I am no longer asleep.  What is good for my body is good for my soul.  I can take a huge leap as I move along the continuum of consciousness by staying alert and adhering to the great wisdom passed down through the ages that advises us to be loving, merciful, and compassionate.  I am no longer willing to be greedy, gluttonous, or ignorant.  Eating with spiritual integrity is of the utmost importance.”

Also, be proud that your choices can make a positive impact in the world.  By voting with our choices and our economic power, we can make a difference!


Spicy Black Bean Soup (in the Slow Cooker)
2 cups dried beans
8 cups water
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 roasted red pepper from a jar or bell pepper of any color, diced
2 ½ tomatoes, diced large
½ habanero pepper, diced small (optional)
1 TB olive oil
2 tsp cumin (one in the beginning and one for later)
2 tsp chili powder (one in the beginning and one for later)
2 tsp garlic powder (one in the beginning and one for later)
1 tsp salt
2 ears of corn, grilled or cooked (frozen corn would be okay, too – ½ cup)
½ yellow squash, grilled and diced into small pieces
For the garnish:
½ diced avocado
½ diced tomato
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, chopped

1.    Heat the olive oil in a small pan on medium heat.  When hot, add the onion and sauté for about 2 minutes.  Add 1 tsp each of cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder.  Then add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds, until garlic is aromatic.

2.    Place onion mixture, beans, water, tomatoes, roasted red pepper, and habanero pepper into slow cooker.  Stir, set on low, and cook for 8-9 hours

3.    One hour before serving, stir in 1 tsp each of cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt.  Re-cover and let continue to cook on low.

4.    Use an immersion blender or hand mixer to puree some of the beans to thicken the soup.  It’s up to you how many beans to puree and how many to keep whole based on the texture you like.

5.    Grill the corn and yellow squash, then scrape corn off and dice ½ of yellow squash.  (I used the other half in a salad that I served on the side.)  Place corn and yellow squash into slow cooker, stir and you are now ready to serve the soup.  Check seasonings and add more salt/chili powder/cumin, if necessary.

6.    Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with diced tomato, avocado, cilantro, and green onions.

If you like, you could bake corn tortillas, cut them in strips, and float on top of the soup.  This would probably take 2 hours on the stove.  If you don’t have a hand-held immersion blender, you could scoop some of the soup out and put it in a blender to thicken.



I served with a salad on the side to make it a beautifully balanced meal.

Day 19 - All That Hype about Protein

The first time I went vegan (almost 3 years ago), I gained about 15 pounds.  Dismayed, I declared, “I must need more protein.”  The real trouble?  I told myself that since I wasn’t eating meat, I was “healthy” as I ate French fries.  Anything that wasn’t an animal product was fair game.  I ate all the bread I could get my hands on.  Dessert.  The only vegetables I would eat were broccoli, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, and corn.  Breakfast would be coffee.  Lunch would be a frozen meal, microwaved, with a side of French fries.  Dinner would be perogies or another easy, white starch.  Snacks: potato chips, candy bars, cappuccinos from a machine. Yeah, must have been the lack of protein…(can you detect the sarcasm?)

Granted, I was in a program to get my Master's Degree in 11 months while simultaneously student teaching full-time, so to my credit, the faster deduction was all I had time for...

But why did I immediately blame the protein instead of taking a closer look at my diet?  And when we tell people we are vegan/vegetarian, why are they so quick to shout:  “But what about your protein?  You have to get enough protein!  Stop right now!  Eat some meat!”

We have been brainwashed as a society to eat protein, protein, protein.  Protein to lose weight.  Protein to gain muscle.  Protein to save the world.

“The average 19- to 30-year-old American consumes 91 grams a day, nearly twice the recommended daily amount (56 grams for an adult male, 46 for an adult female)…Too much protein stresses the kidneys…and can leach calcium from the bones.” – Scott Jurek, Eat and Run

“It is a complete myth that we need a massive amount of protein,” write Barnouin and Freedman.
As a matter of fact, over-consumption of protein – especially animal protein- “can impair our kidneys; leach calcium, zinc, vitamin B, iron, and magnesium from our bodies; and cause osteoporosis, heart disease, cancer, and obesity.”

Can you remember the last time you heard of someone being hospitalized for a protein deficiency (kwashiorkor-is the clinical term)?  Never heard of it.  How about cancer, kidney failure, heart disease, osteoporosis, obesity?  Now those sound familiar…

And on quality of life:  “High amounts of protein can damage our tissues, organs, and cells, contributing to faster aging.  People in other cultures consume half the amount of protein that we do, yet they live longer, healthier lives.” – Skinny Bitch

According to Rip Esselstyn, as a vegan, “not only will you get all the protein that you need, for the first time in your life you won’t suffer from an excess of it.”

Even the strongest animals in nature – gorillas, elephants, hippos, bison –are plant eaters.  And they don’t seem to have any trouble growing and thriving while eating only veggies.

According to the American Dietetic Association, “eating a vegetarian diet provides twice the amount of protein needed daily.” 

Carl Lewis, winner of 10 Olympic medals in track, said that his best year competing was the first year he ate a vegan diet. 

Strength trainer Mike Mahler says, “Becoming a vegan had a profound effect on my training…My bench press excelled past 315 pounds, and I noticed that I recovered much faster.  My body fat also went down, and I put on 10 pounds of lean muscle in a few months.” – From Quantum Wellness Cleanse  (That's him to the left.)

Beans, nuts, seeds, lentils, whole grains, soy products, fruits, and many vegetables have plenty of protein.

Those Skinny Bitches tell us, “If you want an extra boost, treat yourself to spirulina, a high protein algae that contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, B-12 (important for vegetarians), enzymes, and minerals.  It also supports the immune system, fights cancer, and helps with hypoglycemia, anemia, ulcers, diabetes, and chronic fatigue syndrome.  Spirulina also contains all nine essential amino acids.” 

In The Kind Diet, Alicia creates a chart that is very illuminating, so I’m sharing.  This chart demonstrates the protein in steak vs. the protein in beans.

Steak                                   vs.                    Beans
20% of calories from protein                          25% of calories from protein
80% of calories from fat (mostly saturated)     5% of calories from fat (unsaturated)
0% of calories from complex carbs                  70% of calories from complex carbs
Contains excess hormones                              Help discharge excess hormones
Raises cholesterol                                           Lower cholesterol
No fiber                                                         High in Fiber
Contains steroids, antibiotics                          If organic, contains no chemicals
Constipates                                                    Keep you regular
Unsustainably produced                                  Sustainably grown
Depletes the earth                                          Beans add needed nitrogen to soil
$5-$10/lb (1 serving)                                     $2-$4/lb (4 servings)

Another thing you've probably heard is that “animal proteins are complete proteins and plants are not.”

According to Esselstyn, “The myth that [plant proteins are not complete] or are of a lesser quality than animal proteins, dates back to experiments performed on rats in the early 1900s.  Forget the fact that rats aren’t humans, have different nutritional requirements, and need more protein than humans to support their furry little bodies.  The meat, dairy, and egg industries have marketed the hell out of this ancient research and …most every Dick, Tom, and Jane thinks the only way to get complete protein is through meat, eggs, or dairy.”

So don’t worry about protein.  Now you are free to focus on world peace.


Another resource on vegan protein power meals for athletes: http://www.mikemahler.com/online-library/articles/nutrition-programs/power-vegan-meals.html
 
Thanks for the spirulina tip, Zeljka.  I just ordered a pound of it online to put in smoothies!

Here is a protein-packed dinner:


Cilantro Tomatillo Rice and Beans

3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, diced small
1-2 serrano peppers or 3 jalapenos, de-seeded and diced (less if you don’t like the heat)
½ bell pepper (any color you like)
4-6 tomatillos, diced
2 (15 oz) cans of black beans, drained
1 can pinto beans, drained  (you can swap these if you like pinto better than black)
1 Tablespoon water
½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
Juice from ½ lime
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
Brown rice
1 avocado, diced
1 tomato, diced (mix avocado and tomato together with more chopped cilantro)

1.    Prepare brown rice according to package (When I prepare 1 cup dry, I have some rice leftover for other recipes.)

2.    Heat oil on medium high.  Add onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes.  Add peppers, tomatillos, chili powder, cumin, and salt.  Add garlic and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for about 5-7 minutes, until onions are translucent and tomatillos are softening.

3.    Add beans and water.  Cover and cook until beans are heated through (5-15 minutes depending on how soft you like your beans.  I tend to go more towards the longer side.

4.    Stir in cilantro, lime juice, and salt.  Cook for 2 minutes and check seasonings to see if you need to add more chili powder, cumin, or hot sauce.  Serve over rice or mixed into rice.

5.    Top with avocado/tomato mixture.  You may also want to add green onions.  Yum!


Note:  Yours will probably not look like mine in the picture.  I actually messed up and it was still delicious.  I thought I had the recipe memorized and cooked the beans on a higher heat for a long time and ended up with more of a sauce.  I added a little bit of cornstarch and served it over the rice instead of mixed in like I usually do.  I mixed some with rice and left some as sauce, then made enchiladas out of the leftovers the next day, similar to the recipe here: http://laurajnovak.blogspot.com/2012/07/day-4-whats-wrong-with-gluten.html.  I filled the tortillas with bean mixture, rice mixture, then topped with bean mixture and baked.  It was quite delicious!

This is great served with a salad on the side – I like to reserve half of the avocado/tomato mixture and serve it over lettuce.  Then I mix up my own dressing:

Mexican Dressing
2 TB chopped cilantro
½ cup peanut or canola oil
1 tsp honey
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt

Day 18- Embrace your inner “freak” to incite positive change in the world.

“As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same.”
-Nelson Mandela

One thing that I love about a vegan lifestyle is that it's non-conforming.  It’s a personal revolution and utter rebellion to say, “I will not buy into an industry that is cruel, does not care about my health, and is followed as a matter of convenience for most.”  When you order your meal without meat and without cheese, you’ve probably already noticed some of the reactions.  It’s confusion, raised eyebrows, sometimes even hostility – especially if you don’t live on the West Coast, USA.

Freston agrees, “Our challenge as humans is always to love the part of ourselves that is rejected and disowned.  When we come to terms with the part of us that is vulnerable, we arrive at a deeper inner peace, and thus are able to act in the world a bit more peacefully.”

A couple of weeks ago, I was sitting in a restaurant and overheard a young woman saying, “I felt so emotional.  I know, I told him.  I’m so crazy!”  This struck a chord with me as I remembered saying the same thing more times than I would like to admit.  My heart moved for this girl.  Why should we be labeled as "crazy" for letting ourselves emotionally react?  For being ourselves? 

Why do we tuck these emotions, these eccentricities away?  We are all unique, with differing needs, interests, bodies.  Yet, society has groomed us to want to be competitive versions of the same prototype.  It makes us more apt to buy things, to stay in line by striving for sameness, constantly asking ourselves, “Is this okay?  What will they think?”

“The system does not want us to know our own best selves, because if we do we then have no need to buy things that ‘they’ say are worthy and desirable.  Satisfied people don’t buy as much stuff.” – The Minimalist Women’s Guide to Having it All

Let’s stop judging ourselves based on society’s imposed standards.  How about judging based on our own heart’s standards?  Or best yet, don’t judge yourself at all!

I am curvy.  My hair is purple.  I don't have cable.  I don’t eat animals.  I love yoga and find that “church” is on my mat.  Totally weird?  Not fitting into society?  So?  I’ve been exceedingly happier since realizing: It’s my choice how I live; what I wear, how to nourish my body, what’s important to me!   

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” - Dr. Seuss

Today’s yummy recipe is a little bit different, too.  I made it up the other day when I had an abundance of peaches and corn.

Laura’s Fabulous Peach Salsa
3 green onions, chopped small (or 1/2 sweet onion, diced)
½ green pepper, diced small
2 jalapenos, diced small
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
7 peaches, peeled, pitted, and diced
4 cobs of corn, grilled and sliced off cob
Squirt of lime juice
salt to taste (just to bring out the flavors)

Mix and enjoy!

Hint:  You will need more cilantro, green onions, green pepper, jalapenos, and lime for tomorrow’s recipe.

Kathy Freston’s Wellness Cleanse Meditation for Today:
“I open my eyes so that I may heal.
I am ready to confront the darkness within (the parts that care only about immediate or personal satisfaction) and the darkness in our world.  By nudging myself to open my eyes, I will begin to see what needs to shift on a fundamental level.  By healing myself and becoming more aware and thoughtful about my choices, I am also offering that light and healing outward into the world.”

Day 17- Sugar’s Evil Step Sisters- Mmmm, Chemicals!

Let’s talk about Soda (“Liquid Satan.”)  Not only does a typical soda have 10 teaspoons of sugar (which I bemoaned yesterday,) the high levels of phosphorous can leach calcium from your body, which can lead to bone loss and even osteoporosis. 

“There is nothing in soda that should be put in your body,” according to the Skinny Bitches.

If you are proudly saying, “I drink diet soda, I’m good!” you may, unfortunately, be even worse off.

“Aspartame (an ingredient commonly found in diet sodas and other sugar-free foods) has been blamed for a slew of scary maladies, like arthritis, birth defects, fibromyalgia, Alzheimer’s, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes.” – Skinny Bitch

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received more complaints from the public on aspartame than any other “food” product.  There are actually aspartame victim support groups.  Also according to Freedman and Barnouin, “Some of the ninety-two aspartame side effects listed by the FDA include memory loss, nerve cell damage, migraines, reproductive disorders, mental confusion, brain lesions, blindness, joint pain, Alzheimer’s, bloating, nervous system disorders, hair loss, food cravings, and weight gain.”  No, I didn’t make a mistake.  Diet soda leads to weight gain.

NutraSweet and Equal are the chemical sweeteners that contain aspartame.  So why is aspartame so dangerous?  When eaten, methyl alcohol, one of the ingredients in aspartame, changes into formaldehyde, a deadly neurotoxin which is carcinogenic (cancer-causing.)

Also, when aspartame is combined with carbs (chips and diet soda), it “causes your brain to slow down its production of serotonin.  A healthy level of serotonin is needed to be happy and well balanced.  So drinking diet soda can make you fat, sick, and unhappy.” – Skinny Bitch

Equal goes even a step further, increasing your risk of seizures, depression, and schizophrenia due to high levels of phenylalanine that go to your brain.

So, you prefer Sweet & Low?  (You thought you were going to sneak on by, didn’t you?)  It contains “saccharin, a coal-tar compound.”  Mmmmm.

And Splenda?  Ah, I wish I could go back in time and take Splenda out of my cabinets years ago.  It contains small amounts of heavy metals, methanol, and arsenic.  Sucrose, in Splenda, is made by chlorinating sugar and “has been found to cause diarrhea; organ, genetic, immune system, and reproductive damage; swelling of the liver and kidneys; and a decrease in fetal body weight.” – Skinny Bitch 
Additionally, there is evidence that Sucralose may increase appetite.  (Wait, what?)

Please, throw those nasty chemicals AWAY!  I won’t even go into the legal battles that happened to get them into our food, but I will say that they were shady and not in the best interest of human health.  (Hint: $)  According to The Kind Diet, all artificial sweeteners followed the same path: “failing safety tests, being approved by the FDA anyway, and now producing ever-growing anecdotal evidence of ill effects.”

Also, beware of “low-fat” or “fat-free” claims on packages.  What these words really mean, according to Skinny Bitch, is “Chemical Shit Storm.”  Foods go through more processing to take out the fat.  Typically, it means adding extra forms of sugar (or sweeteners), stripping the “food” of more minerals and vitamins, and adding hydrogenated oils (not diet food, really.)



I just heard someone say, “I’ll eat what I want now and just take medicine later.”  Ugh.  If your body is saying, “I don’t like this,” that’s a natural signal to keep it out of your body.  “Every time you take medicine, you interfere with your body’s natural ability to heal itself.  You are alleviating those intelligent responses that alert you to a problem, and sending false signals to your brain…most likely, your body is having an adverse reaction to the unhealthy crap you’re eating.” – Skinny Bitch


When we pay attention to our bodies and take proper care, the body is a perfect machine.  We have the ability to heal ourselves.  When we cover up the problems with medicine (chemicals), we cause other side effects that ruin the balance in other ways.  Of course, there are times when medicine can be a necessary evil, but if you have a little headache, drink some water (you could just be dehydrated.)  Or rest!  The more chemicals that we regularly add into the body, the more likely we will be to fall out of balance and have to take more and more to ease the symptoms.


“He that takes medicine and neglects diet, wastes the skill of the physician.”
-Chinese Proverb

Polenta Gnocchi in Tomato Sauce

¼ cup olive oil
Prepared polenta (follow instructions on box.  I like to buy a pre-made roll of polenta from Trader Joes- I know what you’re thinking and I checked the ingredients – organic yellow corn meal, salt, water, vitamins)
2 cups spaghetti sauce (hopefully leftover from yesterday- if not, see below for a quick sauce)
¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley or basil, for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper

1.    Prepare a baking sheet by placing a layer of aluminum foil over the surface, then greece with half of the olive oil.

2.    Spread the polenta in a smooth layer on the baking sheet and refrigerate the polenta until cool and firm, 2 to 4 hours.  Use a biscuit or ravioli cutter to stamp out rounds of polenta (this is why I buy it in a tube – I just cut the circles.)

Note:  For a thicker sauce, puree in a blender for 10-15 seconds.  It makes it even and it spreads more nicely on the polenta.

3.    Preheat the oven to 400 F (204.5 C).  Prepare a baking dish by coating it with the remaining olive oil.  Arrange the polenta gnocchi so the pieces are slightly overlapping one another in the bottom of the baking dish.  Generously spoon the sauce over the polenta gnocchi and bake until hot, about 30 minutes.

4.    Remove the gnocchi from the oven and sprinkle with the parsley, then grind some fresh pepper over the top.  Serve immediately.

Great with a salad!

Quick and Easy Pasta Sauce
Your favorite jarred (32 oz) sauce (I like Mids and Ragu)
1 TB olive oil
1 onion, diced
½ yellow bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
½ tsp parsley
1 pinch rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder

1.    Heat the oil on medium-low and sauté the onions when hot.  After 2 minutes, add the pepper.  Add the oregano, basil, parsley, rosemary, and garlic powder.  After 3 minutes, add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds (it gets aromatic.)

2.    Pour about half to ¾ of the jar into the sauce pan (depending on if you want leftovers.)  Bring to a gentle boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

You can add diced tomatoes if you add a tablespoon of agave nectar and simmer for at least an hour.

Day 16 – Your Love for Sugar is Unrequited

This is really awkward… I’m so sorry to have to be the one to tell you this, but your sweetheart, Sugar – she’s never going to love you back.  As a matter of fact, your SweetTart, your Love, your Sugar…has been trying to kill you for years.  I know it must be hard to hear.  But from what I can see (the attempted murder and all), I’m not sure it’s going to work out between you two…

“Sugar is like crack, and food manufacturers know that if they add it to their products, you’ll keep coming back for more.” – Skinny Bitch

White sugar, often called an “antinutrient” actually steals nourishment from your body.  It leaches vitamins and minerals from your blood and bones.  That’s why you get cavities, as I’m sure you know, but it also leads to bone loss, depression, and weak blood.

Additionally, “Refined sugar, a simple carbohydrate, has been linked to hypoglycemia, yeast overgrowth, a weakened immune system, hyperactivity, attention deficit disorder, enlargement of the liver and kidneys, mental and emotional disorders, cavities, and an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain.” – Skinny Bitch

Not bad enough?  White sugar is associated with cancer.  “Cancer cells swarm to sugar like bees to honey, because it is an important source of food for them.” – The Engine 2 Diet, Rip Esselstyn

Sugar contributes to insulin resistance and diabetes, where your “blood sugar remains high, but your cells are starving.” – Kind Diet

Also according to Alicia Silverstone: “Sugar makes you fat…Because excess refined sugar converts to fat, every soda, every cupcake, and every candy bar is going straight to your thighs.”

Rip Esselstyn agrees, “When sugars are refined, adulterated, and processed, they become empty calories: They contain almost no nutritional value, can raise cholesterol levels, and make a beeline for your waistline.”

Did you know that it was the arrival of refined flour and sugar that brought disease to isolated areas?  “Western diseases followed closely on the heels of the arrival of Western foods, particularly refined flour and sugar and other kinds of 'store food.'…When one Western disease arrived on the scene, so did most of the others and often in the same order: obesity followed by type 2 diabetes followed by hypertension and stroke followed by heart disease.” – In Defense of Food, an Eater’s Manifesto by Michael Pollan

According to Kathy Freston's Quantum Wellness Cleanse, “the most important thing to realize  is that no matter how out of balance your system is, even if you have type 2 diabetes, you can do a great deal to get healthy again by cutting out sugars, refined carbs, and high-fructose corn syrup, and by exercising regularly.” 

Continue to avoid:

• Soda (Deemed “Liquid Satan” in Skinny Bitch)

• Store-bought cookies, cakes, or pastries

• Candy

• Condiments that contain sugar or high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is processed even more than refined sugar

• Ice cream or frozen yogurt

• Other words for refined sugar on packages: evaporated cane juice, sugar, brown sugar, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, honey, barley malt, or beet sugar.

• Also, a tip from The Kind Diet: “All ingredients ending in “-ose” should be considered white sugar: Dextrose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, and fructose are all simple sugars.”

Kathy recommends avoiding fruit juice because “it contains high concentrations of naturally occurring sugar.”  If you really love your juice, I have a trick to share that was taught to me by my good friend, Arlyn.  Pour yourself ¼ glass of juice, then fill the rest with water or sparkling water.  You get the flavor, but much less sugar.  It’s especially good with pomegranate juice, which has a strong flavor.

If you get a craving for sweets, these are some delicious substitutes:

• A piece of fruit (mango, apple, peach, banana, grapes, whatever you like!)

• You might just be thirsty – have some water with a squeeze and slice of lemon (or soak some cucumbers, oranges, or lemons in water for a couple of hours in a pitcher- so refreshing!)

• A spoonful of unsweetened, natural peanut butter- this has been my lifesaver.  It tastes sweet and indulgent and the high protein and healthy fat keeps me full.

• Agave nectar (actually contains vitamins and minerals and does not affect blood-sugar levels), maple syrup, molasses, Stevia, brown rice syrup, Turbinado sugar, and raw sugar.  Do not use artificial sweeteners.  More on that tomorrow.

Today's meditation is below the recipe.

My dad used to start this sauce at 6am on Sundays to serve the family (early) dinner.  Everyone loved getting an invitation to Joe’s for pasta!  The longer it simmers, the sweeter it gets- that's one of the secrets.

Joe-Daddy’s Famous Sauce Goes Vegan!

2 TB olive oil
3 medium onions, diced large
4 cloves garlic, diced large
1 yellow bell pepper, diced small
9 roma tomatoes, skin peeled and crushed by hand (or a 32 oz can whole tomatoes)
1 small can tomato sauce (8 oz)
1 small can diced tomatoes (16 oz)
1 small can tomato paste (6 oz)
1 TB oregano + 1 tsp
1 TB basil + 1 tsp
2 tsp dried parsley + ½ tsp
½ TB garlic powder
½ tsp crushed red pepper
1 bay leaf
2 TB Molasses
Gluten-free Pasta of your choosing (quinoa pasta, brown rice pasta, etc.)

1.    Heat the oil on medium.  Once hot, add the onions.  After about 2 minutes, add the spices (oregano, basil, parsley, red pepper & garlic powder- use the first measurement – the second comes later.)  Stir.

2.    Once onions are getting soft (about 3 more minutes), add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.  Immediately add the crushed tomatoes.

3.    Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste (fill can once with water & add), bay leaf, and Molasses.

4.    Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to very low and simmer with lid tilted for 2.5 to 4 hours, stirring every 15-20 mins.

5.    Add diced yellow pepper and spice measurements after the “+” sign (oregano, basil, parsley) and simmer for another 1-2 hours.

6.    Make pasta according to package directions.  After straining, spoon 3 large scoops of sauce into the pan with the pasta.  Mix to coat.  Serve on plates and then add several generous scoops of sauce to top the pasta. Sprinkle with a dash of red pepper flakes, if desired.

Save some for tomorrow's recipe - you should have quite enough.

Today’s post on sugar is dedicated to my Love.  I caught that damn mistress Sugar trying to poison him again and I just wish he would stop loving her so blindly…
And to Jess G.  You can do it!

Dedicated especially to Joe-Daddy.  I didn’t share all your ingredients, so don’t worry!  I know you are chuckling about the ones I still don’t know…Thanks for teaching me to make real sauce.  I know you’re with me every time I make it and I hope you can hear me talking to you while I stir in a  little extra love.

Kathy’s Meditation:
“I choose wisely.  I am more than just a body on autopilot.  I am a thinking, rational, strong person who has pointed myself in the direction of ever-evolving wellness.  I am no longer willing to do things just because they feel superficially or temporarily good.  I want to experience a deeper sense of satisfaction now, which includes being responsible to myself and to the world around me.  I know that sweating it through this period of discomfort will pay off.    I choose wisely, and with each day, that wisdom lifts me to a higher level.”

Day 13 - Get Silly and Make Some Soup (from Scratch!)

This cleanse and the lifestyle changes it embodies, are meant to inspire a “joy of living, not fear of dying.”  Not only do we hope to live longer, but also to live better.

Now you’ve been on the cleanse long enough to stop thinking about it so intensely and have a little fun.  Today, spend as little time as possible thinking about the cleanse.  For today, dismiss the advice and warnings and stop thinking about the things you are not eating.  Instead, get excited about what delicious meals you will have today.

Hopefully, you’ve been spending some extra time on yourself to rest.  Now, spend a little more time on FUN and get a little silly.

In our busy lives, it’s easy to feel guilty when giving time to ourselves.  But we are no good to anyone else when depleted.  What’s left to give when you’re pushing so hard?

Kathy writes, “By taking fun seriously, we regain a quality of innocence.  We shake out leftover tensions, and get our minds off the heavier subjects of life.”

Today, take some time to watch a funny movie, run around outside with your dog, play MarioKart, dance and flail wildly to your favorite song.

Anyone who has ever seen me when “I Like It” by Enrique Iglesias is playing knows what I do to let loose in my living room.  I flail like a marionette with a drunk puppeteer.  And I giggle the whole time.  And it feels great!  Yes, a little embarrassing, I’m not sure why that’s the song that does it for me.  But if you haven’t already, find the song that makes you silly, giggly, and provides a surge of energy.  It’s great after a long day to dance with abandon!

Kathy suggests making a list of your 7 favorite things to do and try to slot one in each day for the next week.  Even if it has to be 5 minutes, the smile on your face and lightness in your heart will brighten the rest of your day.

“When we get silly, we feel the weight of our responsibilities slipping away and we feel free,” according to Kathy (and I agree emphatically.)

If you promise not to laugh, I will share some of the silly things I have done to assist you in case you’re having trouble getting started: 

• I have a Little Mermaid coloring book.  I color with crayons.  It’s very soothing and still as fun as ever.
• Sometimes I play dress up.  Like wearing my wedding dress to knight my cat as the queen of my domain.  It’s on video.  True story.  And it was not on Halloween.
• Occasionally, my husband and I drink tea in our fancy china teacups with saucers while playing scrabble and speaking in British accents. 

So as you can see, I’m kind of an authority on silliness…but it really does make me feel free, joyful, and innocent.  It helps me to be grounded in the moment, enjoying life in my own little world.

Today’s Meditation:

“I am happy, and I am free!  I rejoice in my innocence and celebrate the gift of life.  No matter what is going on, I can laugh.  I can be silly.  This levity makes my spirit soar.  I am happy, right now, and I am free!”

If you love being in your kitchen and cooking, this will be a great weekend recipe for you.  Whenever possible, I like to make my own vegetable soup stock.  If you don’t have the time to make the stock, you can use canned vegetable broth to make this soup, but it feels very empowering to make the entire meal from scratch!  It’s healthier for you, too. 

It’s not that it’s so long that you are cooking, but it’s a lot of chopping and you need to be near the kitchen to stir for some time.

Please note:  While I’m chopping up the ingredients for the stock, I like to dice the ingredients for the soup, too, and put into a container in the fridge as long as I’m making it in the next 24 hours.  This way, you get all the chopping done at once.

Laura’s Comforting & Sweet Vegetable Soup

For the vegetable stock (if using pre-made broth, skip this step)

1 TB olive oil

1 large onion – red is great, sweet is too, skin washed and saved – chopped large

3-4 large stalks celery + some leaves, chopped large

3-4 large carrots, chopped in large chunks

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped in large chunks

2 leeks, chopped large

1 red or yellow apple, washed well, core & seeds removed, chopped into quarters (this gives the stock sweetness)

3 cloves garlic, chopped large

1-2 tomatoes, diced large (you can use a can of diced tomatoes, too)

1 pattypan or ½ butternut squash, chopped large and seeds reserved

½ sweet potato, diced large

8 cups water

Spices:

1 TB garlic powder

½ tsp turmeric

1 tsp marjoram

Fresh pepper

2-3 Fresh rosemary sprigs

1. Heat the olive oil on medium.  Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the carrots and celery and cook for another 3 minutes.  Add the pepper, leeks, squash, sweet potato, spices and garlic.  Cook for one minute, then add the tomatoes, water, onion peel, and apple.

 

2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to very low.  Cover and simmer, stirring often.

3. Cook for 1.5 to 2 hours, until carrots are soft and all veggies are falling apart.

4. Strain into a large bowl, a little bit at a time.

A tip on the stock:  You can really throw in any veggies that you have and are in the mood to eat.  Try not to use too many green ones besides the celery and leeks, though, as it can make the stock bitter.  The onion skin gives the broth good color and richness.  The apple is important for sweetness without sugar (but don’t use a green apple).

(Pattypan squash, in case you were wondering)                   (Mmmm, homemade broth)

Now you can start making the soup (or refrigerate for later use – will last one week.)

For the soup:

1 TB olive oil

½ large onion, diced

3 large carrots, diced

3-4 stalks of celery, including heart and leaves from heart, diced small

5 cloves garlic, diced small

1 jalapeno or Serrano pepper, diced small

½ yellow bell pepper, diced small

½ sweet potato, diced into bite-sized chunks

1 pattypan squash or ½ butternut squash, diced into bite-sized chunks

1 tomato

¾ cup red lentils

¼ cup gluten free soup noodles (I used annelini from corn)

Spices:

½ cup parsley – fresh and chopped- plus 2 TB for just before serving

1 tsp marjoram

1 TB garlic powder

1 Bay leaf

1 TB oregano

1 TB Kapha Surya mix (mixture of turmeric, cinnamon, coriander, ginger, and mustard.  Amazing in soups and anything with rice, lentils, and/or sweet potatoes: http://store.chopra.com/productinfo.asp?item=427)

1. Heat the olive oil on medium in a large stock pot.  Add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes.  Add the carrots and celery – sauté for 3 minutes.  Add bell pepper & jalapeno or Serrano, stir.  Add sweet potato, squash, lentils, and garlic, stir.  Add spices, then tomato and stir.  Now ladle in the vegetable stock (you can use 6 cups if you want to save some for making rice or anything else later.)

2.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to very low.  Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.  Add the soup noodles and about 2 teaspoons of salt, along with some fresh pepper.  Simmer another 20-30 minutes.  Taste and check if you need to add more salt.

3. Serve sprinkled with fresh parsley, along with salt and pepper to taste.

Note:  Since I had the seeds from the squash, I cleaned them and roasted them in the oven with a spray of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt & garlic powder.  Then I topped the soup with the toasted seeds, too.  Delicious!

You can make any variation of this soup with veggies you need to use up or to suit your mood.  I’ve used zucchini, yellow squash, black beans, green lentils, and regular potatoes.   The beans really change the flavor, but are good when you’re in the mood for them.

I hope you enjoy this nice, homemade recipe!

Day 12- Food for your Spirit

“There is a sacrosanct quality to taking something into your body to nourish it.  Treat the foods you eat with the respect they deserve.”- Eat Yourself Super, Dr. Todd Pesek

You’ve made it through eleven days!  We are more than halfway there, and I’m sure you’re starting to feel amazing.  Have you started noticing a more kind, spiritual connection yet?  I know that I was surprised by it the first time I did the cleanse.  I felt, and still feel, more gentle in the world and proud of myself.

“By giving up meat and dairy, you withdraw your support from industries that take a toxic toll on the environment and on the well-being of your fellow humans…By not eating animals, you are reducing the needless suffering that occurs in the world, on many levels.  Whether or not that’s a priority for you, isn’t it nice to know that being good to yourself benefits others?  You’ve arrived at the place where kindness to yourself meets kindness to the earth meets kindness to other creatures, and that’s pretty cool.  Abstaining from animal products is a profound act, with physical, emotional, and even spiritual benefits.” – The Kind Diet, Alicia Silverstone

Kathy writes that by changing a few eating habits, we also align our behaviors with our spirituality, our sense of values.  She encourages us to keep our eyes – and our hearts- open and to think deeply about everything that goes into feeding ourselves the diet that we’ve grown accustomed to.  In this way, we become more conscious eaters.  She writes: “Just slow down enough to ponder the big picture, and soon enough, it will begin to come into focus.”

The reason that I have posted a new recipe every day is to share with you how abundantly delightful vegan, and even gluten-free eating can be.  You have traded in brown and gray colored foods for the colors of the rainbow, for vegetables so delicious they make you crave more, grains that are nourishing and make your body sing, like quinoa and brown rice, new sources of protein like black beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, seeds, and nuts.  An avocado can taste like butter and is wonderful on top of spicy, Mexican dishes in place of cheese.  I never used to like green beans until I found the recipes I’ve shared with you.  This has been a great opportunity to reach outside of my comfort zone and to try new vegetables and recipes. 

In Eat Yourself Super, Dr. Todd Pesek writes:
“There is no substitute for home-prepared, close-to-nature whole foods…plant based, nutrient-dense, calorie sparse.”   He also says, “When you love people, feed them.  But only yummy, healthful food.”

Kathy urges us, before sitting down to eat, ask yourself:
How can I eat in a way that is kind, responsible, and attuned to the needs of my body?
What can I do to bring my life to the highest vibration possible?

Kathy’s Meditation:

“I open my eyes so that I might heal.  What a powerful statement.  It means I am ready to confront the darkness within (the parts of myself that care only about immediate or personal satisfaction) and darkness in our world.  By nudging myself to open my eyes, I will begin to see what needs to shift on a fundamental level.  By healing myself and becoming more aware and thoughtful about my choices, I am also offering that light and healing outward into the world.”

It was really hot today, so I was in the mood for a nice, light veggie salad.  This is one of my go-to recipes.

Light Summer Tomato Salad
3 tomatoes, diced large
1 avocado, diced large
½ medium onion, diced or sliced
1 large cucumber, diced large
1 TB Apple Cider Vinegar
2 TB Good Olive Oil
2 TB Fresh Italian Parsley
1 TB dried oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion salt
Salt & pepper to taste
plus a couple handfuls of walnuts

Mix together, let marinate for 10-15 minutes, serve and enjoy!



We had the tomato salad with grilled corn on the cob and grilled bell peppers.  Tastes like summer!