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 15 – Better than Ever and Better than Most

Yesterday, I ran 4 miles for the first time in almost two years.  I did not really ramp up gradually – I ran 3 miles a couple of days ago, slowed down and just went for 4.  And I feel GREAT!  In the past, I would really be hurting (ice, motrin, hours of stretching) after adding an entire mile out of nowhere, but I feel perfectly fine!  I’m wondering if it’s the cleanse diet or the chia seeds or all of the extra vegetables or the yoga?  Maybe it’s everything.  There really is something to this.  I can’t believe my after-run recovery.  I’m testing what I’m preaching and it’s TRUE, brothers and sisters!

Though we have been told that we need to eat meat and drink milk for optimal performance in sports, there are many incredible athletes who prove the contrary.  Scott Jurek & Brendan Brazier are both vegan and Ultramarathon runners – that means they typically run 50 – 160 miles per race, without stopping the clock like in the Tour de France for sleep.  More often than not, these ultramarathons are 100 miles.  To say that’s hard core is like saying it’s warm on the equator.  And they do it with plants and whole grains!  There are also many bodybuilders and Olympic athletes who are vegan or vegetarian.  Their muscles are just fine without animal protein and they are going on not just to compete, but to win.

Being a vegetarian is not a trendy fad.  These were some early and contemporary trend setters: Plato, Ovid, Leonardo da Vinci,  Voltaire, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Henry David Thoreau, Leo Tolstoy, Abraham Lincoln, Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi, Rosa Parks, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Mary Tyler Moore, Oliver Stone, Alec Baldwin, Deepak Chopra, Prince, Lenny Kravitz, Alanis Morrissette, Ellen DeGeneres, Shania Twain, Reese Witherspoon, Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman, Nelly, and Anthony Kiedes. 

Olympic medalists include: Lizzie Armistead, Edwin Moses, Bode Miller, Carl Lewis, Ruth Heidrich, Chris Campbell, and many others.  Other athletic superstars include 4 time Mr. Universe winner and bodybuilder Bill Pearl, football player Joe Nameth, basketball star Robert Parish, baseball’s Prince Fielder, and David Scott (who holds the record for most Iron Man World Championship wins).  Now tell one of those guys that being vegetarian “isn’t cool, man.”

I did not share these lists for the sake of saying, “Look at the cool people who are doing it!” Think of how much these people have accomplished in their lives.  Think of the focus, endurance, athleticism, brainpower and/or energy required.  They’ve managed not just fine, but far better than most while eating veggies and granola.

I’m currently reading Scott Jurek’s book (Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to UltraMarathon Greatness) and he talks about how he noticed better performance in sports from eating vegetables and whole grains in high school.  He went away to a camp for cross country skiing and they fed him vegetarian fare.  He realized on his own that his sports performance was better than ever, resulting from the new diet. 

I’ve never before run in conjunction with a vegan diet and I'm shocked by the difference I feel personally.  I’ve also started experimenting with more interesting grains, like kasha (included in the recipe below.)  I think the kasha had an effect on my endurance.  This is really exciting!  There’s no going back for me.

To quote my Teta (Aunt) Kata, “Try it- you will like it!”

I’ve just discovered kasha – it is cracked buckwheat.  It has a very nutty, earthy taste and is amazing in this salad.

Dijon Brown Rice & Kasha Salad
½ cup kasha (prepared according to box)
½ cup brown rice (prepared according to box)
1 red bell pepper – diced
1 yellow bell pepper- diced
1 avocado – diced
3 green onions, sliced
1 large tomato, diced
½ cucumber, diced
½ cup walnuts (bite-sized pieces)

Dressing
¼ cup rice vinegar
½ TB Dijon mustard
1 tsp agave nectar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp fresh ground pepper
2 cloves garlic- minced
¼ cup olive oil
(whisk together before pouring over salad)

Cook rice and kasha as directed on the package.  Let cool for at least 1 hour.  Add the rest of the ingredients.  Pour dressing over the salad & mix well.  Serve cold.

This serves about 8-10 people (or will make you tons of leftovers for lunches.)  It’s great to bring to a family gathering and delicious.  Someone always asks for the recipe.  Enjoy!

Note:  You can use any other veggies that you like, but the avocados, peppers, and nuts are very complimentary with the dressing.  Also, I used half olive oil and half pumpkinseed oil, along with fresh grilled corn in my recipe.  It was delicious.

Day 14- How are YOU?

Since it is Sunday and a day of rest, I will give your brain a break, as well as my fingers.  Please take today to feel the glow of pride for the amazing things you are doing for your body.

I've been blogging and sharing how I am feeling, but I would like to know how you are feeling! 

Do you have any questions?

Have you adopted any part of the cleanse and want to share your experience?

Have you discovered some new recipes or go-to foods?

Is there anything that you would like me to add on the blog as we approach the last week of our cleanse?

This cleanse is an exciting journey so far.  I've learned even more about myself  and nutrition by sharing the information with you.  Thank you for reading!

Below is a recipe from Vegetarian Times magazine.  It's a raw breakfast recipe created by an Ayurvedic lifestyle counselor.  That means that it balances all six tastes, which in Ayurveda is how you know you are getting everything your body needs.

Note:  It was much tastier when I cooked it on the stove.  If you like it raw or know you have a busy morning the next day and prefer to make it overnight, the cold recipe is decent.  But when you warm it, it's really incredible.  I could eat it every day!

Overnight Chai Steel-Cut Oats

1 cup steel-cut oats

1 cup almond milk (or soy, hemp, any non-dairy milk)

2 TB chia seeds

1/4 tsp. ground cardamom

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp ground ginger or 1 TB crystallized ginger

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 pinch nutmeg

1 pinch black pepper

1 TB maple syrup

1 TB shredded coconut, optional (but delicious!)

1 TB chopped pistachios, optional (delicious!)

1. Combine oats, almond milk, chia seeds, cardamom, vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, and maple syrup in a glass jar with lid.  Stir, close lid, and refrigerate overnight.

2. Open lid, stir, and sprinkle with coconut and pistachios, if using.

I made this a couple of days ago and it's very portable.  I took my jar with me today.  It stretched to 3 breakfasts for me.

I usually like my oatmeal warm.  I think I'm going to try it on the stove tomorrow.  Take your pick!  It would be good to make overnight if you know you'll have a busy morning and need something to grab and go.

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!