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Variety is one of the most important components for Plant Based Diets

 "Conscious Eating" is the best thing you can do for you, and our planet. What is good for the Macro is also good for the Micro. 

One of the best things you can do to make your new, and healthier eating habits easier is to get as many nutrients as you can from the foods you eat.  Pay attention to the color of foods, where they come from, and are they whole or processed?  Are you buying local and organic when possible? This will make you actually feel better while you are becoming more conscious of how you eat. 

I mostly recommend making your own foods so you can control the ingredients. However, it is not always possible for people to transition to this right away.  We can discuss which option is better for you based on your lifestyle.

People often ask me what I eat, and honesty it is about an 80/20% of eating mostly plant based foods, occasionally eating eggs and fish, and sometimes some cheese. I like to call myself a Flexitarian. 

Good sources of plant based proteins include: 

lentils, peas, chic peas (garbonzo beans), edamame beans (soy beans), quinoa, tempeh, hemp seeds, avocado (also has good fat) or any type of bean.

Mix with brown rice to make a whole protein. Sprouted whole grains like those found in Ezekiel Bread are good sources for protein and grain. Other grains that can be mixed with your protein sources are: Millet, Oatmeal, Quinoa etc... You also get small amounts of protein in vegetable greens.  If you eat a variety of fruits, vegetables and grains throughout the day, and also get some of the above everyday, you should get all the protein you need to be both healthy, and fuel exercise. However, if you don't feel you will be able to eat the larger amount of plant based protein needed when not eating meat, you may need to supplement protein.

If you are not ready to go full on with eating plant based foods only, try eating eggs, but not meat (yes, this includes chicken, turkey and fish) or butter.  Eggs are a great way to get a low-calorie protein.  And, last but not least, if you can't do the no meat thing completely, try keeping it at only fish, or small amounts of red meat, and eggs in moderate amounts and last but not least, ABUNDANT amounts of whole fruits and vegetables.

Dr. Weil's Roasted Winter Squash and Apple Soup

Note: I like to cook the squash first, sliced in half, face down in a small amount of water before I roast the vegetables because it is easier to cut.  This also means you only have to roast the vegetables for about 30 minutes.  You can also buy pre-cut butternut squash.

1 large winter squash (about 2 1/2 pounds), such as butternut,
buttercup or kabocha; peeled, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tart, firm apples, peeled, cored and quartered
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and red chile powder to taste

4 to 5 cups vegetable broth (you can make your own if you like by simply boiling chopped onions, garlic, celery, salt and seasonings of your choice then straining to make broth)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large roasting pan, toss the squash, onions, garlic and apples with the oil to coat. Season well with the salt and chile. Roast, stirring every 10 minutes, until the vegetables are fork tender and lightly browned, about 40 minutes.

2. Put half of the vegetables and 2 cups of the broth in your vitamix blender or a food processor and puree until smooth. Repeat with the remaining vegetables and broth. Return pureed mixture to the pot. If the soup is too thick, add more broth. Correct the seasoning and heat to a simmer.

3. Serve in warm bowls with dollops of cilantro-walnut pesto.

Cilantro-Walnut Pesto

1 cup walnut pieces
2 cups cilantro leaves, washed, drained and stemmed
1 green jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1. Put the walnuts in a food processor and grind them fine.

2. Add the cilantro, jalapeno pepper, salt, vinegar and 2 to 3 tablespoons of water and blend. Blend in a little more water if necessary to make a thick sauce. Taste and correct the seasoning, adding more salt if necessary.

Spinach, Blueberry and Pistachio Nut Salad

This is a recipe that I eat often and whenever I bring it or prepare it, I get numerous compliments.  It is so easy and tasty! The key is to get some of each of the ingredients below in every bite.

Cut up leaves of spinach so that they are bite size (this allows you to get more of the spinach without it overwhelming the taste of the other ingredients), add pistachio nuts, avocado, and a small amount of feta cheese...just enough to get some in every bite (you can replace feta cheese with nutritional yeast if you want to be dairy free, but the feta sure adds flavor).

Toss with your favorite balsamic vinegar

• 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/4 cup diced (yellow or purple) onion
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups quinoa
• 3/4 cup diced fresh tomato
• 3/4 cup diced carrots
• 1/2 cup diced yellow bell pepper
• 1/2 cup diced cucumber
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 
  
• Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir the garlic and 1/4 cup onion in the hot oil until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour in the water, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and bring to a boil; stir the quinoa into the mixture, reduce heat to medium-low, and cover. Simmer until the quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes. Drain any remaining water from the quinoa with a mesh strainer and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Refrigerate until cold.
  
• Stir the tomato, carrots, bell pepper, cucumber, and 1/4 cup red onion into the chilled quinoa. Season with cilantro, mint, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the salad; gently stir until evenly mixed.

Edamame, Cilantro & Garlic Vegetable Dip with Corn Tortillas and Vegetable Filling

Edamame, Cilantro & Garlic Vegetable Dip

1 package 12 oz of organic, non-GMO, soybeans out of the pod

3/4 cup fresh cilantro (if you like Cilantro, add more!)

1/2 of a fresh orange pepper or red bell pepper (if you love these add more!)

1/4 fresh jalepeno pepper or spicy pepper (optional)

1/2 cup organic, low sodium vegetable broth. Add more if you feel the texture is not creamy enough (Imagine is a good brand)

2 green onions (or 1/4 to 1/2 of a red onion)

1 clove garlic

1/4 to 1/2 of an avocado

Squeeze 1/2 or one whole of a lemon into mixture

Salt to taste (optional)

Prepare the edamame (soybeans) as directed.  In your Vitamix or high powered blender, add the  cooked beans.  

Add the cilantro, bell pepper, jalapeno, vegetable broth, green onion, garlic, avocado and the juice from the lemon to the beans in the blender. Blend until creamy.  If dip does not turn to a "dip" or creamy texture, you can add more of the vegetable broth until it reaches your preferred consistency.  Add salt if needed to suit your taste.

Variations of the Edamame Dip; eliminate the pepper and use the entire bunch of Cilantro; instead of vegetable broth, add water...just add more garlic, onions and seasoning because the water will "water down" the taste a bit.

Turmeric seasoned Vegetable Filling

1 small head of Cauliflower

1 red or orange bell pepper

1 small bunch green onions

1/4 red onion

1 small bunch of asparagus 

1 8 oz cup of mushrooms

1/2 cup of fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon olive oil

Turmeric, Cumin, Chipotle Seasoning (optional), salt

*vegetable broth (optional)

Tip: to add iron to a vegetarian diet, use a cast iron pan

Finely chop, cauliflower, bell pepper, green onions, red onions, asparagus, mushrooms. Heat olive oil at medium heat and add all the above ingredients. Add the turmeric, cumin, chipotle, and salt to your taste (or about one tablespoon of each spice, and one teaspoon of salt). Cover and cook on low heat for about 10 or 15 minutes turning regularly to avoid sticking. 

Trim the fresh cilantro onto the vegetable filling after the vegetables are cooked.

*You can also add a little vegetable broth if you want a more moist filling.  

Heat corn tortillas then spread the edamame dip on one side of tortilla then add a small amount of the vegetable filling so that the tortillas close nicely.  Heat the corn tortillas with the mixture in them so they maintain their shape better.  Then serve!

The seasoning amounts below are estimates and you should season to your taste as you may have slightly different amounts since squash sizes will vary

1 Butternut Squash (or buy it already chopped to avoid preparing)

Corn Tortillas

1/4 Teaspoon cinnamon 

1/2 Red pepper

2 Green onions

1/4 cup chopped tomato

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup chopped black olives

1 small can enchilada sauce

1/2 Teaspoon cumin

1/4 Teaspoon cayenne Pepper (for spicy flavor)

1/4 Finely diced jalapeno (optional)

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1 to 2 tablespoons Olive Oil

1/2 cup Almond Flour*

*optional,gives it a nice crusty topping that has the appearance of cheese

You can buy pre-cut butternut squash to make it easy and skip having to cut up the squash! All you do it is cook and cream it.

Or, quarter the butternut squash and clean out the seeds and strings. Place face down quartered squash into 1/4 in. water in a baking dish.  Bake squash at 375 for approximately one hour or until the squash can be made into a creamy texture using a potato masher.

Cream the squash with part of the cilantro,all the cinnamon, some of the red bell peppers, 1/4 crushed red pepper, all of the olives and some of the green onions in a blender or Vitamix, and a little salt to taste.

Pour a small amount of enchilada sauce into a baking pan, and dip tortillas in enchilada sauce as well.  Fill the tortillas with the squash mixture. Pour a little more of the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas.

Meanwhile, saute the remaining green onion and red pepper on medium heat in olive oil until slightly tender (about 5 minutes).

Sprinkle over the enchiladas along with the uncooked cilantro and tomato. 

Bake at 375 for 1/2 hour or until corners crisp. 

If desired, at the last 15 minutes of baking,sprinkle almond flour to add a crisp topping.

This lasagna should serve 2 people for at least 3 meals.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 small head of garlic, chopped, slivered, or pressed

8 ounces of mushrooms, sliced

1 head of fresh broccoli, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 red peppers, seeded and chopped

1 cup fresh or frozen corn

1 package of soy mozzarella (imitation) cheese (found in Tofu or health food section) (Optional)

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon rosemary

2 jars sauce or homemade sauce

(read labels carefully here.  There can be quite a bit of unnecessary sugar or other things added to sauces. Look for heart smart, low-cal, then read the ingredients.  Or, you can make your own using pure tomatoe paste and fresh tomatoes.  Add garlic onions, and whatever seasoning you choose along with small amounts of red wine and extra virgin olive oil and let it simmer for hours!  The aroma is wonderful!)

2 boxes 100% whole grain lasagna noodles

(you may have to search for this so sometimes it is best to go to a "Whole Foods" type market and stock on up on this.  One brand that Whole Foods sells is called Hodson Mill.  This pasta is not only 100% whole grain, but also made with milled flax seed which is rich in omega 3 fatty acids. If you can find it, buy a few.  It is more expensive, but your health is worth it!)

16 ounces of frozen Kale, or Spinach (you can also use fresh, but remember, you can buy kale or spinach and freeze so you have it on hand for baking and green smoothies)

2 yams or sweet potatoes, baked or steamed then mashed

5 or 6 roma tomatoes, sliced thin

1 cup raw cashews or pistachio nuts, ground

    Preheat oven to 400.  Saute the onion and garlic on high heat in the olive oil for 3 minutes in a cast iron pan or wok.  Add the mushrooms and cook until the onions are limp and the mushrooms are browned.  Remove them to a large bowl with a slotted spoon.  Leave whatever liquid is left in the pan to saute the broccoli and carrots for 5 minutes and add to the mushroom mixture.  Saute the pepper and corn just until they begin to soften.  Add them to the mixture.  Add spices to the mixture.

To Assemble:

    Cover the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole with a layer of sauce.  Add a layer of noodes.  Cover the noodles with sauce.  This way the noodles cook in the oven, saving time and energy.  Spread the vegetable mixture over the sauced noodles.  Cover with a layer of noodles and another dressing of sauce.  Add the kale or spinach to the second layer of sauced noodles.  Cover the  kale or spinach with sliced imitation soy mozzarella (this mozzarella is better if it is not on top because it can become "rubbery" if it is cooked on top. Cover the the kale and mozzarella with the mashed yam or sweet potatoes.  Add another layer of sauce, the final layer of noodles, and a last topping sauce.  Cover the lasagna with thinly sliced Roma tomatoes (and more mushrooms if you have extra).

   Cover with foil and bake in oven for 45 minutes.  Remove foil and top with nut mixture then return to oven for an additional 15 minutes or until nut mixture is golden.

   Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

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