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Archive for January, 2012

Jan 29

“Read the Ingredients” . . .

“Don’t buy anything with ingredients your grandmother would not recognize.”

In the book, “Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease,” the recipe section is prefaced by Dr. Esselstyn’s wife Ann. In talking about packaged foods and selecting those that are “safe,” time and again she repeats the phrase, “Read the Ingredients.” Time and again you will see the same advice repeated on this blog, “Read the Ingredients.”

It’s some of the best advice you will receive.

A case in point is veggie burgers, as Viv points out,  some have eggs — who would’a thought? “Read the Ingredients.”

 Read more . . .

Jan 26

Recipe Resources

Once I wrapped my head around the idea of becoming plant-strong my first question was, “What do I cook?”  As I talk to more and more people about making the same transition there seems to be a theme that without the meat in the spotlight it becomes difficult to visualize what will be on the dinner plate.

Once I wrapped my head around the idea of becoming plant-strong my first question was, “What do I cook?”  As I talk to more and more people about making the same transition there seems to be a theme that without the meat in the spotlight it becomes difficult to visualize what will be on the dinner plate.

 Read more . . .

Jan 24

2 Comments

Soup’s On! . . .

 

Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without

This little phrase has been around a long time. My daughter-in-law has it tacked up in her kitchen, and when my 11 year-old granddaughter saw it, she was fascinated by the concept and kept repeating it over and over again. This was the theme at work in my kitchen this morning.

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Jan 22

Baby Steps . . .

 

The longer that I and others in my family are on this diet, the more those we come in contact with ask questions, and the more people there are who think they want to give it a try but aren’t sure just where to start. My advice of decreasing animal-based foods and increasing plant-based foods seems too general for some and they want more specifics — what do I eat and how much. Certainly, I do have more in the works for this blog to address that question, but I don’t want to throw things together haphazardly . . . so let’s take a few Baby Steps and consider this as a preview of what’s to come.

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Jan 18

Here’s Viv!

Introducing Vivian, our Wednesday guest blogger — a shining model of what you can do on a plant-based diet, if you just eat the right foods  – that’s it.
Eat right and you can do it, too.  Here’s Viv!

Hello friend,

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Jan 17

Brown Rice is On the Menu

Did you know?

Rice is a symbol of life and fertility, which led to the tradition of throwing rice at weddings.

Today I want to share a great way to make brown rice because it is such a staple for me (and can be for you) on this diet. Not only is it delicious, but filling and very healthy. Whole grains are one of the Four Food Groups on a plant-based diet, and brown rice is one of those whole grains. Rather than create one long post with the recipe and all the details, I’ve posted the Easy Brown Rice in the Recipe section with the whys and wherefores of  Whole Grains in the Nutrition section. I hope you will read both. Understanding WHY whole grains are good for you just makes your choice a lot easier, and it lets you know what is and what is not whole grain. But here’s a little something extra about brown rice, specifically, and why we choose it (or other colorful rice varieties) over white rice.

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Jan 15

Why eat a plant-based diet?

Here is the short answer:

“People who eat the most animal-based foods get the most chronic disease. People who eat the most plant-based foods are the healthiest and tend to avoid chronic disease.” (T. Colin Campbell)

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Jan 13

5 Comments

The 28-Day Fresh Start

Today, I want to say a word about the 28-day Fresh Start. It is said, “You can do anything for 28 days.” And the health benefits of a whole foods, plant-based diet can be seen in 28 days . . . or less.  You will see changes in the way you look and feel in one week and notice significant changes within three weeks — after 28 days, you will look fit and feel fabulous. If you don’t, you can quit, plain and simple.

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Jan 2

The Journey Begins . . .

Welcome to Spinach & Apples. This is my first blog post after adopting a plant-based diet on October 1, 2011. My goal is to spread the word.

What is a plant-based diet? Read my story and you will see.

Here is the short version:

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