Category Archives: Whole Food Plant-Based recipes

Whole Food Plant-Based Recipes

The Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean Diet is in the news. A Spanish study showed that people at risk for heart disease eating a Mediterranean diet were 30% less likely to die of cardio-vascular disease than the control group who ate a standard low-fat diet. It is interesting to note that group who ate the Mediterranean Diet added extra helpings of extra-virgin olive oil or mixed nuts.

The Mediterranean Diet in this study the Mediterranean diet is composed of plant-based foods:  olive oil, fruit, nuts, vegetables, legumes, and cereals. Along with some animal based products like fish and poultry, and limited amounts of dairy products, red meat and processed meats,. And just for fun wine and chocolate are allowed. (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on March 6, 2013
Posted in Caldwell Esselstyn, heart disease, heart disease, Italian, John McDougall, Pasta, plant based diet, T. Colin Campbell, Whole Food Plant-Based nutrition | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lentil Loaf

After all the food in New Orleans I was ready for some “plain” food. The simple food of my childhood. . .

I scrounged around the kitchen and came up with lentils and rice and I was in business! It took about 10 minutes to assemble the loaf and 60 minutes to bake it. I threw a couple of potatoes in the oven with it. When it was time to eat I steamed some broccoli and made a quick salad.

Funny how something so simple tastes so good!

by Genene Cote Posted on March 4, 2013
Posted in entrée, gluten-free food, menu, vegan, vegetarian, Whole Food Plant-Based nutrition | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Wretched Excess

excessWe are home!  We had a wonderful time! And yet are glad to be home: be it ever so humble and all that. . .

We had fabulous ethnic food.  Particularly Middle-Eastern and Vietnamese. The problem in those cases had to do with quantity. Evidently I (conveniently) left my “full button” at home and suddenly felt it absolutely necessary to consume every single morsel on my plate.

It has been a long time since I went to bed at night feeling “stuffed”! But that was almost a nightly occurrence.

by Genene Cote Posted on February 28, 2013
Posted in Breakfast, diary-free food, gluten-free food, Middle Eastern Food, sugar-free food, Whole Food Plant-Based nutrition | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Coconut Brown Rice

SNAGHTML5e0edc19We all have specific comfort foods. Usually sweets like chocolate or starchy foods like bread, potatoes, rice, pasta.

Sugary foods taste great but they don’t seem to fill me up or leave me feeling full. It doesn’t take long for me to start craving more.  For me, starches are the ticket. They taste good! And as an added benefit they actually make me feel full after I eat them. And as my Mom would say they “stick to my ribs.” (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on January 27, 2013
Posted in additive-free food, Asian, diary-free food, plant based diet, rice, sugar-free food, vegan, Whole Food Plant-Based nutrition | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers

All of the sudden most of the Bell peppers in the green house all got ripe at once. Time for a real winter treat of stuffed green peppers. Every since I wrote the piece on Flavoring a Whole Food  Plant-Based Diet,

I have been hungry for them, so this is my golden opportunity! There is something very satisfying about food that tastes this good, has great nutrition and is easy to make. Here is how I do it. (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on January 20, 2013
Posted in diary-free food, fresh veggies, gluten-free food, plant based diet, rice, vegan, vegetarian | Tagged | Leave a comment

Vegan Mujadara–Lentils, Rice and Onions

lentilsIt is sooo cold! Like a lot of people we are enduring a major cold snap. All I have wanted to do for the last week is curl up in front of the fire, read and eat hot heavy food. Never mind salad, exercise or actually trying to think.

I have been craving lentils. Don’t know if it is the protein or the iron my body wants, but whatever it is, I have been fixated on lentils. There is nothing quite like lentil soup on a cold day. But I can’t live by soup alone, so decided to make a lentil and rice dish. It is a loosely Middle Eastern dish called Mujadara that is satisfying and extremely simple to make.  (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on January 14, 2013
Posted in Beans, gluten-free food, Middle Eastern Food, plant based diet, rice, vegan, vegetarian, Whole Food Plant-Based nutrition | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Vegetarian Thai Green Curry

Here is another family favorite that you can do in a big hurry if you have some rice lying around.

We are big fans of Thai food. Over the years, however, we had pretty much cut it out of our diet. Mainly because creating the curry paste is a pain – lots of herbs and spices we don’t use that often. And because most of the restaurant and prepared foods have fish or shrimp paste in them. I am actually more opposed to taste of the fish/shrimp than to the idea that it is animal products. But that is a personal problem.

Then I discovered the happy fact that Thai Kitchen has a couple of pastes without the fish or shrimp included. There have both green and red curry pastes and a yummy peanut satay sauce. So, armed with a jar of green curry sauce, I was ready to conquer the world. (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on January 9, 2013
Posted in additive-free food, Asian, diary-free food, gluten-free food, plant based diet, vegan, vegetarian, Whole Food Plant-Based nutrition | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Vegetarian Boston Baked Beans

bostonbakedbeansOur long warm fall has turned into a long (or so it seems) cold winter. Not a lot of rain, snow or cloudy skies, but still very cold. At least for me!

After holiday excesses we spent most of last week juicing and drinking smoothies to try and detox a little. After a week of that I was really ready for some bulky, tasty and very hot food. Baked beans seemed like just the thing. Threw a batch together and stuck them in the oven. (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on January 6, 2013
Posted in additive-free food, Beans, entrée, plant based diet, vegan, vegetarian, Whole Food Plant-Based nutrition | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Green Smoothies and Green Juice

ninjaWe got a Ninja for Christmas. It’s not a VitaMix, but it is a big improvement over our trusty old Osterizer. And so far I am very impressed.

We immediately took a field trip to Costco for bagged organic kale, containers of organic spinach and organic Granny Smith apples, organic kiwi and a bag of regular old carrots. Trader Joe’s was next and there we invested in more greens – arugula, bok choy and chard and some organic frozen fruit: pineapple, mango and blueberries. Finally a stop at the local health food store for ginger, mint and parsley.

We took this embarrassment of riches home and fired up the Ninja. Over the last week I have had a variety of Smoothies.  Some good and some putrid. One too sweet and one that was way too green. While we were at it we got out the juicer, blew off the dust and pressed it into service.

by Genene Cote Posted on January 3, 2013
Posted in Fat Sick and Nearly Dead, juice, Smoothies, vegan, vegetarian, Whole Food Plant-Based nutrition | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Low-Fat Vegan Pot Pie

Pot pie is one of the great American comfort foods. I start craving it when the weather turns cold and I want something warm and hearty. I almost never make it because it is a pain in the neck to make.

One sticky point is the crust. If you want a gluten-free crust you either have to pay about six bucks for a prepared one or make it yourself. If you don’t care about the gluten you can use a cheaper prepared crust. Making crust takes time but then, I’m not wild about prepared crusts since they are full of weird preservatives. If you use those prepared crusts, then you still have to fit it into those little pie pans which is time consuming and messy. The biggest problem is that no matter how you buy, make or use it, this kind of crust is loaded with fat. (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on January 2, 2013
Posted in additive-free food, diary-free food, gluten-free food, plant based diet, vegan, vegetarian, Whole Food Plant-Based nutrition, Whole Food Plant-Based recipes | Tagged , , | Leave a comment