Category Archives: plant based diet

plant-based Diet

Cherry Preserves

cherryLast week when cleaning out the freezer we found a big bag of organic pitted cherries. We bought them at Costco intending to use them in smoothies, but somehow that didn’t happened. They were starting to get freezer burned so we needed to come up with a way to use them quickly.

Cherry pie? How about cherry ice cream,cobbler, compote, tart, chutney or some sort of sauce? After all our excess in New Orleans desert didn’t sound even remotely interesting, I am not a big chutney fan and sauce without a purpose seems like a waste of energy. (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on March 20, 2013
Posted in Breakfast, gluten-free food, plant based diet, sugar-free food, vegan, vegetarian, Whole Food Plant-Based nutrition | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Beans, Rice and Secret Sauce Bake

secret sauce no lableMy personal challenge is finding new ways to make beans and rice interesting. At least once a month I stand in front of the fridge and see left over beans and rice. What to do? I have always thought that what I need is a secret sauce – one that is simple to make and adds tons of flavor.

Over the last couple of years I have tried lot of things. But I think I have finally arrived at one that really works to make a tasty all purpose casserole.

by Genene Cote Posted on March 17, 2013
Posted in entrée, plant based diet, vegan, vegetarian, Whole Food Plant-Based nutrition | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Great American Meatout

Ready to take the pledge?

FARM is asking Americans to “kick the meat habit” for one day — March 20 (first day of spring). All you have to do is sign their pledge to eat vegan for one day! And you can pledge to eat vegan one day per week or for always. It’s up to you!

The pledge, Meatout, is spearheaded by FARM and is (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on March 14, 2013
Posted in plant based diet, vegan, vegetarian, Whole Food Plant-Based Diet and Chronic Disease, Whole Food Plant-Based nutrition | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pressure Cooker Beans with Flavor!

I love my pressure cooker. Instead of hours to cook beans it take just a few minutes. But as much as I love the convenience I have a big complaint about the taste. Toooooo bland!

According to the “experts” you are NOT supposed to add salt of herbs to the pot when you pressure cook beans. This means that you end up cooking them in plan old water with a little oil to keep the foam down. When they come out they taste like very plain, very boring beans; no real flavor. I have added garlic, garlic powder, onions and onion powder to the water. That helped a little – but really only a little. (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on March 11, 2013
Posted in Beans, plant based diet, vegan, vegetarian, Whole Food Plant-Based nutrition | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Delicious Vegetarian Main Dishes by Jennifer S. Larson with Photos by Brie Cohen

I’m not sure when I begin to cook. I know I was young’; probably 7 or 8. My one childhood cooking memory is making brownies follow the recipe in the Betty Crocker’s Cookbook for Boys and Girls.

When I was 8 (maybe 9) my Grandma sent me a cookbook for Christmas. I couldn’t wait to try it out. The first recipe I tried was for brownies. Trust me, I have never tasted a better brownie before or since!

That cookbook was the first in a collection of cookbooks that I  either don’t have or rarely even look at any more. These days I do Google search when I want to figure out what to cook. My current collection has 10 cookbooks I can’t bear to part with.  Betty Crocker’s Cookbook for Boys and Girls is one of them.

by Genene Cote Posted on March 10, 2013
Posted in book review, entrée, plant based diet, vegan, vegetarian, Whole Food Plant-Based nutrition | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

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

The Cooking Blues

overwhelmed

It’s official – I am going through the cooking blues. There is nothing that I want to cook, nothing sounds good and my creativity is evidently on strike.

I had planned to post a recipe this morning.  But as I started sorting through what we have eaten in the last two weeks I came to the realization that I have not been really been cooking. We have been eating whatever was quick and handy. Good food, but nothing new, interesting, creative or worth sharing. (more…)

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

Vegetarian Diet Reduces Risk of Fatal Heart Disease by One-Third

healthinsA new study reported in Medical News Today, and  published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concludes that a Vegetarian Diet reduces the risk of dying of heart disease by one-third!

Starting in the early 1990s the study followed 45,000 Europeans who volunteered for the study.  34 percent of volunteers did not eat meat or fish. Hospital admissions and deaths were tracked and during the study. The final tally showed a total of 1,235 identified cases of cardiovascular disease: 1,066 by hospital admission and 169 by death.

by Genene Cote Posted on February 7, 2013
Posted in Caldwell Esselstyn, Dean Ornish, diabetes, heart disease, plant based diet, vegan, vegetarian, Whole Food Plant-Based nutrition | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Heart Disease, Diabetes and A Plant-Base Diet

Here is the beginning of my husband David’s story about his retreat from heart disease and pre-diabetic condition. He used only natural methods and diet to regain his health. Sit back and enjoy

imageLiving in a simple world is easy.  All you have to do is ignore reality, which is annoyingly complex most of the time. I am, in fact, guilty of using this coping method. I’m telling you this before Genene can take up the subject and tell on me.

I am the one in this household who after having a stent placed in my left anterior descending artery to my heart gained  thirty pounds of unneeded lard. Probably some of which was deposited in my arteries. (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on January 29, 2013
Posted in diabetes, plant based diet, Supplements, Vitamins, 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