Category Archives: plant based diet

plant-based Diet

The Journey From the Standard American Diet to a Whole Food Plant-based Diet . . .

Remember that old Alka Seltzer ad with the guy groaning that he couldn’t believe he ate the whole thing? To me it is a most graphic reminder that what we eat directly effects how we feel.

All of us are good at remembering the connection of food and feeling in the short run. The problem is come when remembering to connect the information to our overall dietary habits and quality of life. (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on December 6, 2012
Posted in diabetes, diary-free food, gluten-free food, John McDougall, plant based diet, T. Colin Campbell, vegan, vegetarian, Whole Food Plant-Based Diet and Chronic Disease, Whole Food Plant-Based nutrition | Tagged , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Holiday Red and Green Salad

While I know how important fresh veggies are, I am not ready to go to a raw food diet. . . I know cooked veggies are good, but the heat does kill some of the phytonutrients. Simply put, fresh is always better. My question is: how many salads can you eat without dying of boredom. Which means, of course, that I am always trying new ideas and combinations to keep myself entertained. (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on December 2, 2012
Posted in plant based diet, processed food, salad, sugar-free food, vegan, vegetarian, Whole Food Plant-Based Diet Food Categories | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Green Tea – a Whole Food Plant-Based Beverage!

I am not a fan of bitter. I don’t really like quinine, arugula, bitter chocolate or Starbucks coffee. Until recently I would have included green tea on that list. In my mind it is associated with that bitter stuff you get in Chinese restaurants.

Green tea, however, has always been one of those things that I have thought that I “should” like because it is so good for you. Or so I have read. (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on November 29, 2012
Posted in additive-free food, diabetes, plant based diet, sugar-free food, weigh loss | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mashed Cauliflower Not Mashed Potatoes

A low-calorie, tasty alternative to mashed potatoes is mashed cauliflower. I actually think they taste better although you may not be able to tell the difference by just looking at them.

Since going to a primarily whole food plant-based diet there are only a few things I really miss. One of them is the butter on and sour cream in mashed potatoes. After watching everyone at Thanksgiving scarf them down I decided I had to pacify myself with a big batch of mashed cauliflower. They tasted great and had the added benefit of making me feel a tiny bit superior for having resisted the potatoes. (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on November 28, 2012
Posted in diary-free food, gluten-free food, plant based diet, vegan, vegetarian, weigh loss | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

More Reasons To Eat A Whole Food Plant-Based Diet

In case you’re wondering if eating a plant-based diet is worth it, take a look at a long-term study by the Harvard School of Public Health. The study links eating red meat and the risk of death from cancer and heart disease. Not surprisingly, the more red meat you eat the higher the risk of death from cancer heart disease. (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on November 27, 2012
Posted in diabetes, diary-free food, plant based diet, vegan, vegetarian, Whole Food Plant-Based Diet and Chronic Disease | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Butternut Squash Tostada

Butternut SquashLast week I met my friend Susan in my old neighborhood. When we were trying to figure out a restaurant, she suggested Real Food Daily. The restaurant is literally a block and a half from my old condo so it was easy for me to find.

This is a true plant-based whole food diet restaurant! The menu is an intriguing mix of plant-based food (vegan), local and organic dishes. The thing I appreciated most about the menu was there was no guessing about content. The selections were all marked for easy reference:  Soy-Free, Gluten-Free and Nut Free. The only problem was making a decision. I am not used to having that many selections on a menu. As a vegetarian I usually have 3 or 4 choices so making a decision is simple. (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on November 24, 2012
Posted in additive-free food, diary-free food, gluten-free food, Mexican, plant based diet, vegan, vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mashed Potato Soup

Plant-based Mashed Potato SoupI have a recipe for Mashed Potato Soup that I have served every holiday for the last 20 years. No matter how much I make, it always gets eaten to the last drop.

Ironically, the original recipe came from “The Healthy Heart” cookbook even though it calls for sour cream, cream cheese, milk and cheddar cheese. With all those dairy products, what’s not to like! (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on November 11, 2012
Posted in diary-free food, plant based diet, soup, vegan, vegetarian | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Vegan Waldorf Salad

Plant-Based Waldorf SaladThe story goes that Waldorf Salad was created by Oscar Tschirky, the Maître D’hôtel at the Waldorf Hotel in New York. The year was 1893. Benjamin Harrison was the new elected president of the USA. The USA was entering  a serious depression after the stock market crashed   That depression signaled huge changes in American life and was accompanied by violent strikes, Populist crusades and a 12% unemployment rate.

Few people remember the depression, lots remember the salad. Funny how life works.

by Genene Cote Posted on November 10, 2012
Posted in plant based diet, salad, vegan, vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

While I am trying to figure out what else to do with all my pumpkin I decided to make a trial run at a true whole food plant-based pie. One that is sugar-free, egg-free, dairy-free and gluten-free. Last year I made a dairy-free pie that was wonderful! This year the goal is a true vegan pumpkin pie – dairy-free and egg-free as well.

Last weekend I donned my Girl Scout attire (figuratively) and started experimenting so that Thanksgiving prep goes smoothly. I don’t want to be up to my elbows in pie failures come next Wednesday.

by Genene Cote Posted on November 8, 2012
Posted in additive-free food, baking, diary-free food, plant based diet, vegan, vegetarian | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

What I Learned by Taking Classes for My Certificate In Plant-Based Nutrition

Certificate in Plant Based Nutrition

I finished my certificate course from the T. Colin Campbell Foundation a couple of weeks ago. Since then, I have been reflecting on the things I learned and how it changed my thinking about various aspects of plant-based nutrition. In the end I tally 2 changes and 2 take-aways. (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on October 29, 2012
Posted in B12, plant based diet, T. Colin Campbell, vegan, vegetarian | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment