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Walnut Meat & Other Nutty Adventures

So, one of the most frequently asked question about eating plant-based is, “What do you eat, then?” Many persons have gotten used to having animal flesh as the main feature of their meals and have a hard time imagining a tasty plate without meat. This is why meat substitutes are a major concern for most people considering switching to a plant-based diet. Yet, most people have never been exposed to the endless variety of animal-free foods that can satisfy their meat-loving palate. There are more options than you can imagine – some are great for the meat-lovers among us and others are treats for the gourmet fans.     

Vegan Meats (Source: VeganMiam.com)
Vegan Meats (Source: VeganMiam.com)

If you know anything about vegetarian diets, you will immediately think of fake meats or meat analogues like textured vegetable protein (TVP) – more popularly known as veggie chunks in Jamaica – or wheat gluten (also known as seitan, wheat meat, veggie steak). But, companies like Morning Star Farms, Quorn & Gardein have made it possible to pick up near duplicates of every kind of meat you can think of that are made from plants only. From burgers, nuggets and wings to sausages, bacon, and ribs, they have it all. In the early years, I tried many of them, but lately I’ve been trying to reduce the amount of processed foods I consume and I’m learning to make more whole food dishes just by stocking up on my legumes.

 

Jerked Walnut Taco "Meat" served on a bed of dark-green leafy veggies (tatsoi, mustard greens and lettuce) and carrots. Dressed with homemade cashew sour cream. (Source: Facebook)
Jerked Walnut Taco “Meat” served on a bed of dark-green leafy veggies (tatsoi, mustard greens and lettuce) and carrots. Dressed with homemade cashew sour cream. (Source: Facebook)

My gourmet-diva, sister-friend, Cheryl (of CherButters of Jamaica) is always creating some work of mouthwatering art in her kitchen. She uses a lot of nuts, seeds and other legumes to replace the animal flesh in popular dishes and always gets rave reviews. We don’t need ground beef for tacos when you have spicy walnut meat! She goes all out to make her dishes authentic and never missed the opportunity to blend up sour cream from cashew nuts. Cheryl’s tasty treats include lentils to make ‘meat’ loaves or ‘meat’ balls and even jackfruit seeds get transformed into ‘cheese’ for delicious vegan pizzas or veggies wraps. Lets just say that your tastebuds won’t ever be bored and her blenders and food processor are well-used. 

While it’s great to recreate all our favourite and more familiar dishes using meat analogues, variety is the spice of life. So, it is always a great idea to try some new recipes and get adventurous in the kitchen. As such, I want to give you some ideas. Below are some recipes I like. Check them out and try them all, then let me know how you like them.

Walnut Taco ‘Meat’

Classic Cashew ‘Cheese’

Chickpea Veggie Nuggets

Lentil ‘Meat’ Loaf

That’s four different recipes! Try even one a week, and see if you want to make them regular features in your diet. These are just more baby steps for you as you transition to more vibrant health.

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3 Sneaky Ways To Pile Your Plate High For Vibrant Health

We have all heard it: we should eat smaller portions, eat fewer meals and snacks and watch our calories. But that is extremely difficult when the food tastes really good! Not to mention when you’ve eaten they recommend portions and still don’t feel full. Well, I’ve checked in with the dietitians and nutritional experts, on your behalf. So, I’m excited to show you a few tricks you can use to get away with eating big portions, and as often as you want, and still achieve vibrant health!

 

Before we get into the sneaky stuff, let’s take a look at why “eat less” is such a common mantra. The calories we’re told to reduce come from the carbs, fats and proteins in foods that are usually sweet and greasy. But, while we’re being told to cut back on the calorie-dense sugary drinks and oily meats, we’re being encouraged to fill up on the nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables that are full of healing amino acids and protective phytochemicals. That’s why food researchers and nutrition scientists have been publishing eating guidelines in the form of food groups, pyramids and plates to help get us eating a balanced diet. Most of them (like the USDA’s MyPlate and Harvard School of Public Health’s Healthy Eating Plate) are plant-based. This means that majority of the food we eat come from plants, e.g. fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. However, I love the dietary guidelines of The Plant Based Dietician, Julieanna Hever, which serve up low calories and high nutrients in every meal. To follow a plant-based diet based on her guidelines, we’d eat our fill of Leafy Green Vegetables, High-fat Whole Foods (like nuts and avocado pears), Richly coloured & Starchy Vegetables, Whole Grains, Legumes and Fruit. That’s all! There is absolutely no need for seafood, meat, poultry, eggs nor dairy. This whole food, plant-based diet is the secret to eating all you want.

wpid-pbd-food-plate-1024x731.jpg

“Cholesterol has been called the animals’ revenge because the animals you eat leave a little bit of themselves behind in your arteries every time you eat them.” ~Anonymous

 

The thing is, that meat, dairy and eggs are deficient in vitamin C and essential fats (omega 3 and omega 6), and they have no dietary fibre nor any energy-giving carbohydrates. Meat and eggs lack calcium, while dairy lacks iron. But, all these animal foods are high in protein and fat – saturated fat and cholesterol. This makes them high in calories without being filling; our bodies run down on energy just to digest these animal foods (which is why you feel sleepy at the end of a big lunch).

On the other hand, there are tonnes of benefits to gain from piling our plates high with plant foods. For one, fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains are cholesterol free! Plant foods are low in calories, but high in both macronutrients (Carbohydrates, Protein, Fat & Water) and micronutrients (Vitamins, Minerals, Phytochemicals & Antioxidants). As such, they are proven to reduce our risk of developing chronic diseases (like heart disease, cancer, obesity, and diabetes) and are key to strengthening our immune systems. Plants are the only source of dietary fibre, so they are the best for feeling full without the lethargy, since they also boost our energy levels.

 

So, now that you know what to pile your plates with, and why, let’s dive into the 3 ways you can make the veggie binge easy:

1. Soups
An amazing habit to pick up is having a vegetable-based soup with your meals. It’s a great filler and you will be sure of getting in your best nutrients before you dive into the other dishes.

2. Salads
It’s a great idea to have a large vegetable salad at the beginning of your meals. Use as many different kinds of produce as possible and make it as colourful as you can. Toss in nuts, seeds and legumes for extra protein and to vary the texture and flavours. Just changing the salad dressing can add even more variety to your veggie routine.

3. Smoothies
Always begin your day with a green smoothie, green juice or a fruit plate.

 

So, let’s start a new healthy binge together – piling our plates high with fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes for vibrant health and tummy happiness 😉

 

 

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4 Simple Eating Guidelines You Should Adopt For Vibrant Health

For the past 5 years, I have been enjoying renewed health and increased vibrance by maintaining a plant-based diet. Many persons have asked me for tips on eating healthily and often shared their desire to cut back on eating certain foods. But, what exactly does a plant-based diet look like? How can you start improving your well-being by consciously choosing the foods you eat? Well, I’ve put some thought into it and settled on four guidelines that I know every one can follow without feeling deprived or missing out on the mouth confetti (food that tastes so good it throws a party on your tongue).

 

FFill Your Plate With Plants
We need to eat more plants. By plants, I mean fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. These are the foods that heal, grow and sustain our bodies, because they supply us with fibre, vitamins, protein, minerals and complex carbohydrates. The more plants we eat, the more energised we are and better able to fight off disease.

 

 

EEat More Leaves
Many people eat a lot of plant foods, but not enough dark-green leafy vegetables. One doctor says, “Greens are the secret weapon to fight almost all diseases. Add greens to everything!” Another doctor encourages his patients with heart disease to eat leafy greens at least 6 times a day. This is why green smoothies are essential to health and wellness.

 

 

E1Eat Real, Whole Foods
The biggest mistake some vegetarians and vegans make as they switch from eating a meat-heavy diet, is replacing it with lots of ultra-processed foods. Real nourishment and vitality can only be found in whole (natural or minimally processed) foods. So, instead of eating pineapple-flavoured soft drinks, enjoy a bowl of fresh pineapple slices; or a package of corn curls snack, try having some boiled corn. Choose home-made over factory-processed.

 

DDrink More Water
This is a personal struggle for me. But, I know that water is life! High performance athletes often drink up to 6 litres a day. But, we shouldn’t drink less than a 2.5 to 3 litres a day if we hope to avoid dehydration (which is more common than you think). So keep drinking until your urine is colourless or a light yellow.

 

Those are my four guidelines for feeding my body right! I’m sure you can eat for vibrant health, too. Please share which of these eating rules you’ll be adopting today?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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3 Reasons I Cook Only Once a Week

I love to eat, but I don’t love being in the kitchen. Yes, I love trying out new recipes and experimenting with new ingredients, but that’s probably just the adventurer and weird scientist in me. I hate the long standing, the heat from the stove and oven, the constant washing of utensils, the essential prep of the ingredients, or the moments in which the Small, Bright-eyed Human runs in circles around my feet and screams until I pick her up. But, this post isn’t about my ‘laziness’ as much as it is about time management and prioritising.

 

Menu Planning & Batch Cooking

Having transitioned from Homemaker to Employee, I needed to find a way to be present with my daughter for the few hours we are together each day (since she goes to daycare while I teach). But, even more so, I needed to avoid exhaustion while feeding my family hearty and nutritious meals. I remembered how for my CXC practical exam in Food & Nutrition, I was able to make the birthday cake (baked and decorated with freshly made icing), drinks, different types of sandwiches, snacks and fruit table pieces all from scratch and decorate the table in a couple of hours. This is because I had learnt how to make a menu plan and a time plan to make it all work, and I decided to put this aspect of my high school education to use!

What I do is cook all the food my family will eat, once a week (on the weekend) and simply heat and serve throughout the week. It may sound like a lot of work, but I can get 3 or 4 entrees and the same amount of side dishes made in 2 or 3 hours. Which works out to about 3 hours of intense work to cover the whole week, instead of cooking an hour a day, every single day. So, let me give this disclaimer before going any further:

If you are one of those persons who claims, “I don’t eat over-night/hot-up food.” Then I suggest that you don’t read any further. I’ll also recommend that you don’t eat anything you haven’t cooked yourself, because all commercially prepared food involves batch cooking and réchauffé. So, if you eat food from restaurants, hotels, school cafeterias, office canteens, hospitals, or caterers, you have eaten réchauffé or reheated food. The main reason the food looks and tastes differently from what you’ve re-heated at home is because food service operators have been trained to observe industry standards in food safety (sanitation, storage, preservation, time and temperature). I’m grateful to have received the same training when I got my food handler’s permit, but even more so, for having worked in the food service industry to learn, first-hand, about things like ‘food danger zone’.

 

Ital Stew (Photo Credit: JCSKitchen.com)

 

That little issue addressed, these are my reasons – plain and simple – for cooking once a week:

1. Free To Relax
Since I’m away from my family all day, I want to know that I can enjoy the time reconnecting with them when I get home. We can sit together and play, or do any other fun thing together before we settle down for dinner. Plus I don’t need to rush with my daughter when I go to pick her up from the daycare. If she wants to just hug me for a little or wants me to join her with digging up dirt in the yard, I feel comfortable to do that without watching the time.

2. No Extra Work After Work
Since all my meals (lunches and dinners) are already cooked, I don’t need to go grocery shopping or spend time in the kitchen cooking dinner and the next day’s lunch. After work is finished, I can truly come home and de-chakarise.

3. Fancy Dishes Without the Hassle
Who wouldn’t like to eat a fancy, weekend-style meal during the week? Entree with two or three different sides? How about two entrees? I can do that because it’s all made in advance, I just need to heat and serve.

 

Japanese Vegetable Curry & Rice (Photo Credit: BakerBoom.blogspot.com)

 

This Week’s Menu
For this week, I made 3 entrees (Ackee & Mixed Veggies, Japanese Curry with Lentils & Pumpkin, and Ital Stew), and the main starches were Brown Rice, Mushroom Rice (used my rice cooker), Roti and Naan (bought them frozen and put them in the toaster oven before serving). I served these sides as well: Cucumber-Basil Pasta Salad, Garden Salad and another Mushroom Sauce Pasta Salad. It may sound like a lot, but I also bought a deli box (with simmered veggies and tofu skin) from the supermarket, and each day I have a mug of Miso Soup along with my lunch. My game plan for getting this done each week is basically: Plan. Shop. Cook. I give a detailed breakdown in this article that I wrote for Baby & Blog: HERE.

 

Do you plan your meals and do once a week cooking? If you don’t, would you try it?