Vegan Banana Nut & Date Muffins

*Casie Here*

I had some ripe bananas to use up, so I decided to make some banana muffins. I looked up some recipes and tweaked it to make it my own.

Here is what I did:

Chop up 10 Dates (I get ours from Costco)

 Prepare 2 chia 'eggs' (take 2 TBS. Chia Powder + 1/2 cup water ~ mix, let sit for at least 5 minutes)

We have gotten our Chia Powder Whole Foods, Trader Joes or Hy-Vee and we have also gotten it from our favorite online supplier for a lot of our food (www.vitacost.com) make sure it's the POWDER. I have use the seed before and it works fine, I just prefer the more ground up texture of the Powder.

 After a little while it gets thick and goopy like and EGG! 

 I mixed my chopped dates with the chia goop to help separate the sticky bits of dates and get them more evenly distributed (otherwise they stick together in one big clump). 

 Mash 6 Bananas

 Add 2 containers of applesauce or 1 cup total)

 Mix all the wet ingredients together.

Add 1 cup Almond Milk. This is absolutely my favorite milk EVER. There are a lot of new variations of this out there, but I love this one the most and I don't care that it has 20 more calories than the reduced sugar one.

 I didn't take any picts of the dry ingredients bowl except for when I mixed the two together. Here are the dry ingredients. Pretty standard.

2 1/2 cups whole wheat and regular organic flour mixed (use whatever flour you have on hand. I just like to buy both and mix it together)

1 1/2 cup oats (just regular Quaker Oats, not the quick cook ones) You can get a HUGE box at Costco

1/4 cup flax seed

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt (I use pink Himalian salt from Costco)

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup chopped walnuts (also from Costco)

 The flax seed we use from Costco.

 Ready to be put in the muffin pans.

I use this scoop to get them even. I didn't fill it quite full, just 3/4 full for each muffin. This batch makes 36 muffins.

 And done.
Nice and warm!

 Honestly you can not even taste the dates in this muffin. They are mostly to make the muffin moist. I LOVE dates in all my muffins. It adds sweetness so you can cut down on the sugar  you use. Another one of my very favorite muffins are my Orange Date Muffins HERE.

 These were so, so good. My kids snatched a bunch up as soon as they were cool enough to touch.

In a bowl mix together

2 1/2 cups whole wheat and regular organic flour mixed 

1 1/2 cup oats

1/4 cup flax seed

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt (I use pink Himalian salt)

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup walnuts

In a separate bowl mix together

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 chia 'eggs' (2 TBS. Chia Powder + 1/2 cup water ~ mix, let sit)

6 ripe bananas (mashed)

2 containers Organic Applesauce (1 cup total)

3 TBS. Vegan Butter (we use Earth Balance) this could be optional

1 cup Almond Milk

Stir the two together. 

Scoop into muffin tins 

Bake 350 for 25 mins

Nutrition and Cancer - From Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

Nine Servings a Day Minimum

Quinoa and Veggie Dinner

*Casie Here*

I thought I would start sharing some of my weeknight dinners with you. Tonight I wanted to use Quinoa. I looks up some recipes that used quinoa. Then I just made it my own with what I had in the house. This is what I did. *Sorry I don't have picts of each step....only the final product.

In a small sauce pan I put a tiny bit of olive oil and sautéed 1 onion and 5 cloves of garlic until translucent. *Note* You can adjust all of this depending on your likes and dislikes and what you have around the house.

Then I put in 2 cups of water and 1 cup of Inca Red Quinoa (I just bought that at Walmart) into the same pan as the onions & garlic, brought it to a boil, then reduced the heat to just a simmer and covered it with the lid.

In another big pan I sautéed pretty much every veggie we had in the house. Here is what was in mine in order that I put them into the pan to cook.

Diced Carrot (I used 1)

Diced Asparagus (about 10 spears)

Diced Red Pepper (1/4 of the pepper)

Frozen Brocoli (2 cups)

Frozen Corn (1/4 cup)

Frozen Green Beans (1 cup)

Frozen Peas (1/2 cup)

1 can of rinsed black beans

Diced Tomatoes (15 small grape tomatoes) *just throw in at the very end*

I added the juice of 1 lemon

A couple splashes of balsamic vinegar

little bit of olive oil

Some Bragg's Liquid Aminos (2 turns of the pan)

Salt & Pepper

Cumin

Mrs. Dash

Mix the Quinoa in when it is done (20 mins)

Mix all together. Enjoy! 

Is this the sign you have been waiting for?

 



Jeff Novak, Registered Dietician

I have found Jeff Novak's food and nutrition advice to be very helpful.  Here are some of his videos regarding his advice on food shopping and nutrition.  

From Jeff Novak's website, http://www.jeffnovick.com :

BIO

 

Jeff Novick, is truly a unique dietitian and nutritionist. With 

over 24 years of experience in nutrition, health, fitness and 

natural living, he offers expert health advice distilled into 

powerful, easy-to-understand language on a variety of 

current topics.

Jeff’s insightful and humorous approach to nutrition and 

health has helped thousands worldwide make the transition 

to healthy living. He holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees from Indiana State University in nutrition with minors in Exercise Science.

Jeff serves as Vice President of Health Promotion for Executive Health Exams International and lectures at the McDougall Program in Santa Rosa, California and at the Engine 2 Immersion program in Austin, TX.  He is also the Director of Nutrition for the Meals for Health community project which is helping empower low-income families to achieve optimal health. Jeff has also worked closely with Whole Foods Market in assisting them with the development of their Wellness Club program, their healthy eating initiatives and their food rating system. 

For almost a decade, Jeff served as the Director of Nutrition at the Pritikin Center in Aventura, Florida, and as Vice President of the Board of the Directors for the National Health Association (NHA). He also served as the Director of Health Education for the NHA and as an Adjunct Professor in the School of Health Sciences for Kaplan University.

Jeff has also taught nutrition classes at Indiana State University, Indiana University Medical School, the University of Miami Medical School and for the Florida Academy of Family Physicians and lectures at medical conference around the country on a regular basis. While in Indiana, he created and taught the Nutrition Education Initiative, a preventive medicine curriculum for medical doctors, residents, and medical students. In recognition of this groundbreaking project, Indiana’s governor awarded him the Indiana State Public Health Excellence in Health Science Award, and Indiana State University awarded him the Graduate-of-the-Last-Decade Award.

He has been interviewed by Newsday, Parade Magazine, Men’s Health, Shape Magazine, Women’s World and has appeared on Fox News, Discovery Health, the Today Show and other media nationwide.  He recently appeared in the documentary Processed People and the movie Fatboy, which won the best documentary award at the Fort Lauderdale and Queens Film Festivals. 

Alzheimer's Prevention

(I promised someone I would post this article regarding Alzheimer's Prevention.)

Please watch this video about Alzheimer's Disease and then read below what the reseach is showing that you can do to reduce your risk for this disease.

 

International Researchers Identify Seven Dietary and Lifestyle Guidelines for Alzheimer’s Prevention

WASHINGTON—Seven dietary and lifestyle guidelines to boost brain health and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s are available as an online advance on May 16, 2014, as a special supplement in Neurobiology of Aging.

“Alzheimer’s disease isn’t a natural part of aging,” notes lead author Neal Barnard, M.D., president of the nonprofit Physicians Committee and an adjunct professor of medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine. “By staying active and moving plant-based foods to the center of our plates, we have a fair shot at rewriting our genetic code for this heart-wrenching , and costly, disease.”

Alzheimer’s Disease International predicts Alzheimer’s rates will triple worldwide by 2050. The Alzheimer’s Association predicts long-term care costs start at $41,000 per year.

The seven guidelines to reduce risk of Alzheimer’s disease are:

1. Minimize your intake of saturated fats and trans fats. Saturated fat is found primarily in dairy products, meats, and certain oils (coconut and palm oils). Trans fats are found in many snack pastries and fried foods and are listed on labels as “partially hydrogenated oils.”
2. Eat plant-based foods. Vegetables, legumes (beans, peas, and lentils), fruits, and whole grains should replace meats and dairy products as primary staples of the diet.
3. Consume 15 milligrams of vitamin E, from foods, each day. Vitamin E should come from foods, rather than supplements. Healthful food sources of vitamin E include seeds, nuts, green leafy vegetables, and whole grains. Note: The RDA for vitamin E is 15 milligrams per day.
4. Take a B12 supplement. A reliable source of B12, such as fortified foods or a supplement providing at least the recommended daily allowance (2.4 micrograms per day for adults), should be part of your daily diet. Note: Have your blood levels of vitamin B12 checked regularly as many factors, including age, impair absorption.
5. Avoid vitamins with iron and copper. If using multivitamins, choose those without iron and copper, and consume iron supplements only when directed by your physician.
6. Choose aluminum-free products. While aluminum’s role in Alzheimer’s disease remains a matter of investigation, those who desire to minimize their exposure can avoid the use of cookware, antacids, baking powder, or other products that contain aluminum.
7. Exercise for 120 minutes each week. Include aerobic exercise in your routine, equivalent to 40 minutes of brisk walking, three times per week.

Other preventive measures, such as getting a minimum of seven hours of sleep each night and participating in 30 to 40 minutes of mental activity most days of the week, such as completing crossword puzzles, reading the newspaper, or learning a new language, can only help boost brain health.

“We spend trillions of dollars each year on failed drug trials,” notes study author Susan Levin, M.S., R.D., C.S.S.D., Physicians Committee director of nutrition education. “Let’s take a portion of these funds and invest in educational programs to help people learn about foods that are now clinically proven to be more effective in fighting this global epidemic.”

The preliminary guidelines to reduce risk of Alzheimer’s were formed at the International Conference on Nutrition and the Brain in Washington on July 19 and 20, 2013.

The full guidelines are available at Neurobiology of Aging.

Learn how to prevent Alzheimer's with these seven tips for brain health.

For an advance copy of the Dietary and Lifestyle Guidelines for the Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease or to interview one of the study authors, please contact Jessica Frost at jfrost@pcrm.org or 202-527-7342.

Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit health organization that promotes preventive medicine, conducts clinical research, and encourages higher standards for ethics and effectiveness in research.

What is my eye color?

I love using my slit lamp camera to show patients what I see with the microscope. I often get asked the questions, "What color are my eyes?" or "Why do my eyes change color?".

One of the reasons why eye color is difficult to identify and can appear to change is due to various lighting, mood (affects size of pupil and viewable iris color) and color of clothing/cosmetics (someone with blue eyes can accentuate their eye color by wearing a blue dress or applying blue eye shadow).

The photos below were taken of the same eye but using different light sources. It is interesting to see how the top iris picture looks more uniform brown > green and the bottom iris picture appears to split the aqua/brown.

For this person, if their pupil is small the iris will be stretched out and you will see equal amounts of the colors. If the pupil is larger, the iris will fold up like an accordion and you may see more of the brown pigment causing the iris to look more brown. One's mood can cause the pupil to constrict or dilate and, thus, can affect the perceived eye color.

Diabetes Video.

(Repost)

If you have diabetes, are at risk for diabetes or you know someone with diabetes, you need to watch this video: 

 

 

More Diabetes Videos by Neal Barnard, M.D.

(Repost)

 

Three Diabetes related videos by Neal Barnard, MD Founder and President,

 Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine

 

***The last video is well worth your time.  Please watch!***

 

 

 

 



Dr. Dean Ornish

Learn more about Dr. Dean Ornish HERE

Interview with Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr

Many of you have heard me recommend the documentary, Forks Over Knives, which follows the dietary principles of Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr. and Dr. T. Collin Campbell.  Here is an interview with Dr. Essestyn, Jr.:

(Part 1 of 2)

Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr. M.D. Interview Part II

Part II of the interview with Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr.:

Omaha Vegan Meetup

Tonight we went to our very first Vegan Omaha Meetup at Crystal Jade restaurant. They have never really worked out with our schedule before tonight. We had fun, met some new people and enjoyed having an ENTIRE Chinese buffet be completely Vegan! Pretty awesome and very yummy! 

Food Labels

Vegan NFL Linebacker, David Carter, Explains How A Plant-Based Diet Fuels 

His Performance On The Field

"As a professional athlete what I put in my body for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, are some of the most important decisions I make every day.

I must ensure I'm consuming sufficient calories to keep full and have the energy to perform at my peak while not overloading and slowing my body down. My career depends on it. So many people are shocked when they learn that I fuel my body with a plant-based -- vegan -- diet. I'm just shocked that it took me 26 years to gain the wisdom to do it!

A few months ago my wife and I sat down to watch a documentary, Forks Over Knives. I thought I'd learn something, but I wasn't prepared to have my world rocked. I have long heard about the benefits of eating vegan, but I never thought I could eat a plant-based diet and maintain my weight for football. What I realized watching the documentary is that all the effort I have been putting in to get big and strong for my professional career was actually killing me.

Since embracing a plant-based diet, small injuries that had been nagging me: tendinitis, arthritis, and, muscle fatigue have gone away. My recovery time and endurance have improved after enabling me to train even more!

I can honestly say that being vegan is not the only most efficient way to be full-body strong, it's also the most humane; everyone wins. I hope everyone will join me in eating delicious plant-based meals that can help you feel great, help the planet and make a world of difference for animals."

For more:

http://www.insidebayarea.com/opinion/ci_25630071/guest-commentary-plant-base-diet-leads-helps-fuel

Would you try it? Why not?

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

PCRM | Animal Protein May Lead to Diabetes

PCRM | Animal Protein May Lead to Diabetes

Good news Organic Food Fans!

Wal-Mart aims to push organic foods into mainstream

Click on the above link to view the recent news about Walmart increasing their organic food options. I often get asked if we eat organic.  My answer is yes and no.  If the budget allows, we try to buy organic foods, especially those that are known to be related to higher concentrations of pesticide use.

No question about it, organic food is more expensive, but seeing more organic foods on Walmart's shelves should set the standard for all grocers to have affordable organic food options.  

Smoking. Don't do it.

I believe this is a great video for kids to see.   

Relaxing Music

I am always in search for music that either relaxes my soul or anything that excites my ears.  Unfortunately, I feel like I have to search through dozens of songs before I find one worthy of a whole listen to and hundreds to find one that respects a repeated listen to.  Then, there are songs like this one that captures an emotion in my mind that I cannot describe.  I recently was searching on YouTube for "green tea music" and this was my search result.  I have played it a few times each evening here at home and I have yet to tire of it. 

I ask that you take a few moments out of your chaotic and stressful day to listen to this song.  I would love to download this song so that the artist would be rewarded for their creation and I would also love to cite the artist but the name is in Chinese so I am unable to identify and provide that person's name for you.  My apologies for this.


Find a comfortable place to sit or lay....close your eyes........and allow your mind to wander wherever this music directs it.      I truly hope that you enjoy this song as much as we do.

Jackfruit BBQ 'Pork'

*Casie Here*

Prepare to have your mind BLOWN!

If you think going Vegan/Vegetarian means you have to give up Pulled Pork Sandwiches, think again. This my friends is THE closest thing to it....and it's a FRUIT!!!! That is right, fruit! So, weird I know, but trust me on this one.

 This is what you go buy in the Asian market: Young Green Jackfruit in WATER (not brine or syrup). It's about a $1 a can. We got 9 cans for a pretty big crockpot that would feed 20-25 people with extra left over.

 I wanted my pulled 'pork' sandwiches to have onions in them too. So I sautéed up some onions and minced garlic. I put that in the crock pot after it was browned lightly. You can skip this step if you are not an onion fan. You could also chop up some peppers or anything else you like in your pulled pork sandwiches. 

 I just drained and dumped all 9 cans into the crock.

 Actually I took out most of these seeds in the fruit, but I think you would be ok if you didn't.

 Straight out of the can. Looks like pork already.

 Dump your favorite BBQ sauce all over it. I used Stubs and I liked it. It has a little kick at the end, but I don't like spicy and it was definitely bearable. You turn it on high for at least 10 hours. 

 Once it has gone for 10 hours or so (you can do this anytime after it is tender really), you can take out and shred the jackfruit just like you would the pork with 2 forks. Put it all back in, mix really good together and add more sauce or other seasonings you would like. And that is it! It is a little 'fatty' tasting like pork and a little chewy like pork. It is delicious.

*BIGGEST TIP of the NIGHT* 

We found out that day 3 and 4 are the BEST days to actually eat it. So, make it on lets say a Sunday evening let it cook overnight. The next morning shred it and add more sauce, then put it in the fridge for 1-2 days. Add more sauce if it gets dried up. Then enjoy! All the flavors had time to come together and that spiciness that I was talking about was completely gone. 

Get yourself some really good buns and get ready to FAKE any one out. I would love to hear comments under this post of people who try this and what them and other though of it. Have fun tricking anyone, even a avid pork lover.

Ha Ha!

It is your choice.

I love this video.....and I think you will, too.

Do you or someone you know use a tanning bed? If so, please watch:

Thank you to K.L. for bringing this video to my attention.

Vegetable Rankings.

This is a ranking of vegetables that I really like because it includes lutein.  Studies on lutein's health benefits suggest that dietary intake of lutein may help protect against age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. 


The grid is difficult to read as it is presented on the page.  If you click the ranking grid, it will enlarge for you to view.  Note the key at the bottom to assist you in interpreting the grid.

Check out this vegetable ranking by clicking this HERE.

Have you ever thought about it from their perspective?

I find this gentleman to be very brave for sharing his story and experience.  This video has given me a new perspective and has made me think deeply about what he shares in this video.

 

What would you say?

Just think how amazing it would be to let your current self go back in time and have a conversation with your teenage self for a couple of hours.  What would you tell, warn and advise the younger version of yourself?  Would the topic of eating healthier come up?  Obviously, you would want to inform yourself of the things that would have the most positive impacts on your life, so I hope that eating very healthy would be part of that conversation.  


So, let's reverse the tables.   What do you think your future self would come back in time to tell you? What if your future self is diabetic, diagnosed with lung cancer, has suffered a stroke or heart attack?   Would the future lung cancer diagnosis get you to stop smoking today?  Would the future heart attack get you thinking about how much fast and junk food you eat?   Would the future diabetes get you to stop drinking soda and fast/junk food?  What do you think your future self would advise?


What if the future you came back to tell you to become as healthy as possible, that the future you told you what lifestyle plan you should undertake to impress that future self?


I know that neither of these scenarios are going to happen, yet it gives me a way of thinking about my future self and things that I can do now, today and tomorrow, to make my future a better one.  I realized a couple of years ago that I could make my future self proud by eating so healthy that I increased the likelihood of future health and reduced the risk of diabetes, cancer and heart disease.  


There is overwhelming evidence in nutrition, medical and research studies to show that healthy eating is a key component to determining our current and future health status.


So, where do you start?  Do your own research.  Find out what foods are known to reduce and increase the risks of diabetes, cancer and heart disease.   Use this as a basic guide for your start.  Evolve you plan as you find what foods and recipes you like and dislike. 


Search www.mayoclinic.org for nutrition and healthy eating.


View Dr. Greger's videos on www.nutritionfacts.org


Look at www.whfoods.com to see what amazing nutrition exists in the world's healthiest foods.








 Let this be a start of your journey to make the future you proud....and healthier. 

Bullying

 

Most likely everyone has had to deal with some form of bullying in their life.  Unfortunately, some of the most vulnerable, yet unique, people in the world are the ones that take the brunt of that bullying.

 

Bullying has always been around but it has been taken to a whole new level with the use of social media.  Think back to your youth and reflect on some of your most embarrassing moments growing up.  Now, imagine someone videoing, photographing or writing about this moment and sharing it with everyone in the class/school.  Terrifying, isn't it.

 

The ramifications of a child getting bullied over and over again, especially when others, including parents, don't take action on the part of the victim can have negative life long impacts.  It's not just about the bully and the victim....it is also about all the passive observers of this activity. 

 

 So, do you know of someone being bullied?  Do you ask your children if they are being bullied?  How do you react if they tell you that they are being bullied?  How do you respond if they tell you one of their friends or classmates are being bullied?  What do you do if you find out your child is the one bullying someone else?

 

I often ask my daughter if she or anyone in her class is being bullied. I would recommend that you make an effort to have that conversation with your children, too, if you haven't already.  Please don't assume that it isn't happening unless they come to you to talk about it.  I assume that it is happening and I need to find out who is involved on both sides of the interaction and then to find out who needs to be informed to bring resolve to the bullying. 

 

There are many online resources for parents and children regarding bullying so make sure you utilize those resources if you find the need.  Here are a few:

 

http://www.stopbullying.gov/

 

http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/

 

Here are a couple of videos that I thought are worth watching regarding bullying:

 

(The above documentary, "Bully", is on Netflix)

 

 

 (The above poem is by Shane Koyczan)

 

 

 

 

 

My apologies

Please forgive me for my absence from the blog over the last month.  Nothing is wrong. I haven't lost my interest or passion for this blog.  Nor have I run out of things to say or share here.  My excuse?  In the past, I would walk on my treadmill and could work on my computer as I was exercising.  Last month, I began using my old elliptical machine every night.  If you have ever exercised on an elliptical machine, it is almost impossible to type on a computer while on that equipment.   On other nights, I have been too exhausted or selfish with my time to blog.   I usually have about 45-60 minutes per night that I can call my own and I must share some of that free time with writing on the blog.  I promise you I will try to post more often as I have much to share and hopefully there will be that one topic that I share here that can positively affect your life or someone you know.  As always, thank you for following this blog and giving your time to read and watch our information. 

Bean & Lentil Veggie Burgers

*Casie Here*

Tonight I was in the mood to make some Veggie Burgers. I do what I normally do when I am looking for a recipe. I search the internet to find in general what I am looking for, then I read a bunch of different recipes and then I kind of combine them to make my own concoction. Tonight was no different. 

I made 1 cup of red lentils according to package directions (1 cup lentils and 2 cups of water ~ boiled both together and lower temp, simmer for 40 mins.)

I started off sautéing in a little olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

I added:

4-5 ribs of celery, diced

2 medium carrots, diced

6-8 button mushrooms, diced

I added:

cumin

paprika

little ginger

salt & pepper

Drain & rinse

1 can of black beans

1 can of pinto beans

In my food processor I ground up 1/2 cup quick oats to a fine powder

  I also had some extra. old bread that I had toasted up and ground up into bread crumbs.

Put those dried powders in a large bowl.

I put the beans in the food processor and pulsed them until all chopped and mushy, then transfer to the bowl.

I put the sautéed veggies in the food processor to ground up fine, then transfer to the bowl.

I added the lentils when they were done (they are already mushy no need for them to go in the food processor).

I added a drizzle of Tahini Paste and some Braggs Liquid aminos.

I added some vital wheat gluten (maybe 1/4 to 1/2 cup) to the bowl and mixed it all together. You can add more wheat gluten if mixture is too sticky and wet. 

Combine all and form into patties. 

I just used a hot pan and sprayed with non-stick, but you could use a griddle or the actual grill. 

Heat both sides and enjoy! 

We had ours with dill pickle relish, organic ketchup and mustard. YUMMMM!

Wind chills of -25 to-40 degrees today...

May all beings stay warm tonight and tomorrow. May all pets be inside, may all wild animals find a protected area, may all the young and old farm animals survive this cold, may all homeless find shelter, may those independent elderly members be warm and safe. May all those that require help in this time of need receive assistance. I can't imagine what our ancestors had to contend with in these times of extreme temperatures.

Alphabet Kitchen Sink Soup

*Casie Here*

1 tbs olive oil

1 onion, diced

4 cloves of garlic, diced

4 carrots, diced

7-8 ribs of celery, diced

2 small zucchinis', diced

1 yellow squash, diced

4 seitan patties (mine were homemade), diced

1 can Amy's Tomato Bisque soup

1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 jar pasta sauce

1 1/2 boxes vegetable broth

salt and pepper

1 cup dried alphabet pasta