Further Reflections

I can't believe it has been nearly a month since my last blog - I have just been going about life as usual, this new eating style has seemed to just become a part of who I am, of what I do. I don’t really think about it too much, it has become a “just is” thing in my life.

I donated blood yesterday, as part of the process they test your cholesterol, my over all cholesterol is below 200, it is the lowest it has been in years (they only give the overall number not the breakdown of the various cholesterol components). From my history with the blood bank the only time my cholesterol as even been close to what it is now was a couple of years ago when I was strictly following the Weight Watcher's plan and exercising a lot, working in a hospital that has five or six floors in each building I was taking the stairs everywhere - up and down several times a day and now my level are even lower.  I know that if I add more exercise back into my daily activities my level will be even lower still.

After eating out in various places with friends I have found that it has not been a problem to find something that I can eat. I have found a couple of Chinese and Thai restaurants that we frequent that have such an assortment of vegetarian/vegan alternatives that I am just going to work my way through their options to find out what I like best. I usually start with the dishes that I can't (or at least wouldn't) make for myself. I like to cook and try new things so I am also hoping to find new dishes to add to my menus at home.

 Most of my friends are very supportive and don't really question what I am eating or not, one in particular has given me cookbooks that she found helpful for when she was on a Daniel Fast with the church and what she continues to follow as much as she is able. It is amazing how many have other friends and family that eat and live a vegetarian/vegan life-style and are supportive, even if this is not part of their current eating habits.

Last night one of my friends asked me if this means that we can never go to a BBQ place again? I told her of course not, all the ones we have normally had gone to have salads, potatoes, vegetables, they all have alternatives that I would eat. Sometimes I think people feel threatened by my eating style, kind of weird reaction, at this point I haven’t even suggested that they too follow this type of eating life-style.

Working in a medical setting I would have thought more of my co-workers would be more conscious of healthy eating habits - even if they did eat some meat/animal products - but they don't, most don't think about what they are eating or not eating. One of the nurses that I work with saw Dr Gupta's report on CNN and it was a real wake-up call for her. She has a strong family history of heart disease as well has having recently had her own heart related ailments. She started this new eating path, it will be interesting to see how well she does, how much her own disease is stopped and/or reversed. She was frustrated that no one had ever told her about all this before - and this is from a nurse who is awesome at her job - one I would trust to care for my own family, or myself.

There are now three of us, in the office, that are following this, or at least similar, eating plans. When lunch was brought into the office last week for a noon time meeting we requested a vegetarian alternative. They did bring us vegetarian options of a large salad with lots of veggies, steamed vegetables (even if they did put them in the same serving dish as the baked chicken, we appreciated the jester). They also had a non-meat pasta dish, it did contain some ricotta cheese, but it was nice that our request was seriously considered.

I get the same question as everyone seems to get - "How do you get your protein?" I inform them that I eat some tofu, plenty of beans, legumes, whole wheat pastas, brown rice and quinoa. But last week when the head nurse that I work with asked, her reply was that would never do for her, that if she has a blood test that tells her, her protein level is low then that means she has to eat some meat, a nice steak, and her protein levels are normal again. I want to know how she knows that it would never work for her to eat beans or tofu if she never tried, how does she know that her levels would never drop too low?

I will keep going on with my vegan/vegetarian life-style and let the evidence speak for its self.

Restaurant Options?

It seems like in this day and age restaurants would be more open to various dietary needs - but this week has been a struggle - In the past week I have eaten out a couple of times - the first place had no vegetarian dishes - well no vegan friendly dishes anyway - but could make a reasonable, but not great choice with a multi-grain blueberry pancake (I assume that they use eggs in making them).

The next place at least had some side dishes and salads that I could make work, but I am going to get real tired of only eating baked potatoes with veggies and/or a side salad while eating out. I don't like paying the $$$$ for a pasta and veggie dish when I know I can make it a lot cheaper at home. When I eat out I like to have things that I either can't or won't make for myself.

Some of the usual places that I go to with my friends have acceptable choices. There is a Chinese restaurant that has some good vegan/vegetarian options, including brown rice. The Mexican/Tex-Mex restaurants usually have a tortilla soup, as long as it is made with vegetable stock, is one of my favorites. I can always go with beans and rice if I have to, but they never have a brown rice. Still looking for alternatives here.

I will have to take my friends to a vegan/vegetarian restaurant in this area. Either they will see that there are a lot good vegetarian dishes or they will empathize  me and my lack of options when they can't find something suitable to their taste.

New Foods-New Recipes

I have been trying various new recipes -  One of my favorites is the Orange Ginger Baked Tofu which I found at Post Punk Kitchen - It was even better leftover - I tried the tip of freezing it first - added a nice bit of texture. I served it with pan fried zucchini, yellow summer squash, red/orange/yellow peppers, mushrooms, onions, and brown rice. I didn't add any additional seasonings or spices to the vegetables because of the flavoring in the tofu. Next time I will make additional marinade to add to the vegetables too.
www.theppk.com/recipes/2010/04/orange-ginger-baked-tofu/

Orange Ginger Baked Tofu

by IsaChandra
A Chinese take-out inspired glaze, only this tofu is baked, not fried. It’s wonderful served with roasted winter veggies and some basmati rice.

Tip: To make the tofu even more chewy, freeze the tofu the night before and let it thaw all day in the fridge, then wrap it in a kitchen towel and press it under the weight of a heavy object for an hour, turning occasionally.

14 ounces extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
Marinade:
2 tablespoons grated ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
1/4 cup orange juice (fresh is preferred, you can use the juice of the orange that you zest)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
4 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons veg oil

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Combine all ingredient for the marinade in a small bowl and wisk vigorously.
Cut the tofu into 8 slice crosswise. Pour 1/2 marinade into the baking dish and dredge tofu slices. Pour the other half of marinade over the tofu. Let sit 10 minutes.

Cover baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from over and flip pieces over. Cook 15 more minutes uncovered. To give the tofu more chewiness, place in the broiler for 2 minutes on each side.

Serve!

ANOTHER GOOD ONE - SUPER EASY
I made this one a couple of time recently -

Pasta Primavera 

2 Tablespoons Garlic, minced

½ White Onion

Red/Yellow/Orange Peppers

4-6 Roma Tomatoes

1 Large or 2 Small Zucchini

1 Large or 2 Small Yellow Summer Squash

8 oz Sliced Mushrooms

Sea Salt

Pepper

Spices if desired –suggestions: basil (fresh or dried), oregano (fresh or dried), any pasta blend, I like Trader Joe’s 21 Spice Salute

1 lb Whole Wheat Pasta (any kind will work)

Sauce

Cut all vegetables into bit size chunks

In large soup kettle heat garlic, sauté onion and peppers

Add tomatoes, zucchini, squash, mushrooms– a small amount of water or vegetable broth can be added – I’ve done it with and without the broth – with broth, I needed extra time to allow it to cook down, but worth the wait. Once it begins to boil turn down heat to low and let sauce simmer, cooking down to desired thickness. Salt and Pepper according to taste – various spices can be added as the sauce is cooking down –– season according to taste.

While sauce is simmering, cook pasta according to directions

Serve sauce over cooked pasta topping with a bit of your favorite Vegan/Vegetarian cheese if desired. 

Makes 4 Servings

Enjoy

The Chicken or the Egg ? (I need a vegan alternative)

Listening nad reading various points of view about vegetarian/vegan diets has been interesting. There are those who believe that this is the only way to eat. It is not just a diet, it is a life-style.

Then there are those on the other side who, for whatever reason, have taken it upon themselves to make sure that anyone and everyone who eats a vegetarian/vegan diet knows they think that eating vegan is idiotic. It is often pointed out, over and over, by meat-eaters that they believe vegans to be too pushy, arrogant, and/or defensive.

Vegans often point out that their diet and life-style if a more compassionate, healthier choice.

Meat-eaters point out all of the reasons that eating meat is how it is suppose to be.

Another blogger pointed this out and how the China Study leads to logical conclusions, statistically - which I found to be an interesting approach - also pointing out the common excuses vegans are often met with - http://plantbasedodyssey.wordpress.com/2011/07/26/statistically-speaking-the-china-study/

So back to my question - Which came first? Are vegans defensive and pushy about their life-style because meat-eaters are constantly trying to put them down for their choices. Or are meat-eaters putting down vegans because vegans are pushing their life-style on everyone else.

I know these are generalization and not all vegans are trying to convert everyone else, nor are all meat-eaters threatened by the vegan life-style. I think that changing the minds of generations of meat-eaters is a slow, slow process that is going to continue to be met by resistance - like altering the course of a large boat, it takes a slow, wide turn to change directions.

So which came first cilantro or the coriander seed? (OK, OK, I'm working on it)

Farmer's Markets

I started the day by going to a farmer's market, thinking I could get some fresh fruits and vegetables. After the 20 minute drive and a walk through, in nearly 100 degree heat, what was being called a farmer's market, I was bitterly disappointed not only in the lack of "farmers" represented but in the quality and the price of what was available, with the exception of one vendor. The one vendor that did have a few quality items also has an independent market a few miles away - I decided this was where I needed to go.

Calling a couple of friends to accompany me we ventured to the ongoing farmers market where the produce is, for the most part, grown locally. Inside the converted barn, that is now the market, it was over 90 degrees, but yet there were probably nearly 100 people inside picking through an assortment of various fresh fruits, vegetables, and grains.

As I came away with my bags filled with this weeks staples of my newly found diet I felt good and was excited to go home and make some kind of vegan lunch with my treasures. Sauteed zucchini, yellow summer squash, chayote squash, onions, and bell peppers with some leftover quinoa was a fantastic mid-day meal.

The veggies bin in my refrigerator, and one labeled for meat, is full of colorful fruits and vegetables - my next thing is to look for some new recipes and fun ways to fix all my dietary stables.

Interesting...

I noticed the past couple of afternoons that I haven't been tired and in a desperate need of a nap.  Yesterday I thought, "It's 4:30, I need to go home, maybe take a nap before dinner, I'm so tired." Then I realized..."No, I'm not tired at all!" I had enough energy to go finish up some work I had been postponing, then went home and cook a fabulous dinner of whole wheat pasta with homemade sauce.

This afternoon I started to drink a cup of coffee, there is always some made in the office, and realized that I wasn't tired and I really didn't want the coffee - I did want some water and a pear - it was a refreshing snack.

Even though I haven't been behind in my work, I'm just not ahead as I would like to be. I got more done this afternoon than in the past few days combined. A couple of weeks ago I felt like I was moving in slow motion, today I feel like I think I should, enough energy to get through all the details of redundant paperwork.

On Thursday's I always eat lunch late because I go to a meeting right after work, then we all go out to dinner, making it after 8:00 most night before we get to eat. This afternoon, I realized about 2:00 I hadn't eaten lunch and I was getting hungry, so I ate my leftover tempeh fajitas (yummy). So tonight when it was decided we would go to the Olive Garden I knew I could make a vegan/vegetarian choice, I like the minestrone soup and salad. It was basically a good choice but the rest who ordered salad (and if you've ever eaten there you know they bring one big bowl for the whole table) wanted cheese on the salad and I asked to take mine before the cheese but the waitress was already dumping the cheese on it, so I thought I could dig down and get some off the bottom but someone decided that it should all be mixed, so the cheese was throughout it. I did have a bit but when the next bowl was brought I got some before the cheese was put on it. A couple of these people get frustrated with me for wanting to eat healthy as it is, I don't want them to know about my new plant-based diet - I know they will do what they can to try and sabotage me. I know that they would not be willing to follow such a diet, so I don't even want to talk to them about it.  I'm sure I'll feel different about this at some point, but for right now I'll just let the diet speak for itself, when I start loosing weight, when they see that I have more energy, when I feel great and not run down all the time, they will notice. When they ask, I will tell them.

It is interesting how some don't like it when others want to change their lifestyles for the better...interesting...

Cat's Out Of the Bag

OK, I didn't mean to tell everyone I worked with that I am now vegetarian, it just sort of slipped out, all natural, like I had been one for years, not weeks. For our weekly staff meeting someone brought boxes of Kolaches (pastries/biscuits/rolls usually filled with meats, cheeses, eggs, or fruits). Previously having had checked out the ingredients for the fruit ones I thought I'd try one topped with what turned out to be a mixed berry jelly. Someone tried to get me to try one of the new sausage stuffed ones too, I said "No thank you, I am eating vegetarian these days." I work with healthcare professionals and once I said it I was thinking, "Oh shoot, now I am going to hear all the reasons why this is not a good idea, or why I need to eat meat." But, their reaction was just the opposite, I was met with a round of "That's great!" "Wow, I didn't know, cool." " Oh, I bet you feel better." Someone did ask, "For how long? Since this morning?" I told them it had been a couple of weeks, this time. They all (with one exception) had positive comments. The only one who didn't give positive remarks is one of those who, like most who, for whatever reason, feel threatened by another's choices.

Only one person said anything later. A young office assistant asked what kind of things I eat and how to cook or use tofu. She said she had been wanting to try it but didn't know what to do with it. She said she has a lot of friends who are vegetarian and has always like the foods they cook. She thought that once she was no longer pregnant (as she is craving meats and not too willing to change at this point) she would like to try more vegetarian dishes. That's cool, I think that she will find a lot of things that she likes and might even raise her baby with little or no meat in his diet.