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.

New Foods-Fun Foods

I like trying new foods, or at least new recipes. Trying to be vegan, or at least vegetarian, opens up a whole new train of thought. I have often thought that I should be some kind of whole food, vegetarian type person, and now I feel like I am incorporating something that should always been a part of me. 

Tonight for dinner I made a Tofu Stir-Fry - it was great!

Will try more new recipes this week. I have an eggplant and a spaghetti squash that I am looking forward to trying, I haven't eaten either of these in a long time.

Happy-Healthy Eating to All

Eating Challenges

It is never easy eating healthy when most of those around you are not. Even though I work with medical professionals most of them do not opt for what I would consider healthy eating. There is always too many sweets, sandwiches, Mexican leftovers in the office.

I haven't told anyone that I work with that I am changing my eating, I don't want their opinions or them telling me what I should or should not be eating. When we had a mandatory meeting, with lunch provided, I was a bit concerned so I brought my own food and fortunately there was a fruit platter with the lunch so I had options available to me and no one even noticed, or at least no one said anything, that I didn't even eat a sandwich.

My Journey Begins - Again

I begin, or should I say continue, my pathway to health. I am not as healthy as I should be, as I want to be. I don't sleep well, although this is not new, it is not healthy, this causes me to be tired all or most of the time. I am able to function but not always to the level that I would like. I have previously been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, although it is not an ongoing hindrance to my daily living. I have made a conscious decision to make changes that will lead to having a healthy body, mind, and soul. I believe that we are whole people, that we cannot focus on one part and ignore the others without consequences.

One of the changes that I am making is to dramatically change my diet. I have belonged to Weight Watchers, www.weightwatchers.com, for years and really like their eating programs, the new PointsPlus is the best to date, focusing even greater on whole foods, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy oils. Following the basics of the Weight Watcher plan I am going to opt for a vegetarian diet. 

I do not enter into this change lightly. I have done hours and hours worth of research on diets, what foods are the best (and worst), what diseases they may help prevent or reverse. It has been recommended that I eat a diet higher in protein, lower carbohydrates and fats. Previously when I had eaten this way my focus for protein had been chicken or fish. It really did help, I did feel better, had more energy. But when I wasn't paying as close attention, even when I was focused on staying on the Weight Watcher's program, I didn't feel as well. 

It was having a friend talk about his journey towards veganism that brought it all into focus. I began to think that I too could eat less or no animal products. I had often thought about adopting a vegetarian type diet, now seems like a good time. Realizing that "lean proteins" don't have to be animal, but that beans, legumes, tofu, etc are an even better choices which will give me the needed nutrients that my body needs to become and remain healthy.

I plan on tracking my eating, health, and weight loss journey, mainly for my own self-awareness and journey to health but all are welcome to share my journey with me.  Hopefully through my journey others will be encouraged and will focus on their own health and eating habits. Welcome to my journey.