A Guest For Dinner

A Fabulous guest blog by my friend Amanda ... she cooked up a storm for my Vegan brood and it was so AMAZING I was compelled to SHARE .. What's for dinner? How about a Guest Dish?

Amanda & I enjoying a Coastal Sunset! 

I'm fortunate to be staying for a week on the coast with Lisa and her family, who have graciously welcomed me into their home. Not being much of meat-consumer myself and all about a healthy lifestyle, I was excited to experience a 'week in the life' of a vegan household. I made these sweet potato burgers for us for dinner one night, which thanks to the sweet potatoes (or yams as they're known in the US) and black beans are packed with nutrients, and couldn't be easier to prepare. They've even won over my most hard-core dinner guests that were skeptical as to how decent a "burger" without any meat could be. I love showing them that being "crunchy granola" isn't all about the stereotyped days full of salads and slamming wheat grass shots.

These burgers can be made days ahead and kept in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve them. I actually like making them a day before serving to allow the patties to firm up and the flavor to develop. 

I always change it up depending on what's in my fridge and pantry, but here's the basic recipe:

• Peel and cube two sweet potatoes, tossing them lightly in olive oil or coconut oil and salt and pepper. Roast in a 400 degree oven until soft, approx. 30 minutes. Turn over half way through. Don't worry if the edges get a little brown. 
• Rinse and drain one can of black beans and let dry. (I like to use tinned beans for this kind of recipe vs. dried, as it's quicker and easier. If you are using dried, prepare them carefully ahead of time as the package directs and make sure that they're nice and soft.)
• Saute one large onion and 3-4 minced garlic cloves in a little oil, and cook until the onions are translucent. 
• In a large bowl, mash together the cooked sweet potato, black beans and onion mixture until the sweet potatoes are well mashed. 
• Add whatever additional seasoning you'd like - I add turmeric to as many dishes as I can for the extra health benefits so I usually add it into this, as well as some garam marsala. 
• Form into patties approximately 1" thick, and coat in panko crumbs. (Panko crumbs can be found in the bread crumbs aisle and come plain or seasoned.) Place on a waxed-paper lined baking sheet and refrigerate until needed. 
• When ready to serve, cook for 3-4 minutes per side in a lightly oiled pan over medium heat until panko is lightly browned and they're warmed through. 
• Serve with whole wheat thin pita-style buns, hummus, tomatoes, avocado, sauteed mushrooms, sprouts or anything else you feel would go well. 

Other additions you could add if they're on hand:

- sauteed spinach, cooked quinoa, cooked brown rice, sunflowers seeds, chia/hemp/flax seeds... the variations are endless!

*Amanda Flude

Where Do You Get Your Protein?

 Dan Piraro’s comic strip Bizarro

If I seriously had a nickle for every time I was asked the question, Where do you get your protein? or What do you eat? both as a Vegetarian and now as a Vegan. My husband's reply to the "what do you eat" question is "NUTRITION". Seems simple enough to me.  We eat a plant based diet (NO animal products) and try to eat as little processed food's as possible. Our rule of thumb is if it has more than 5 ingredients we try to steer clear. We also seriously limit our sugar and eat no white/bleached grains (no white sugar, flour, bread, pasta or rice). I LOVE  my lifestyle and when you KNOW better you DO better. My husband is the most physically active and fit men that I know. Being Vegan is the most amazing thing he has done for his health and fitness level. It has certainly motivated me as well. Weight loss was never the goal but a welcomed side effect for both of us.

Our Protein Sources:

*Green Veggies

*Almond Milk

*Beans

*Legumes
*Peanut Butter / Nut Butter

*Nuts

*Quinoa

*Chia Seeds (1 Table Spoon  = 2g)

*Plant Based Protein Powder (we like smoothies with fresh fruit and Almond Milk)

*Whole Grain Bread (We Eat OROWEAT - Health Nut @ 4g per slice)

   My Husband (P.S. He's 44)

I found an interesting VEGAN's story to share, does not look like he is "missing" or "lacking" anything does it?

Germany’s Strongest Man is a Vegan

“When I started the vegetarian diet I knew little about the effect it would have on my performance and strength. The reasons for my decision were mainly based on my empathy for all kinds of non human animals and the mental conflict I felt, when consuming meat, which would mean that an animal would have to lose its life for my appetite. I was amazed by the great 

gains in lean body-mass and strength that I got with the meat-free diet. After winning the German strongman title I was ready to take the next step and switch to a vegan diet.

As a strength athlete I have to make sure that my body gets all three macro-nutrients in feasible amounts. Especially protein is a key factor for the development of the type of body that is needed to endure the gruelling events you have to face as a strongman. My main protein sources are: soy-milk, soy-protein-powder, tofu, nuts and beans. To get the energy I need for my daily training sessions I use carbohydrates out of: rice, potato, oats and lots of fruits and greens and vegetables. I have never been stronger and I have never felt better in my entire life!”

FYI: Patrik currently holds the world log lift record in the 105k-category (165 kg), as well as the German heavyweight loglift record (185 kg) and the title of “Strongest Man of Germany. 

The choice is ALWAYS up to you what you put into your bodies. I think the results speak for themselves. It is all about Education and Preparation. We take a B12 Vitamin and eat a balanced diet. It is important to do your homework and listen to your body! It could be the best thing you have ever done for yourself.

Food For Thought

Our lives are so fast paced and most of us are over obligated. This leaves little time for providing ourselves with adequate nutrition, or does it? The biggest "excuse" I have heard (and made) about not eating healthy is that I don't have time - Translation = It is not a priority for me.  I used to make this excuse in the past and now that I am adapting a much more healthy lifestyle honestly at this juncture I have LESS time and more obligations than I did before, yet somehow I have time to shop accordingly. Now that I have made it a priority I have no problem preparing healthy meals for my family.

Visualization always work for me to put things into perspective. I wanted to share this image as it related to calorie intake, nutrition and feeling satisfied (or sated).  It is simple to see why we over eat. We are over fed an under nourished.  

Think about what you are putting into your system today. Mindfully choose your meals and snacks. Get creative in your kitchen and see the ways you can work in healthy foods into your daily routine to replace the non-nutritious ones. I don't know about you but I would much prefer to be the stomach on the far right. Remember: what you put into your body will be directly reflected on the outside.  Just a little food for thought today!