Saturday 28 April 2012

Sweet Potato & Chick Pea Curry

Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 40 Minutes Serves: 4

2 cups sweet potatoes chopped

1 cup chick peas drained & rinsed

2 cloves garlic finely chopped

1 small knob of ginger grated

1/2 cup onion chopped

3/4 cup orange juice

1/2 cup gluten free vegetable broth

2 tablespoons curry powder

1 tablespoon peanut butter

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup frozen green peas

1/4 cup cilantro chopped

1 cup spinach

2 cups basmati rice cooked

2 tablespoons olive oil

1. In a medium pot with lid, cook rice as directed on package

2. In a stock pot on medium heat bring the olive oil, garlic, onion and ginger to a sizzle

3. Add in the curry powder, orange juice and vegetable stock

4. Add the chick peas and sweet potatoes and cook for 2 to 3 minutes

5. Add in the coconut milk and peanut butter - cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes

6. Turn burner to low heat, add in the cilantro, green peas and spinach, cook for additional 10 minutes

7. Serve on rice

http://www.vegmenufortheweek.com

Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes Serves: 4 - 6

1lb silken tofu

8 oz dark chocolate, bakers, chopped

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 cup confectioners sugar

1 cup hot water

1. Create a double boiler by taking a saucepan with 1 cup of water, bring to a slow simmer and place a stainless steel bowl over it

2. Place chopped chocolate in bowl and melt, keep a spatula handy and scrape sides into middle of bowl

3. When chocolate has melted, fold in cocoa powder

4. When cocoa has been thoroughly mixed into warm chocolate mixture, whisk in hot water, mix until creamy smooth consistency

5. In food processor, blitz silken tofu and confectioners sugar until smooth,

6. Fold in warm chocolate and blitz until thoroughly mixed

7. Pour into dessert cups and garnish with fresh berries

http://www.vegmenufortheweek.com

Vegetarian Breakfast Burrito

Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes Serves: 4

8 eggs

1 cup mixed peppers, julienne

1/4 red onion, julienne

1 package tofu breakfast sausage, thinly sliced

12 button mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Pinch of chili powder

Pinch of cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

4 whole grain wraps

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 cup tofu sour cream

1 cup salsa

1. In no stick fry pan heat olive oil on medium high heat, add onions, peppers, sausage and mushrooms and sauté for 3 minutes

2. In mixing bowl, crack eggs and whisk for 2 minutes

3. Lower heat to medium and add whisked eggs and scramble with vegetables for an
additional 3-4 minutes

4. Warm wraps in microwave for 10 seconds, or place in hot dry pan and warm on both sides

5. Place 1/4 of egg vegetable mixture in centre of wrap and fold over, use toothpicks if needed to hold in place. Repeat for remaining 3 wraps

6. Add 1/4 of cheese to top of each wrap

7. Place wraps on baking sheet lined with parchment, place under broiler set on high for approx 3-4 minutes or until cheese has melted

8. Plate and served with sour cream and fresh or jarred salsa

http://www.vegmenufortheweek.com

Romaine and Spinach Salad with Miso Tahini Vinaigrette

2 cups brown rice, cooked, room temp

1 head romaine, rough chop

1 cup baby spinach

1/2 med cucumber, half inch dice

3 roma tomatoes, 1/2 inch dice

1/2 small sweet onion, julienne

4 hard boiled eggs, cut in quarters

1/4 cup white miso

1/4 cup tahini

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup safflower oil

2 tbsp water (or more if thinner dressing is preferred)

1. In small mixing bowl, combine miso, tahine, vinegar, lemon juice, oil and water and whisk until smooth (I use a bullet which is easy and quick). You will have a more dressing than you need for this salad, will keep in fridge for 10-12 days to be used for lunches or other meals.

2. In large mixing bowl combine remaining ingredients except for eggs and add preferred amount of dressing. Mix until leaves are fully coated

3. Season with salt and pepper to taste

4. Plate and garnish with boiled eggs

http://www.vegmenufortheweek.com

Thursday 26 April 2012

Which Fats Are Good, Which Are Bad And What Is Omega 3?

Raw Cocoa Balls made with Coconut Oil

In the early 90’s my former roommate and got on board the low fat crazy train. We read the labels and the nutritional facts on all of the ‘packaged’ products we bought and stayed away from avocados, olive oil and butter. We drank low fat milk, ate low fat cheese and we thought we were taking a healthy step in the direction of weight loss. The funny thing is that I actually gained weight. I totally bought into what many dietitians and doctors at the time were selling which was cut down on fats and eat low fat foods. It was the key to losing weight, or so we thought. Looking back now, how funny that seems due to the fact that neither roommate was in fact overweight!

You may be wondering why I gained weight and come to think of it, at the time so was I. Only as I was researching for this newsletter did I realized that last week’s newsletter actually had one of the answers. When the food industry created low fat foods, the carbohydrates were increased. In fact, the sugar content went up. I am sure at the time, I was not carb counting, in fact I don’t know that I ever really believed in dieting. In the US, the diet industry is worth 42 billion dollars annually. This is amazing for an industry that is literally built on failure to succeed! This is a topic for another newsletter.

Did you know that the membrane of each and every cell in the human body has fat content? That 60% of our brain is fat? That fat is needed for our bodies to function? Fat protects our organs and our bones; it is involved in transmitting nerve impulses and is a layer of insulation to protect our bodies from colder temperatures. Fat also plays a role in immune functions and hormone construction. Fat provides energy that the body needs when blood sugar levels deplete which can occur when we go 4 to 6 hours without food; and you wonder why people are ‘hangry’ by mid morning when they don’t eat breakfast. If we have depleted blood sugar (glucose) levels and no fat intake, where is that much needed energy going to come from?

Most Vegetarian and Vegans use grains, nuts and seeds as a good source of the much needed protein and in doing so, they are also taking in good fats. Cooking with plant based oils will also assist the body in getting the good fats it needs. XV olive oil, grape seed oil, coconut oil, flax seed oils etc. are all good sources of polyunsaturated fats. Some nuts, seeds and oil contain high contents of Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Omega 3 fatty acid is in fact a fat, but it cannot be created by the body so our intake determines how much our bodies get. Omega Fatty Acids are essential to general health and growth.

Tips at adding good fats to your intake:

· Make your own dressings using xv olive oil, grape seed oil, nut oils
· Add nuts and seeds to your meals. Cashew are a tasty rich addition to noodle and rice dishes
· Use ripe avocado as a spread for your toast or bagel, forget the butter or margarine!
· Nut gravies are a tasty addition to veggies, rice and potatoes
· Add nuts and seeds to your breakfast cereal or your morning shake
· Sesame paste AKA tahini adds great flavour to your dressings

While a high fat diet is not good either, keep in mind that good fats help you maintain a healthy body weight, balance energy levels and manage your mood levels. It is not cutting out the fat; it is choosing the better fats and controlling the quantities we take in from meal to meal.

“If you don't do what's best for your body, you're the one who comes up on the short end. “ Julius Erving

Laurie Brennan

Owner, Vegetarian Menu For The Week

Http://www.vegmenufortheweek.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/vegmenu4theweek

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vegetarian-Menu-For-The-Week/236229299783549

Wednesday 25 April 2012

BraveHeart Women Resonate Calgary

Recently I came across the most incredible site for women, the tag line is: Social Media with a purpose. And it truly is just that!

I was just doing a light search on the internet about woman and social networking, as I am always interested in joining forums and offering my opinion and also learning a few things along the way. And I came across this webpage that has over 400,000 women from around the world who are a part of this community. I couldn’t believe that I had never heard of this before!

Their mission is to bring women together to BE who they truly are meant to be, CREATE their vision and COLLABORATE instead of working against one another and seeing other woman as a threat. A truly amazing site that I recommend every women to check out.

This site is called BraveHeart Women: http://www.breaveheartwomen.com

I am located in Calgary, Alberta and I actually came to realize that a chapter for BraveHeart Women is just starting to build roots and unravel its branches, so I have had the opportunity to be a part of this incredible journey.

We are encouraging women to join us and other inspired women on the journey with BraveHeart Women. As a Resonator in Calgary, We are honored to be part of the very fabric of the BraveHeart Women Global Vision, which is to inspire women to Be, Create and Collaborate.

Oxytocin, a natural hormone produced by the brain, is the biological foundation of feminine collaboration and it creates a visceral experience of trust, bonding and inner peace. This community encourages actions that release Oxytocin as much as possible.

This community will help women to acquire tools that help you blossom, be inspired and inspire others, grow and evolve, embrace your purpose.

Isn’t this something that you just feel immediately that you want to be a part of?

Join this group on facebook: http://m.facebook.com/group.php?gid=337727319624054&_rdr

Saturday 21 April 2012

7 Common Food Myths!!!

Before starting with food myths, I want to say thanks so much to everyone who has dropped me a line about how much they like the new grocery list format and the sweet comments about my new picture. I always appreciate the time taken for kind feedback. So, thank you!!

These myths are according to the American Diabetic Association. I've at some point in time believed every one of them. Some of them will surprise you.

Myth 1 - A food labeled "98% fat-free" contains only two percent of its total calories from fat.

Truth - The "98% fat-free" claim refers to the weight of food, not its calories. Read the nutrition facts for grams of fat per serving.

Myth 2 - Fresh vegetables and fruits contain more nutrients than canned or frozen.

Truth - There is little difference, depending on the handling of produce. Canned and frozen produce are generally processed at their peak and may contain more nutrients than fresh produce. Canned or frozen produce may have added sugar or salt, which is something to consider when purchasing these items.

Myth 3 - Your stomach shrinks when you eat less.

Truth - Your stomach expands to handle large amounts of food. As the food moves through your digestive system, your stomach returns to its normal size and stays there until your next meal.

Myth 4 - Brown bread has more fiber than white bread.

Truth - Being brown in color does not mean a bread is high in fiber. If the bread's ingredient list states in contains whole wheat or other whole grains, it probably has fiber. The brown color is likely from caramel coloring found in the ingredient list. Check the nutrition label for the number of grams of fiber per serving.

Myth 5 - Organically grown foods are more healthful and safer than those grown conventional ways.

Truth - No evidence has shown a difference. Organic foods are typically grown with natural pesticides and insecticides to prevent crop damage. With conventional agriculture, pesticides are carefully regulated to ensure their safe use for the environment and human health.

Myth 6 - Irradiation zaps the nutrients from food.

Truth - Irradiation results in minimal nutrient loss just like other forms of food processing, such as drying, freezing, and pasteurization. Irradiation helps produce maintain quality longer.

Myth 7 - Feed a cold, starve a fever. Or is it starve a cold, feed a fever?

Truth - Either way, this is a myth! To fight infection, your body needs a supply of nutrients, plenty of fluids, and extra rest. A day's eating plan with variety and balance is as important as ever.

There you have some of the most common food myths and why they are just that.

Happy Cooking!

Dawn Billesbach
Mom Blogger and Menu Planner
Menu For The Week
http://menufortheweek.com

Thursday 19 April 2012

The Gluten Free Revolution

Some years ago now, I started my gluten free journey. At that time, GF was not referred to as such, just that I had food issues! It was difficult and still is and I am not adverse to going with the flow and cheating from time to time; it is just too easy! As a food industry professional, I have watched a virtually nonexistent food category, grow from bricks of rice bread as my only sandwich bread option to entire aisles and freezer sections in natural food and grocery stores dedicated to the GF revolution. It is almost heaven not to have to read the labels intently now that I wear readers.

What exactly is gluten you ask? Well it is in fact a protein component of grain, found in wheat, barley and rye among others, even oats. Gluten is the element of flour that thickens sauces, makes pizza dough stretchy and gives breads and bagels texture. May seem like a good quality to the average reader, but the question is, how does gluten affect the body and does it affect everyone?

Not everyone is sensitive to gluten, but for those of us who are, including theceliac disease sufferer, gluten can wreak havoc in the body. The problems arise in the gluten sensitive system when it tries to digest the gluten when it enters the small intestine. The gluten sensitive body does not have the enzymes to break it down so it treats it as an alien, attacking it as it would the bacteria or a virus found in the intestines. When our bodies fight off foreign anti-bodies, it sends in the troops to attack which causes inflammation. This inflammation is normal if it has bacteria and or viruses to expunge; when this is not the case, the inflammation only ends up causing damage to the intestines. Without getting technical as we are not doctors or scientists, the damage to the villi* can create holes in the small intestine allowing food particles to make their way into our bloodstream and decrease the absorption of nutrients our bodies desperately need.

Here are a few resources I have found very helpful for my own guidance:

http://www.celiac.ca/

http://www.livestrong.com/gluten-free-diet/

http://glutendoctors.blogspot.ca/

Why we should stay away from conventional wheat products:

The conventional wheat that is feeding the masses is genetically modified and has higher gluten content than the wheat that was grown 20 years ago. So now that we are learning about what gluten can do to the body, is this really a good thing? With the effects gluten has on the body, the high consumption of starch products made with genetically modified wheat and the addition of wheat starch and wheat gluten to so many of the prepared foods on the grocery store shelves, it is no wonder we have the obesity epidemic on our hands. If what I have presented here interests you enough to delve further in to the GMO world, Google Monsanto or visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsanto. Monsanto is the biggest producer of genetically modified seeds and herbicides in the world. I could write more, but that is really for another topic!

Villi* are the tiny, finger like protrusions lining the small intestine. Villi normally allow nutrients from food to be absorbed through the walls of the small intestine into the bloodstream. Without healthy villi, a person becomes malnourished, no matter how much food one eats http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/

I am in many of the natural food stores in the Ottawa Canada area on a weekly basis and have participated in gluten free days on behalf of gluten free products I represent. I notice that many of the carts are filled with gluten free breads, frozen meals and treats. Don’t get me wrong, I am of the opinion that going gluten free is definitely beneficial for the masses, but just because it says GF does not necessarily mean it is good for us to eat on a regular basis. As with all of our food, we suggest you do as much as you can to eat whole foods, organic or non GMO grains and lightly cooked foods. We live busy lives and we do understand the need to save time which is why we created www.vegmenufortheweek.com.

Here are some tips to keeping it gluten free and whole:

Avoid all wheat products and this includes whole wheat products, bulgur, durum flour, farina, graham flour, kamut, semolina and spelt. As stated above, avoid barley, rye and look for gluten free oats.
Cook using whole grains. Quinoa, brown rice and millet are ones we incorporate regularly in our menus.
Arrowroot and rice flour are great alternatives as thickening agents.
Look for food additives, such as malt flavoring, modified food starch and others on prepared and processed food labels and avoid these products.
Soy products often have wheat starch as an ingredient. Look for GF label or check the label. We suggest Bragg or wheat free Tamari products.
Another label issue: many medications and supplements use gluten as a binding agent. We look for dairy free, gluten free, vegetable based labels.
When purchasing nuts, seeds and grains, purchase whole and raw, less opportunity for cross contamination at the processing level.

This is a topic that I could literally write on and on about, but there is too much information to truly summarize everything. I will leave you with a book I would highly suggest reading is The Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis. It really changed things for me and put things into perspective. At the beginning I thought I was at a disadvantage because of my sensitivities but then I realized I was fortunate to have symptoms that were noticeable so I could avoid gluten early on in life. A large amount of the population is not aware that gluten can be a silent killer.

So I guess that question lies – are you willing to take control and be a part of the Gluten Free Revolution?

_______________________________________

What’s on the menu this week?

Tempeh Hash Submarines
Lemon Pasta with Zucchini and Spring Peas
Greek Salad with Chick Peas
Country Style Soup
Tofu and Vegetable Stirfry with Almond Tahine Sauce on Brown Rice
Brunch: Mushroom, Spinach and Tofu Souffle
Dessert: Raw Cocoa Power Balls

Enjoy!

Lyndsay & Laurie

Interesting Food Fact

Did You Know?

That a 1/2% of the world have Celiacs desease, however more recent studies have showed that there are 30 times more people in the world who have a gluten sensitivity. That is about 15% of the population that are sensitive to gluten. These people suffer symptoms after eating gluten but when tested for celiacs disease the test would show up negative.

RECIPE Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

From: Gluten Free Menu For The Week - http://www.gfmenufortheweek.com

4 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup peanut butter (I use the creamy variety)

1 egg

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup Brown rice flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Allow all ingredients to come to room temperature.
Cream together butter, peanut butter, and egg using a large spoon.
Add the brown sugar, brown rice flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir until combined.
Drop a rounded tablespoon of the dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or golden brown.
Let stand on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Allow the cookie sheet to cool completely before placing the dough for the second batch or use a second cookie sheet.

Follow Gluten Free Menu For The Week on Facebook for many more tasty GF recipes: FOLLOW

Contact us at lyndsay@vegmenufortheweek.com

Friday 13 April 2012

Veg Menu For The Week: Are We Really Healthy Eaters Or Do We Just Think We Are

Veg Menu For The Week: Are We Really Healthy Eaters Or Do We Just Think W...: I have always considered myself to be a reasonably healthy eater, some days more so than others. As an aging woman with a passion for fo...

Are We Really Healthy Eaters Or Do We Just Think We Are?

I have always considered myself to be a reasonably healthy eater, some days more so than others. As an aging woman with a passion for food, maintaining my weight has been a challenge for many of my adult years and a recent weight gain had me concerned. I felt compelled to start keeping a food diary to help make me more aware of what I am putting into my body. What an eye opener this exercise has been. With the help of an online diet and exercise journal, I have diligently entered each item I have consumed for the past few weeks. With the report at the end of each day staring me in the face, I have realized that although for the most part I am not overeating, I am, however not always meeting the caloric intake that is recommended for a healthy body weight. I am also consuming more fats and protein than my body actually needs, or at least that is what the daily report shows.

How can this be? I was somewhat surprised, actually I was shocked! I eat lots of vegetables (many green ones!), good fats, whole grains and good proteins. With such a high intake of plant based foods and much of it raw or lightly cooked, this was hard to believe. I realize now that I really have to take a serious look at the meals that I make every day; am I using too much olive oil or coconut oil when creating dishes; too much tofu in my diet; am I getting enough roughage; are my snacks what they should be? I will say this, entering every morsel I put to my lips into a tracking site is now holding me accountable to myself; something I have never been able to achieve. This is an accomplishment for me and one that I am very proud of. I am only partway into monitoring my intake, so I don’t have major results, nor do I have the answers to all of my questions, but I will continue to work on this and will write about it again very soon.

While working through this, I have gone on an internet rampage googling ‘Why do we overeat?’ ‘What can we do to curb our appetites?’ ‘How to plan a healthy diet.’ ‘Why are we tempted by fast food?’ ‘Why do we eat when we are not hungry?’ ‘Why do we find comfort in some foods and not others?’...so many questions and too many answers!!!

Maintaining a healthy body weight is quite complicated for many of us. Here are some of the questions I looked to have answered and they just may be of interest to you.

Why is too much sugar not good?

When we consume foods that are high in sugar (or convert to sugar easily), that sugar enters the bloodstream and our bodies produce and release insulin. Insulin is a hormone that assists the body in the conversion of glucose into energy. Our body only needs so much sugar and when our diet is high in sugary and simple starchy foods, we produce too much insulin and the energy our bodies do not use up converts to fat and is stored in our cells.

Why does junk food and fast food taste so good?

Apparently, many of these foods are engineered in labs with just the right balance of fat, sugar and salt to trigger the pleasure element in our brains. If this is so, we find joy and delight every time we indulge or so we think. Is food that is chemically treated to artificially arouse warm fuzzies in our brains really what we want to consume? Mmm...

Why do we eat when we are not hungry?

Some of us are emotional eaters and then there are those who eat of sheer boredom. Some eat for the absolute pleasure of it and then there are those that eat as a replacement for something missing in their lives, possibly love or being desired. And there are also stress eaters. It appears that food satisfies many emotional needs that are not being met by what is going on in our lives. If we are more aware of why we eat when we are not hungry, are we more able to curb ourselves from using food as a drug? Well, it is a legal drug, but is it a healthy one?

Online diet and exercise journal sites:

www.myfitnesspal.com

www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate

http://www.fitday.com/

Ways I am using to help curb my appetite:

Drink water throughout the day, ½ your body weight in ounces
Eat smaller meals with healthy snacks in between to keep your blood sugar at a healthy stable level throughout the day
Eat high fiber foods with water. Fiber expands with water intake creating the feeling of fullness.
Carry healthy snacks when you are on the go. This keeps you from looking to the nearest snack machine or convenience store for junk food.
Don’t remove carbohydrates from your diet, choose better carbs!
Combine complex carbohydrates with protein, our digestive system is designed to release enzyme that digest both!
Read your labels! If it says “low in fat” it is likely full of sugar or other additives or chemicals in place of the fat. If they removed everything, likely majority of people would not like it.
Remember fat is not always bad, there are so many healthy fats out there that are very important for our body to function to its full capacity.

While it is important to educate ourselves about the foods we should be eating and learning healthy eating habits, it is crucial that we also understand that what the food industry portrays as a health food is not always the case, and that is why it is so important to read labels and understand what it means when the sodium, trans fats, calories and sugars are high. Some of these foods to avoid are:

Protein Bars – loaded with sugars and calories
Bottled Fruit Smoothies – unnecessary sugars from peanut butter, ice cream and added juices blended in
Trail Mix or Mixed Nuts – coated in sugars and salt
Granola Bars – full of sugar, calories, fats, sodium
Canned Soups – full of sodium, likely twice your daily recommended intake in just one cup!
Frozen Yogurts – yes lower in fat that a cream or milk however these have just as much sugar so remember to NOT increase your portion size

There is so much to know and learn about what works right for your body but I think the first step is identifying where your problematic areas may lie and find healthy alternatives. What I have learned along my journey to an ultimate healthy diet is that portion control is everything!

I ask, are you really a healthy eater, or do you just think you are?

_______________________________________

What’s on the menu this week?

Cream of Mushroom Rice
Curry Tofu Salad Wrap
Broccoli Vegetable Stir Fry
Classic Lasagna with Pesto
Grilled Vegetable Couscous
Brunch: Roasted Vegetables with a Soft Egg
Dessert: Chocolate and Banana Pavlova

http://www.vegmenufortheweek.com

Lyndsay & Laurie