What Am I Going to Eat Tonight?

From Desperation Comes Inspiration

Even though I try to plan out meals or at least base foods I can doctor up in a pinch, I found myself staring into the fridge Saturday night wondering what I was going to eat.  I was playing that evening at a wonderful pub (Pour Girls), where they specialize in Wings and other meaty delights.  I had two options.  I could use this as an excuse to go hog wild (or chicken wild, or cow wild), or I could fill up on some healthy grub at home, and then enjoy maybe one or two fabulous wings at the gig.  Option 2 sounded better to me.

There was no prepared food, and we had polished off the leftovers that afternoon.  We needed to go grocery shopping, but there wasn't time for that.  My fridge looked like a boring chopped basket.  I spotted some leftover quinoa, about 1/2 a cup cooked. What am I going to do with THAT?   I had some very basic veggies as well:  Carrots, celery, onions.  The most basic of the basics.

I'm not quite sure how I got this idea, maybe it was thinking about the yummy asian style wings at pour girls, but it hit me.  Fried Rice!  Or Quinoa, as the case may be.

(This photo is from www.Jehancanckook.com , check them out!)

This was going to be my dinner, so I wanted it to be veggies with a little grain...pretty much the inverse of your typical vegetable fried rice.  When it was finished, it didn't LOOK like veggie fried rice, but I was surprised at how well it turned out.  Here's what I did, for a one person serving.

Here's What I Used

• 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa
• 2 large carrots
• 2 large stalks of celery
• 1 medium onion
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp or less Braggs Aminos (or low sodium soy sauce)
• 1 tbls peanut butter
• 1 tsp Olive Oil (or use a mister)

Here's What I Wish I Used In Addition

• Broccoli (fresh or frozen)
• Mushrooms (preferably a nice variety pack)
• possibly some black beans and/or bell pepper

Here's What I Did

• Dice the fresh veggies
• Heat the pan and mist with Oil
• Sweat the onions, carrots, celery until they are a bit soft (5 mins?)
• Add the garlic (I like to put mine on top of the onions etc and make sure the pan is not too hot - I HATE burnt garlic) and toss for about 30-40 seconds to sweat the garlic too.
• Add everything else, except the peanut butter, and warm through
• Once it's hot enough to eat, melt the PB into it, toss and enjoy.

The end result was really delicious.  If you are not used to eating salt free, then you may need some more soy sauce, but while not tasting exactly like fried rice, it was delicious and captured the essence, and held me over quite well.  I bummed 1 delicious Buffalo Wing off a gracious band mate and washed it down with an adult beverage, and was set for the night.

Here's a few other related recipes I found after the fact.  I will borrow a little from each to fit my taste in the future - if using as a main course I like the veggie to grain ratio be at least 1:1 veggie, but as a side dish it can be less.

Alyssa from Simply Quinoa adds egg and sesame oil.

Chungah at Damn Delicious has another take on it, also with egg.  If you try any of these or come up with your own twist, let me know how it comes out! Cheers!

Shortcuts and Basics for Healthy Eating

The following are some basic principles and shortcuts that may be helpful to those wanting to eat a nutrient dense mostly plant based diet.  My schedule is hectic, so I spent my summer vacation trying to figure out how I could continue to eat healthy in a hurry.

What works best for me is having a base recipe, and then using variations so I don't get bored.


Breakfast Base - Quick and Delicious Smoothies and Hot Cereal

There is no reason you can't have an AMAZINGLY delicious breakfast daily.

Almost everyday I make a smoothie for breakfast.  I have found the tool I use the most often in the kitchen these days is my Ninja, especially the Nutri Ninja attachment.  Any kind of blender or should work fine.

Basic Oatmeal Smoothie (300-350 cal)
Almost everyday I make a smoothie for breakfast.  I have found the tool I use the most often in the kitchen these days is my Ninja, especially the Nutri Ninja attachment.  Any kind of blender or should work fine.

*1/4 rolled oats (not instant) dry
1 banana (the more ripe, the better - this is my source of sweetness)
*1 cup blueberries
1/3 cup of coconut water
1/3 cup almond milk
*1 tbl ground Flax Seed

* I prep these into the cups the night before for a super fast and filling breakfast that can be taken on the run.

Variations:
Use Cooked Steel Cut Oats  The cooked oats add a nice thickness and it really fills you up.  If you like this version, make 2 dry cups worth...that will yield 8 full servings (but I find with the cooked oats I only use about 1/2 a serving in my smoothie) and you can keep them in the fridge for quite a while.
Vary Your Fruits I love using mixed berries, or sometimes I will go with peach or mango instead of berries.  In the summer I use as much fresh fruit as I can, but in the winter frozen is fine - I defrost it overnight in the fridge because I do not like my breakfast drink too cold and thick.
Add Some Nuts Walnuts, almonds, pecans, and cashews all add flavor and a richness to your smoothie.  Nuts can also add a lot of calories, so I typically only add nuts after a workout or if I know it may be a while until lunch.

Basic Hot Oatmeal (200-300 cal)
I actually made this from day 1, and then I realized I could just make it as a smoothie.  I usually cook 1-2 cups of dry oats at a time, and then reheat either in a pan or microwave.  It's fast, delicious, and feels decadent.

1/2 to 3/4 Serving of cooked Steel Cut Oats (2-3 tbls uncooked)
fresh or frozen fruit - typically 1-2 cups worth (a banana and blueberries, peaches etc)
cinnamon
nutmeg
almond milk or coconut water when reheating to get it to a preferred consistency when reheating

Variations:
Use Dried Fruit and Nuts  Craisins, Raisins, Apples, Dates. all can be added in small quantites. They are sweet and will plump in the heating process as they absorb liquid.  And nuts are just plain awesome in oatmeal.
Vary Your Fruits Just like with the smoothies, change it up and keep it interesting, or go with whatever is fresh and available!
Cook the Fruit with the Oats I love to make an apple oatmeal, where I chop in 2-4 small apples per cup of dried oats.  It ups the bulk, fruit, and fiber, and adds sweetness.  (I used to use apple cider instead of water - also delicious - this is my less sweet high fiber version of that.)

Lunch and Dinner Base - Quick Salads and Soups

Beans seem to be the key to nutritional success for me.  I do occasionally cook them up ahead of time (which I should do all the time because it is healthier, I control the sodium, and it is SO much cheaper).  However, I often use canned beans.  READ LABELS.  Some brands of beans are labeled low sodium but in fact have more sodium than other brands NOT labeled low sodium.  I buy no salt added when I can, but occasionally buy others so I can have a large variety at my disposal.

Basic Bean Salad (10 Servings) (approx 150 cals/cup)
This is my base.  I make it ahead of time and add to it for variety and my mood. - if this is from canned beans, then you have ALOT of bean salad - like 10 cups worth - if that is the case, simply cut it in half by mixing 3 cans of beans, and scooping off half and freezing them.

3 Cans of Different Beans (5-6 cups total)  (ie Black, Garbanzo, Kidney)
5-6 cups of chopped fresh veggies - not rocket science - just fill out your beans with veggies such as:
Carrot
Celery
Red Onion
Yellow Pepper
makes for a colorful and delicious neutral blend
*1/4C Bolthouse Balsamic Vinaigrette
2-3Tbls Red Wine Vinegar

*  This stuff is tasty and Nutritarian!  Saves me time making my own dressing - I often add good red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar to it because I find it too sweet, despite all of it's sweetness coming from fruit juice.

Variations:
Now you have your base - it is pretty neutral - so you can add other stuff to it and season it as your mood suits you.  Add roasted veggies or fresh veggies Add it to a leafy green salad.  Mix in fresh salsa,  mango salsa, curry seasoning, sliced pears etc etc  Also, that vinaigrette is so low calorie I often add maybe a tbls more and a touch more vinegar - or lemon juice when I prep it for my lunch.

Basic Bean Soup

I like to cook my with some simple basic veggies - carrot, celery, onion, and maybe garlic.  This is a VERY simple and neutral combination.  If you are using dry beans just let all that stuff go and cook together - if you are using canned beans i would cook the veggies longer and/or roast them.  And always start with more veggies than you think you need - it is healthy and stretches all of it out.

Once your base is done, you can now add whatever you have around that you are in the mood for.  I freeze my soup off in bags and just pull it out to defrost.  When I cook it I add alot of fresh veggies...spinach, onion, tomato...and whatever seasonings i am in the mood for...asian spices, mexican spices, italian flavors, indian flavors.  You can put a TON of spinach into these soups since it gets so soggy when it cooks, and mushrooms too.  I have even wilted lettuce in it.  After the first few weeks when I seasoned and seasoned and seasoned everything I really came to appreciate the subtle flavors of the veggies and richness of the beans themselves

Food Fast - Shortcuts for Busy Days

Beans and Dressings
Eating canned low sodium beans is not as good for me as eating dry cooked ones, but it is better than eating full sodium beans or cold cuts.  Bolthouse dressings are probably not as good for me as home made dressings (although they are pretty darn close!) but the amount of time it saves me allows me to put my energy into other things that allow me to move forward.

Kick (up?) the Canned Goods
If you look for it, you can find somewhat healthy soups and beans at grocery or health food stores.  I always look for the lowest sodium possible and usually have the best luck in the organic section.  However, of you can't kick the canned good habit for good, kick up your food the RIGHT way.

If I have to have canned soup, I add LOTS of fresh veggies to it.  Cherry tomatoes, left over cooked veggies, leafy greens like kale or spinach, and frozen veggies all can be dumped into your canned soup to make it go further and boost the health factor.

I turned a simple minestrone into a hearty stew by adding leftover mashed cauliflower 'n' potatoes, some grape tomatoes, and Spice Hunter Seafood Seasoning (salt free) while it cooked.

Eating on the Road
This can be challenging.  In general, if I eat ONLY foods I prepare, I lose weight.  If I eat foods from elsewhere I gain weight short term.  This doesn't bother me - it is a nice reminder that I really don't know how restaurants prepare their food.  Over time, even with eating out now and then I will lose weight, but I just know from the salt alone I will gain 1-2 pounds the day immediately following even a light dinner out.  It will come off quickly after a few days of eating at home.

Some on the run options that seem to work for me:
Saladworks - I create my own with only veggies.  I get the dressing on the side or bring my own. (I am a fan of full fat dressing - I would rather eat that in limited amounts than low fat where they kick up salt and sugar or artificial sweeteners to make up for the lack of flavor) Sometimes I eat the whole wheat roll, sometimes half, sometimes none.  I drink unsweetened tea.
Pita Pit- Pretty much like Saladworks but on a pita - yum - plus they have HUMMUS!!!!!
Wawa - A few options in their fridge section for a quick healthy grab n go.
Local Cafes - Nourish and Chef-a-topia at the Market at Liberty Place , Talula's Table, Avondale Natural Foods (I treat myself to a few slices of their amazing sour dough and organic eggs once or twice a week) are all locally owned businesses with menus that allow me to choose somewhat healthy options.  In West Chester, I love Baco Juice and Taco Bar - amazing tacos (vegetable, fish or meat options), and awesome reasonable portion of beans and rice, NOT dripping in sauce or salt.

Last resorts:
Wendy's - Their small chili is not horrible for fast food and it holds me over.
Starbucks - Some healthy options - I'll do the turkey bacon breakfast sandwich in a pinch.

OK, so those are some shortcuts for anyone who wants to get started.  Anyone else have any great shortcuts to share?  Post them below!

Starting Over - Some Things I Learned In Making the Change

Start in the Kitchen

When I decided to change over to a nutritarian lifestyle, I started in the kitchen.  My wife was away on business for the week, and my teenage daughter said she would be glad to give it a try.  I told her we could keep things in the house for her, but she said, she would be fine with it.  My wife also agreed to go along with it when she got back.  Having everyone in the house on the same page is extremely helpful but not critical.  I assumed I would be doing this on my own, and was just going to claim a portion of the fridge.  Instead, we were going to need the entire fridge for the changes that were coming.

Yeah, not ours, but you get the idea :)

The first thing I did was clean out the fridge and pantry.  I basically got rid of anything that wasn't a whole food and plant based with a very few exceptions.  My daughter wanted her rye bread and a little cream cheese to go with her veggies.  I held on to a few condiments, oils and vinegars.  Things that would keep and that my wife might use for cooking for herself or others I held on to.

Once I was cleaned out, I made a grocery list and went out for supplies.  You have no idea how much 2 pounds of veggies is until you buy it, stuff your fridge with it, and wipe it out in about a day and a half.

There Will Be Initial Challenges

Here is a list of the set backs I faced during my first week:

• my first lunch literally took me 45 minutes to eat...not to prepare and eat...to EAT.  I decided eating an entire pound of raw veggies in 1 sitting is pretty challenging and I would need to spread those veggies out.
• as I relearned to cook, I felt like I spent the entire week in the kitchen or at the grocery store.  I decided cooking in bulk was the only way to go.
• I really missed salt.  This surprised me because I did not realize how much salty foods I had eaten.  I spent a lot of time searching for awesome dips and dressings I could use with my veggies.  After a week or so I no longer really needed them.
• I wondered how I could tolerate a "limited" diet.  How would I find the joy of variety.
• Sometimes it physically HURT to finish my meals because they were so filling. (The book I read recommends only 3 meals a day, contrary to many eating plans that encourage "grazing".)
• Once my wife and daughter jumped on board, space to store everything was a bit of a challenge, but we got organized and worked it out.

Interestingly, hunger, weakness, and lack of energy were never really issues.

Rapid Changes Will Take Place

I believe one important aspect of transitioning to this lifestyle is breaking food addictions.  In Eat to Live, the author indicates cravings are not due to hunger, they are addictions.  If you are truly hungry, ANYTHING will taste good.  

Following the eating guides as strictly as possible for a week or 2 will really help make the transition for the long haul easier.  You will likely break any of those food addictions and your body will begin to literally tell you what it needs.  I understand that eating this way really depends on variety, and I was worried that I should probably document everything to make sure I was getting a balanced diet with plenty of protein etc.  But unlike food addictions that make you want more and more (salt, fat sugar etc.) of the same thing, I find when my body tells me what it needs, it's something varied that I have been missing out on, like beans, fruit or spinach.

In addition to immediate weight loss (mostly initially from eliminating salt/water retention). other things began to change.  I began to truly taste some of these foods for the first time.  I couldn't believe after just a few days how rich and wonderful beans tasted.  The natural sweetness of fruits and vegetables was apparent since I was not eating really any sugars (or artificial sweeteners).  The natural saltiness of celery could be tasted when added to cooked meals.

Food Glorious Food - Healthy and Delicious is Possible

It took a little bit for me to begin to make delicious food.  Each week I seem to add more to my arsenal.  Seasonal changes bring about new challenges but also new edible joys.  Upcoming posts will focus on food strategies, tools and recipes that I have begun to refine since beginning this journey.

Why Nutritarian? (Or How Cigar Smoking Changed My Life)

In the Beginning
I enjoy food.  I enjoy feeling good. I enjoy an occasional cigar.  As I approached my 47th Birthday, I had a doctor's appointment.  My weight was higher than it had ever been.  My numbers were not alarming, but they were far from ideal.  The one thing that was a little concerning was my cholesterol. My doctor explained I had a few options.  Medication was one, lifestyle change was another.  I said I liked the lifestyle one, and he told me to read some book.

A year later, I came back.  My weight had not gone up...nor had it gone down.  My "lifestyle change" had managed to keep me completely status quo - which to me was at least a small moral victory.  Better than my weight going up or my numbers getting worse.

He explained that my numbers were not horrible, but he asked if I still smoked an occasional cigar.  If we consider you to be a smoker, your risk of a heart attack is 10 times higher than if you were a non-smoker.  Did I mention I enjoy an occasional cigar? With meds, we could get your cholesterol down, and THAT would also drastically reduce risk of heart disease.  

Hmm... I don't really think medicine you have to take everyday for the rest of your life is a good thing.  I asked him if there was some other alternative...like maybe a lifestyle change?

To his credit he did not laugh at me and remind me how that decision got us back to this same spot in the first place.  He played along.  Have you read that book?  THIS time I actually wrote the title down and told him I would.  OK, see me in 3 months and we will talk about how it's going.  That afternoon I ordered my copy of Eat to Live, by Dr. Joel Fuhrman and when it arrived I read it.  It made sense.

Nutritarian Eating 
The following is a VERY brief overview - my synopsis of Nutritarian eating.  If you choose to eat this way, please do yourself a favor and buy that book and read it.  It is a tool that can help you understand nutrition and what is going into your body.   Do not simply base your eating style on my synopsis.

Nutritarian eating is simply eating as much nutrient dense food as possible - and as little empty calories as possible.  The goal is to get 90% of your calories from natural plant based foods (fruit veggies, nuts, seeds, beans), and only 10% from elsewhere (meat, dairy, oils, refined carbs, etc.).  The typical American Diet is just the opposite - 90% of calories coming from low nutrient/empty sources.

The daily "recipe" suggested in the book is eat at least :

• 1 pound of raw veggies, 
• 1 pound of cooked veggies, 
• 3 fruit servings, and 
• 1 cup of beans.  

In addition, a starchy vegetable (corn, potatoes) or healthy whole grain can be added in daily as well as 1/4 cup of nuts or seeds.  NOTE:  That is A LOT of food.

I was a complete carnivore prior to this, but I decided I would give it a try.  I assumed I would probably just add in a little bit of meat at dinner daily.  But after a few days of trying it meat-free, I was amazed at how easy it was and how little I missed meat.  In fact, after a week, I was really looking forward to a burger at a barbecue I was attending - and it was actually the least appealing thing I ate that day.

I still eat eggs and meat, and tend to really enjoy it.  I just eat much smaller portions than in the past, and it is common for me to go 3-4 days at a time eating only plant based foods.

Keep in mind, this is NOT a weight loss diet.  This is a way of fueling your body as efficiently as you can.  Weight loss is a side effect of healthy eating.  Your body will find its ideal weight over time.  In my case, my ideal weight is 30-50 pounds lower than what it has been for the past 5-10 years.  My body is moving towards that.

Independence Day
I began this lifestyle on July 5, 2015 and had my first check-up a few months later. In 12 weeks I had lost 35 pounds.  My doctor actually thanked me for starting his day off on a bright note.    

I am continuing to eat in this manner and continuing to lose 1-2 pounds weekly.  In a few months I will have my blood work done to see how it is working.

One Meal at a Time
I eat like this whenever I can.  I do not dwell on it.  Every healthy meal I eat is one less meal that will be filled with processed foods and edible garbage.  When I choose something else, it is a choice, just like smoking a cigar or drinking a beer is a choice.  It is a choice I make, knowing that I should not do it all the time, but in moderation I can do it and enjoy it.  I know that this is an exception to how I normally eat.  It's not cheating.