My Plant-Based Family

Eating Whole Food, Plant-Based Diet recipes, On a Budget.

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Healthy Cravings Recap for March

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Healthy Cravings banner

Recently I hosted my monthly Healthy Cravings group. I often get questions about this group so I thought I’d address the most common. This is a local group hosted at my home in Mesa, Arizona. Many people are curious about what we eat and I thought an in home demonstration would be the best way to address questions but also show how good our food is. I hosted my first food demo last summer, planning to have more when ladies from my church asked if I would be interested in holding them as part of our Women’s Ministries. I thought it sounded like a great idea. Our Women’s Ministries groups include a book club, a jewelry making group, and a crafting group to name a few.

Most of the women who come are from my church but several are friends I’ve known outside of church, and now some are local ladies who I’ve connected with through this blog. Each month has a different food theme, March was Breakfast. There are women who come who are not plant-based but want to eat healthy, others have allergies which I accommodate, and some have successfully transitioned to plant-based eating.

The purpose of the group is to be a support system and information center for ladies interested in plant-based living. Of course having a smorgasbord available doesn’t hurt things. I often tell people it is a bit like preparing Thanksgiving every month. There is a recommended donation of $5 but it is not required. I never want money to stand in the way of someone coming.

Oatmeal Bar

Last month I served breakfast including an oatmeal and quinoa bar that featured diced strawberries, fresh blueberries, chia seeds, walnuts, raisins, and dried cranberries. Baked Sweet Potatoes, Breakfast Tacos, Savory Breakfast Muffins with a side of salsa, Blueberry Muffins and Banana Bread were also available. My friend Steffi made some incredible chocolate muffins too!

HC March breakfast tacos

HC March blueberry muffins

HC March savory muffins

The next Healthy Cravings will be meeting next week. We are having a Top Chef/Chopped Style contest with celebrity judge Danny Collier! Danny is a Plant Based Nutrition Coach, Personal Trainer, Speaker, and Model. I’ll have an interview coming up with him in the next few weeks. In the mean time you can follow him on Facebook.

Do you belong to any local plant-based groups? They can be a great resource for local support. To find one in your area check Meet Up or just google “plant-based groups” in your area.

Giveaway & Interview with author Sid Garza-Hillman

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Approaching the Natural: A Healthy Manifesto

A few weeks ago Sid Garza-Hillman, a Certified Nutrition and Weight Management Coach and the Programs Director at the Mendocino Center for Living Well at the Stanford Inn Eco-Resort in Northern California asked if I was interested in reviewing his book, Approaching the Natural: A Health Manifesto. My first thought was, “Heck Yeah!”  which was quickly followed with an overwhelming sense of responsibility to accurately portray the book to my readers. While I recommend books often I’ve never given a formal review.

I really enjoyed reading this book and definitely recommend it. First I want to tell you my impressions of the author. Sid, yes we are on a first name basis now (he may not know that though), makes you feel like you have known him for years and probably got in trouble in math class together in high school. Well, maybe not but he seems familiar, like an old friend and explains confusing concepts with easy to understand imagery and humor that will keep you engaged. His passion for life, his family, health and the earth are infectious.

In some ways I felt like he let me, “off the hook” and in other ways I felt extremely challenged and empowered to rise to the occasion and get moving. There is much more to your health than just the food you eat or the amount of exercise you fit into your day. He doesn’t give you a magic formula to follow for success; he simply encourages you to approach the natural and explains how to do that in every area of your life. The book discusses nutrition but it is so much more than a “health” book; it is more of a “this is how you were designed to live” book.

“Approach the natural by taking the smallest steps necessary to at least get you to take steps in the first place.” He explains that you can make huge changes overnight but it is often the small incremental changes that are easiest to make and keep. Basically you don’t have to give up all your vices, sell everything you own, and frolic naked in the forest; health and happiness can be found by choosing to make better food choices, eliminate unnecessary stress, and move your body among other things.

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I also had the opportunity to ask Sid a few questions about his book, his philosophy and of course food.

1. Explain “Approaching the Natural”.

“Approaching the Natural: A Health Manifesto” is a philosophy of health and happiness book. I argue that when we act in line with our natural design, both mentally and physically, we thrive individually and as a species. I believe it isn’t only healthy body, healthy mind, but also healthy mind, healthy body.  The reason why it’s “Approaching the Natural” and not “All the way to the Natural” is that I advocate taking small steps toward a more natural existence until you get to a place that works for you. In writing the book, I wanted to create a super accessible, fun (and hopefully funny!) read that would be easy for anyone, no matter how busy, to pick up and use as an everyday guide (it literally fits in a back pocket!). I am a father of 3, and my wife and I both work….However, we still live very healthy and happy lives using the very tools I lay out in the book.

2. What obstacles stand in the way of approaching the natural for most people?

First, I would say that most people may not even frame health or happiness in terms of what is natural to us, so one obstacle is that they haven’t explored that way of looking at it. For instance, many people want to lose weight so try and figure out a way to do it. Yet, I see weight loss as just one side-effect of health – a healthy body will be at a healthy weight. Understanding that what we do in our lives (both what we eat and how we interact with others and the world) is either in line with or in conflict with our natural design can put things into perspective a little better. Being thin doesn’t mean you’re healthy or happy…Give your body and mind the tools they need to thrive and you’ll increase your chances for both.

Second, quick-fix solutions to our problems are obstacles in that they aren’t solutions at all. To lose weight, we try 7 day cleanses, 21 day meal plans or any number of diets only to return to our old ways of eating. We join expensive gyms and sign up for classes, only to burn out 2 months later. We simply take on too much too soon and don’t approach a more natural existence at all. To truly become healthy and happy we first need to learn to live as healthy and happy human beings. This takes time — I believe incorporating small, manageable steps will yield life-long change.

3. Why does your philosophy work?

Because people don’t have to turn their lives upside down to start living better. With some of my clients I start really, really small. For instance, if someone comes to me having never exercised, I might see if they can manage walking across the room and back once a day. If that’s something they can handle and do every single day, then very quickly they become ‘someone who exercises.’ Sure it’s not enough exercise to yield any substantial weight loss, but it’s a foundation from which to build. They have learned a new behavior, which is the act of taking care of themselves. At that point it’s just a matter of teaching them how to increase the amount of exercise over time until they’re at a place that works for them.

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4. Tell us how this works in a busy family.

Same thing goes for a busy family. As I wrote before, my wife and I have three kids – a 9 year old, and 4 year old twins. We both work and trust me, we’re busy (understatement of the year). But we are constantly mindful of the way we want to live. We value time with each other and with our kids. We value treating our own bodies well (through the food we eat, and how we move) and living that example for our children so that they might grow up feeling both good about themselves and worthy of health and happiness. No matter how busy you are as a family, you can take a few moments to consider what is important, and do whatever you can in the context of your lives. If it means only 5 minutes each day with your children to step outside and talk to them about their day, then that’s better than nothing. We too often think it’s an all or nothing proposition – either a 1 ½ hour family dinner every night or nothing at all. I think there is a lot of room in between that can be extremely beneficial. During the first couple years with the twins we barely had time to socialize with other families even though being with our friends is very important to us. But we believe that socializing is natural to humans (we are tribal in nature) and plays a very real part in our health and happiness, so we did what we could even if it meant literally 20 minutes with friends here and there. Recently we have been able to increase that time significantly as the kids are becoming a little easier.

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5. Since this is a food blog can you share one of your family’s favorite meals with us?

We make an awesome plant-based lasagna with brown rice pasta, tofu ricotta, shiitake mushrooms, a gluten-free béchamel, and spinach….I’m getting hungry just writing about it!

6. Any last words for my readers?

Please understand this: that taking steps toward increased health and happiness is a gift. It’s not giving up anything at all. Because it involves a transition, it’s essential to take however small steps as necessary to actually get you on the path to real life-long change. In the end, though, every step you take is worth it. Humans have an innate and unique capacity and drive to think, create, and love. Acting in ways that facilitate (and are not in conflict with) these by how we feed our bodies and minds will benefit ourselves, our families, and the world as a whole.

You can contact Sid Garza-Hillman through his website www.transitioningtohealth.net or follow him on twitter: @sidgarzahillman. His book can be found at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Powells.

I’m giving away 1 copy of Approaching the Natural: A Health Manifesto to one lucky reader. Click here to enter the giveaway. This contest is open to people living in the US. A winner will be drawn Saturday and notified by email.

FTC Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book to review and a copy to giveaway but I was in no way compensated or asked to give a favorable review. All opinions are mine.

This giveaway is over, Susan won! I have emailed her. If I don’t hear from her in 1 week I’ll draw a new winner.

Meal Plan Monday: How Are Those Resolutions?

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It has been three months since many of you made New Year’s resolutions to eat healthier, exercise more, or some other brand of self-improvement. I never make resolutions, I know myself well enough to know that a “new year” isn’t enough to push me to make a lasting change. If resolutions work for you that is awesome. I do make goals for myself, but I feel like resolutions just kind of set me up for failure.

If you made resolutions how are you hanging in there? If you have struggled to eat healthy be encouraged, spring is here (in some places) which will mean more fresh produce that is less expensive. Warmer temperatures will make it easier to get outside and get moving.

Today’s Meal Plan will be Resolution worthy; inexpensive produce, quick cooking to make time for play, and “lite” enough so you can still get moving. If you need a little more inspiration tomorrow I’ll be interviewing author Sid Garza-Hillman and giving away a copy of his book Approaching the Natural: A Health Manifesto.

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Meal Plan

Breakfast is usually oatmeal but I think it will take a backseat this week in favor of quinoa. Cooked quinoa, almond milk, chia seeds and fresh fruit. I bought strawberries on sale recently. We may have nut butter and fruit toast on a busy day. I’m not a big proponent of smoothies, I don’t think they are right for everyone but they are a great way for my kids to get more than their fair share of greens and they love them. Our typical smoothie contains half a blender of spinach, 1-2 oranges, 2 bananas, and any other fruit with some almond milk.

Lunch is usually quick and easy food, occasionally I’ll serve pasta but not often. It takes a little bit of forethought and I usually wait until the last minute. Thankfully my kids prefer sandwiches to just about anything else, if they don’t eat it all I let them finish it after nap. They love baked sweet potatoes (so does my husband) and will eat them plain. I usually opt for a mix of beans and grains with leftover veggies but I’ll have a peanut butter and apple sandwich when the need arises. My husband takes leftovers, assuming they are healthy, are a great way to have a healthy lunch and save money but not eating out or wasting food.

Snacks are big part of my day, my kids always want to eat. We usually stick to fruit and veggies, I feel like they can eat a lot of those without it ruining their next meal. Some days they get a handful of walnuts or leftover muffins for snack. My husband takes several pieces of fruit and a large container of chopped carrots and broccoli along with spinach leaves for a snack.

Dinner is planned much better than the rest of the meals. It often requires more planning, like soaking or cooking beans or cooking grains that may take a little longer. If you are short on time using a crockpot is a great solution, I prefer to just cook several large batches of beans and grains at the same time for reheating later. Last week I planned Grilled Avocado and Veggie Wraps/Tacos but had to delay those because the avocados took a week to ripen. We will be having those tonight! Leftovers will be delicious on a bed of cilantro rice. I’m also developing a new recipe that I hope to introduce soon, it has a lentil base. I think it will speak to the heart of my fellow lentil lovers. Taco Salad using mixed greens, my recipe for Quinoa-Lentil Tacos, fresh salsa (or diced tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, garlic and lime), corn, a variety of beans and fresh avocado makes a very filling and delicious meal. I’m also craving roasted (using broth) potatoes, broccoli, onions and garlic. Seem like this will be an easy one pan meal. Toward the end of the week I’ll make a pot of soup to use up random veggies that haven’t been eaten yet. I did this last week and came up with the best soup I’ve ever eaten. My husband didn’t even get a taste. I only plan on cooking about 4 big meals but I’ll supplement with beans and grains. I can also whip up a quick stir fry at a moments notice.

Did you make New Year’s resolutions? Have you done a good job of keeping them?

 

Meal Plan Monday: I’m Feeling Inspired

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Portobello Fajita's

I’m not sure of the exact catalyst but I’m inspired. After a long spell of feeling a little blah in the kitchen I’m ready do a little more cooking and some better eating. I also have a lot of new projects and recipe ideas in the works.

Normally I love to brag about the weather here in Arizona but after seeing pictures on Facebook from friends across the country who are covered in snow I can only sigh for you. I got my first sun burn of the year this weekend but if it is any consolation my electricity bill will be quadrupled in a few months when the temperature is over 100° for months. If you want to come visit me now is the time, hurry space is limited.

Meal Plan

Breakfast will be a little different this week. We are still eating the leftovers from Healthy Cravings. I’ll post a recap soon but we are still working on Breakfast Burritos, oatmeal, and Breakfast Quinoa.

Lunch will hopefully be leftovers if I plan well. I also like soup and sandwich (or even salad) combo’s for lunch. These may be a good option for anyone taking a lunch to work. Burritos are easy to transport as well and we just happen to have Mexican Bean and Rice Casserole that is fantastic wrapped in a tortilla or put on top of a baked potato. My boys prefer sandwiches and get incredibly happy anytime bread is involved. They seem to be a little pickier lately but I’m hoping it passes soon.

Snacks are usually fruit or even fruit parfaits but I’m working on a few new recipes that will probably make an appearance here, oatmeal raisin cookies are in the lineup. I’m sure the majority of our snacks will be apples and oranges.

Dinner is where my excitement lies. I bought a pack of avocados and I am dreaming of all the ways to use them. I’m also planning to start using the grill again, oh yes, it is time. Portobello Fajitas paired with Mexican Rice and Unfried Beans are a great combination and worthy of company although we don’t have any coming. A few of the new things I’m working on include Grilled Avocado and Veggie Wraps with black beans and cilantro-lime rice. I also have a new sauce recipe that received a great review from my husband last night. I’m still tweaking it but we will have it again on Baked Potatoes and Steamed Broccoli or maybe over a rice dish.

For more dinner ideas check out the Recipe Page.

Are you experiencing grilling weather or soup weather? No matter where you are I hope you are feeling inspired to cook and eat well!

A Guest Post by Dustin Rudolph, the Plant-Based Pharmacist

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It isn’t often that I run across another website or blog that shares my philosophy on health and eating. When I first discovered Pursue A Healthy You I read one page after another trying to find something I didn’t agree with but I never could. It was a welcomed relief.  It is now my pleasure to present this guest post from Dustin Rudolph, Pharm.D.

A Pharmacist’s Prescription For Optimal Health

It was the year 1987, I had just made the life-changing career decision of wanting to become a pharmacist. The world was a spectacular place to be in! The average cost of a new house was only $92,000, gas was a whopping 89 cents per gallon, The Simpsons had just made their TV debut, and U2’s newly released album The Joshua Tree was topping the charts. It was also a big year for the pharmaceutical industry. Prozac, one of the biggest blockbuster drugs ever, had just been released into the U.S. market. As for me personally, I found myself spending my days amongst a bunch of 4th graders, not because I was teaching them, but because I was one of them. You’re probably thinking “Fourth grader? Career decision making? Pharmacist? Right!” It may sound crazy for such a young man to make such a big life decision, but that was me. I’ve always been a highly motivated individual, persistent about planning life’s journey with every step I take. I’m still that way today, to a fault some would even say.

Anyway, back when I was ten years old I had wanted to become a pharmacist for three main reasons…

A) I wanted to help people.

B) It was a good paying job with a bright future.

C) I liked science and math.

Not a bad combination for the aspiring dreams of a small town, All-American boy with the prospect of success gleaming in his eyes. My parents were very supportive. I’m sure they were a bit surprised, however. Not every 10 year old comes up with such grand ideas at that stage in life. Most young boys are busy playing little league or off riding their dirt bike, complaining about doing chores because ‘work’ isn’t in their vocabulary yet. But I was focused on the future for some odd reason, and my focus only grew stronger as I made my way through middle and high school. I was determined to be a pharmacist one day and nothing was going to stop me.

In pharmacy school I learned everything you would ever want to know about medications. I learned about over-the-counter medications, prescription medications, and even natural and herbal medications. There was a pill for everything. I was going to be the person to pass them out. I couldn’t wait for the day of being able to “dispense miracles” with each prescription as it passed through my careful and calculated inspection.

After graduating, my energy and enthusiasm carried me through to my first job behind the counter of a retail pharmacy. I was fired up and ready to go. I wanted nothing more than to get out there and “hit the ground running” as they say. It was the beginning of the 21st century and there were sick people, lots of sick people, that needed my help. As the years passed (currently 11 and counting), I’ve had the pleasure of working in many different pharmacy settings—big box retailers, small and medium size hospitals, and even a busy grocery store setting. I’ve learned a lot, seen a lot, and even met some pretty interesting people over the years. I’d never thought you’d actually have to explain to a patient to take the wrapper off before inserting a suppository. Oh, what world we live in! Most of what I’ve learned as a pharmacist, however, is how I fit into this gigantic web of a healthcare system we have. I started out thinking I’d be the miracle healer, but have since realized this isn’t the case in most circumstances, unfortunately.

So, how did I come to this conclusion and what changed my mind since getting out of pharmacy school? It goes a little like this…

A little over four years ago my eyes were opened to a whole new world. I learned what it really meant to bring others back to an optimal state of health. Not just temporary health, but long term health, where individuals thrive as the years and decades go by. This new world was opened to me when I became aware of the healing powers of a whole foods, plant-based diet. I had read The China Study by the highly respected Dr. T. Colin Campbell of Cornell University. As it turned out, food is the best medicine you can give a human being when facing a chronic illness. I was shocked to learn of this approach provided by Dr. Campbell in his book. No one had ever mentioned this during pharmacy school. Yet, I believe now that it should be the first thing taught to all aspiring healthcare practitioners and the primary point emphasized in the treatment of chronic diseases. Food is why we are in this healthcare crisis, and food is also the way out of it. When I finally grasped this concept, my life (and my professional career) forever changed. The idea of food as medicine now serves as the basis of my message to others in their quest for optimal health.

“Fixing” the American healthcare crisis starts with addressing the root cause of chronic diseases. I can tell you firsthand from seeing thousands of patients over many years that more pills do not equal more health. Don’t get me wrong, I have helped many patients get back on track by offering them a pill, but this approach typically only provides temporary relief and is not a long term solution. The reason is because medications target the symptoms of disease and not the cause in most cases. The true solution to our healthcare woes are found in a healthy diet, regular exercise, and positive lifestyle choices which aim to target the root cause of these chronic illnesses. This is the message I hope will be carried forward as we enter into the coming years with our current healthcare crisis.

I feel very blessed to have had, and to continue to have, the opportunity to serve others in their time of need when it comes to their health. I’ve accomplished exactly what I set out to do in 4th grade… A) I’ve helped people, B) I’ve made a lot of money, and C) I’ve used science and math to accomplish both. What I didn’t realize when I was only ten years old was that…

A)  Helping others is one of the most rewarding and joyful experiences in life. The bigger the positive impact you have on others the more joy it will bring to you.

B)  The accumulation of money means so little in the grand scheme of things. Life is about giving unto others, spreading love and happiness in all that we aim to do.

C)  Science and math, when used in it’s simplest forms (i.e. plant-based nutrition), can transform the health and lives of others like nothing else, especially where medicine falls short of this.

Adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet is the best thing you could ever do for yourself. It will bring about vibrant health, lessen the carbon footprint on the world we live in, and increase the welfare of all living creatures living on this planet. It is truly a win-win-win situation. With that being said, I’m going to ask of you something that no pharmacist has ever asked of you before – please put me out of business by adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet. You will eliminate and/or reduce the need for medications and live a disease free life in the process. Nothing would give this pharmacist more pleasure than to hear that story from you, if or when you decide to make it happen.

Plant Based Pharmacist

Dustin Rudolph, Pharm.D. (aka The Plant-Based Pharmacist) currently practices as a clinical hospital pharmacist. He spends much of his spare time educating others on the benefits of adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet and a healthy lifestyle in order to end the chronic disease epidemic. For more information check out his website at www.PursueAHealthyYou.com or his blog at http://pursueahealthyyou.blogspot.com.

Meal Plan Monday: Good Intentions

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Dried Beans

Like many of you I have good intentions to eat well. My intentions don’t always result in the best outcome though. I’ll get busy, or frustrated, or overwhelmed, or lazy and default to quick and easy instead of balanced and nutritious. You know what I’m talking about right? Please tell me I’m not alone in this. Some days seem hectic from start to finish. I’ve looked back over the course of a day to realize I’d eaten toast for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, and cereal for dinner; yes, that is the kind of day I’m talking about.

I’ve discovered I feel best when I eat certain things foods. Beans, whole grains (like rice or oats), fruit, lightly steamed veggies, potatoes, salads, nut butters and let us not forget my daily cup of coffee. Sometimes I’ll try to abandon these foods in favor of “healthier” options; I usually fail to prepare and end up eating toast or cereal. Boo!

Those food that I love and feel great eating are the food I primarily ate when I first transitioned to a plant-based diet. I eat other foods too and try to have enough variety that I get all the nutrients I need.

This weeks meal plan will be pretty basic, believe it or not I have another busy week so I want to keep things simple. Healthy Cravings is this week and it looks to be a very FULL meeting! I’m looking forward to meeting several new ladies who are coming!

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Meal Plan

Breakfast this week will be oatmeal most days. I did buy a box of gluten-free waffles to feed my boys an a particularly busy day. We enjoy baked sweet potatoes with a dash of cinnamon as well.

Lunch is usually leftovers and I wont be getting fancy this week. I sometimes cook pasta for my boys for lunch. We don’t eat much pasta as a family but I don’t mind them having it once a week or so. If you feed your kids (or yourself) pasta more often I’m not trying to condemn you; I just feel like it isn’t the most nutrient filled choice and we have to buy gluten-free pasta which gets expensive if we eat it too often. My new trick is giving my kids salad or just greens to snack on while I’m making their lunch, yes they eat salad. I will definitely be eating our fair share of almond butter sandwiches this week.

Snack will be fruit and smoothies. I’m already doing enough extra cooking this week for Healthy Cravings so I won’t be cooking snacks.

Dinner will be an assortment of many of the foods I mentioned earlier. Beans, baked potatoes, steam veggies, and grains. I think this Mexican Casserole will be a great choice because it uses brown rice and beans, plus it will serve us for two days worth of dinners. Broccoli & Cheese Baked Potatoes using the Faux Cheese Sauce will be a crowd pleaser too. We will probably have a big salad at least one night. Over the weekend we visited a U-Pick organic farm and brought home some greens, my kids got to do some of the picking. As previously mentioned Healthy Cravings is on Thursday so I’ll be serving Breakfast Tacos, Blueberry Muffins, Savory Breakfast Muffins, and an Oatmeal Bar to name a few.

A few fun things that are happening include:

What has been going on in your life worth celebrating? Go ahead, share with the class!