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My Plant-Based Family

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

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Julieanna Hever

Unprocessed

February 15, 2012 by Holly Yzquierdo Leave a Comment

**A special note to my friends: For those of you who think I’m weird enough already this is sure to send you over the edge!

On Monday I mentioned a challenge, an UNPROCESSED challenge. Look at what you ate in the last week, how much of it was processed. Not sure what that means, here is an excerpt from the book Unprocessed by Chef AJ.

What do I mean by unprocessed versus processed food? Whole foods found in the produce section or the bulk section of your grocery store or farmer’s market, and found there in more or less the same state that they were harvested on a farm, are unprocessed; packaged foods with long lists of ingredients are processed. Foods that have been stripped of fiber and refined are processed. Foods that have been concentrated and separated from the rest of the plants they come from– sugars and oils top this list– are likewise processed. Fruits, vegetables, pulses (beans and lentils), while grains, nuts and seeds are unprocessed; Fruit Loops and potato chips are processed. Brown rice, unprocessed; white rice, processed. You get the idea.

Brilliant huh! She goes on to talk about how combining unprocessed ingredients is also eating unprocessed; like cooking veggies in a soup or making salad. She goes into much more detail but you need to buy the book of you want to know what she says. You can also read an interview with Chef AJ here or watch Chef AJ and Julieanna Hever create tasty foods here.

Anyhoo! Who wants to try this with me? How about 90% unprocessed, or just give it your best shot? It will take intentional effort and planning. I will go easy on my kids and feed them a healthy, although not completely unprocessed diet. Toast can be a life saver for my kids, as can coffee for me!

I’ll post a Meal Plan on Monday but a few of the foods we will be eating include oatmeal, Minestrone Soup, baked potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, beans, grains, salads, smoothies, and lots of fresh fruits, and fresh and steamed veggies. Stir Fry would be good also but after my last the Stir Fry Debacle and don’t know if we will try it yet. That means this weekend I will be cooking beans and grains to prepare. 

Do you accept the challenge? 

Filed Under: Planning, Uncategorized Tagged With: Chef AJ, Dairy Free, Julieanna Hever, Meal Plans, Menu Plan, Plant Based Diet, Unprocessed

FAQ’s about Plant-Based Nutrition

January 24, 2012 by Holly Yzquierdo Leave a Comment

I just saw this on Facebook and wanted to pass it along.

Julieanna Hever, R.D. the Plant-Based Dietitian answers some frequently asked questions about a Plant-Based Diet.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Julieanna Hever, Plant Based Diet, Vegan

Eat the Rainbow

January 24, 2012 by Holly Yzquierdo Leave a Comment

If you try to investigate a plant-based diet you will run across a lot of information. Basically it is eating food from plant sources most of the time. Dr. Pam Popper, of The Wellness Forum,  says if you choose to eat meat only have it 2 to 3 times per week, and make sure it is organic.

The Plant Based Dietitian's Food Guide Pyramid

I think it is easier to think about all of the food I can eat, as opposed to all of the food I can’t eat. I’m a fan of Julieanna Hever MS, RD a.k.a. the Plant-Based Dietitian; she developed her own Food Guide Pyramid that is pictured above. She often says to “eat the rainbow.”

Yesterday morning was a busy day in our house. After lunch I was thinking about what I had eaten that day

  • Coffee
  • Peanut butter and jelly (all fruit) sandwich on 9 grain bread
  • Black bean and brown rice burrito on a whole wheat tortilla.
  • A butter bean cookie

None of these foods are bad for me but I’m missing some color here. Almost everything I ate was brown. I’m sure I’m missing some very important antioxidants. I think I’ll dive into that bowl of strawberries I have sitting in the refrigerator. I had already planned broccoli and spinach for dinner. Carrots and red bell peppers dipped in hummus are an easy snack.

Broccoli and Spinach with Pasta

This isn’t about perfection and I will not obsess about my food color. “Eating the Rainbow” is just one tool to help add variety to your diet.

If your like me and not always loving eating your greens it is very easy to hide them in a smoothie.

Tropical Smoothie with Hidden Greens

This smoothie has kale, parsley, bananas, blue berries, cherries, mango, pineapple, and orange juice. It was yummy, filling, and full of colors.

Are you eating your colors?

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Eat the Rainbow, food guide pyramid, Julieanna Hever, Plant Based Diet, Smoothie, tropical smoothie, Vegan

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