Black Bean Burgers

I got this recipe from Dr. Esselstyn and decided to try these out. I was a little scared to how they would taste, but they came out good.
Ingredients: (6-10 servings)
1 15ounce can Black Beans drained and rinsed
1 14.5ounce of organic tomatoes no salt added
1 garlic clove minced or 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 cup chopped carrots
2 green onions chopped
1 cup cilantro or parsley
2 cups old fashioned oats
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Process ingredients except the rolled oats in a food processor until blended
3. In a bowl mix the oats with the ingredients
4. Form into parties and place on a baking sheet for 8 minutes
5. Turn oven up and broiled for 2 more minutes until sides are browned
6. Serve on a whole grain burger buns with lettuce, tomato, onions and sauces of your liking. I used barbecue sauce and it was delicious

Making Natural Sugar Syrup from Dates

Instead of using sugar, agave syrup (which is just like high fructose syrup), or artificial sweeteners you can use date syrup or buy date paste. Making date syrup is fast and easy.
Buy 1 large container of non pitted dates (costco sells them), fill the tub of dates with water up just below the brim and let them sit overnight. In the morning you will notice the water will be a thick syrup. Pour syrup into a container or gravy pourer. Add to anything you want sweetened and use as a sugar replacement. Ie- coffee, oatmeal, shakes, iced tea, etc
Afterwards refrigerate both the syrup and the dates. The leftover dates can be put in the food processor to make a sweetener paste or added to shakes for a sweeter taste.

Quick Breakfast Shakes To Go: Items to keep stocked

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! It gives you all the energy you will need to get your day kickstarted. Instead of grabbing a coffee and a muffin, shakes make the perfect alternative for those that are in a hurry, don't like eating breakfast, or want to incorporate more fruits and veggies into your daily intake. Making these shakes are quick and easy! You can pack more fruits and veggies than most people in this one drink, not even to mention all the fiber. You will feel more energized throughout your day and it will make you feel full......Oh and did I mention WEIGHT LOSS (this is great for people looking to loose weight, although if you are already at an ideal body weight it will only help maintain).
Here's a list of ingredients to keep stocked so that making the shakes are fast and easy!
**Good Blender with high watts (I use the Ninja)
Fruits:
Apples
Oranges
Tangerines
Bananas
Kiwis
Berries
Mangos
Melons
Papayas
*Costco is the best place to buy a variety of frozen fruits to keep in stock
Veggies:
Kale
Spinach
Celery
Garlic
Cooked Beets
Carrots
Parsley
-flaxseed pressed
*If you have any produce that must be used get creative and make a shake out of it! I've learned that as long as you add a banana and an orange to any shake it comes out great
Basic Starter Recipe: (1-2 servings)
1.5 cups water
1-2 leaves of Kale
Small handful of spinach
1 banana
1 orange
1 teaspoon flaxseed pressed
*add fruit of your liking (tropical:mango, pineapple, papaya, kiwi, strawberries) or (green: parsley, celery, Green apples, carrot) or (antioxidant: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)
Blend all ingredients until smooth, add ice or water to your liking of consistency. If you want a sweeter taste add a few pitted dates. Pour into a large cup and out you go

Pesto Sauce

Ingredients: 4 servings
-1 ripened peeled avocado
-1/2 lemon squeezed juice
-2 ounces fresh basil (don't use the long stems)
-1 pinch of fresh crushed garlic
-1/2 cup walnuts or pine nuts

Optional:
-1tsp. Garlic Aioli
-1tsp. Braggs liquid amino acids (salt substitute)

In a food processor or blender mix all the ingredients until blended well.

Make a Complete Meal
20 minutes for entire meal
-Choose Pasta of your liking
-Mix Pesto Sauce with Pasta
-Add Cooked/Sauteed Vegetables of your liking, ie: cherry tomatoes, eggplant, squash, mushrooms (all sauteed with dash herb seasoning, water, and rice vinegar)

Biggest Vegan on Earth

Elephants & Vegans have one thing in common, they are both plant based eaters! The elephant is the largest land mammal on earth and yet its diet consists of greens & fruits. They have hundreds of muscles, its trunk alone can have over 100,000 muscles. They can weigh anywhere from 3-5 tons and eat up to 300 Pounds of food a day. They are not sleepers and spend most of their day roaming. These guys don't need any animal protein to build their muscles! If these big strong beauties can eat a plant based diet, why can't we?

 Kitchen Must-Haves… to get Plant-Strong!
...this was tweeked just a bit from engine 2 diet

Cooking Oil Substitutes
 Rice Vinegars
Balsamic Vinegar
Wine Vinegars
Oriental Vinegars
Fruit Vinegars
Wine
Vegetable stock
Water

Salt Substitutes
Braggs Liquid Amino Acids
Low Sodium Tamari

Fresh produce Choose a wide variety from this category, and focus especially on dark leafy greens.
Fruit
Vegetables
Herbs, such as parsley and cilantro
Whole grains Brown rice
Wild rice
Risotto
Whole grain breads/pita
Whole grain baking mixes
Whole grain pancake mix
Whole wheat pasta
* If it says enriched, don't buy it! Read the Labels, the less ingredients the better

Dried and canned goods Select items without added salt, sugars, or preservatives.
 Beans - including black, kidney, pinto, and northern varieties
Lentils - including red, green, and brown varieties
Spices : DASH Seasonings are great, NO SALT!
Tomatoes
Corn
Marinara Sauce
Almond Butter Raw

Nuts (raw & unsalted)Avoid roasted varieties.
Walnuts
Cashews
Almonds
Pistachios

Meat Substitutes
 Tempeh
Tofu
Seitan
Lentils

Milk Substitutes Choose varieties that do not contain added oils.
Almond milk
Multi-grain milk
Oat milk
Rice milk
*try to avoid soy, too much soy is not healthy; everything in moderation

Sweeteners
 Molasses
Maple syrup
Dates
Date Syrup

Kitchen utensils
 Baking sheets, pans, casserole dishes
Blender or food processor
Chopping and paring knives
Cooking Combo Rice/Food Steamer
Cutting boards
Non-stick cookware and lids
Storage containers, such as Pyrex®, Tupperware®, and Ziploc® bags

In the freezer

Make snacks and meal preparation easier by keeping these staples handy.
 In the fridge
 Cooked brown rice
Cooked beans/legumes
Hummus
Salad
Sliced fruits and vegetables Watch the fat and sodium content of prepared frozen foods, especially meat substitutes. Corn tortillas
Fruits and vegetables 

Frugal Groceries (Asian/Hispanic Markets are best if you have one nearby)

**Most Asian & Hispanic Markets get their groceries from local famers, so although they don't have the FDA stamp of Organic they are still good and prices are very economical. Most the time you can ask where their produce comes from. This is also a good alternative if you can't afford to buy organic, because you are still intaking fruits & veggies. I normally make a trip every week and half for my produce at an Asian Market & walk out with a cartfull for only about $50

FRUITS & VEGGIES... GET THE COLORS OF THE RAINBOW...depending on the season
-bellpeppers
-mushrooms
-broccoli
-collard greens
-chinese broccoli
-squash
-eggplant
-persian Cucumbers
-carrots
-cherry tomatoes
-roma tomatoes
-celery
-beets
-string beans
-bok choy
-sprouts (for stir fry)
-alfalfa
-fresh herbs
-small potatoes (red & yellow baby ones are easier to cook with)
-Tofu
-Mixed Beans
-Raw Oats

-Cantaloupe
-Honeydew
-Apples
-Stawberries
-Blueberries
-Raspberries
-Pears
-Plums
-Papaya
-Mango
-Pineapple

Whole Foods-Sprouts-Henry's Shopping List

These stores are usually the most expensive, so I only get the bare minimum needed here:

1. Braggs Liquid Amino Acids bottle
(salt substitute/replacement)

2. Low Sodium Tamari Sauce
 (looks like soy sauce, use instead of salt)

3. Nutritional Yeast Flakes
(come in a can and is a cheese substitute, sprinkle it over foods or salads)

4. Garlic Aioli Spread
 (taste great on sandwiches)

Trader Joe's Shopping List

1. TJ's Almond Milk Unsweetened/ Vanilla Flavor
2. Almond Butter Raw (in a peanut butter jar)
3. Kale pre-packaged bag
4. Organic Spinach pre packaged bag
5. Crushed Garlic in a jar
6. Pistachios (raw unsalted)
7. Almonds (raw unsalted)
8. Cashews (raw unsalted)
9. Walnuts (raw unsalted)
10. Whole grain granola mix
11. Canned Tomatoes/Paste Unsalted
12. Canned  Organic Corn
13. Canned Black Beans
14. Garbanzo Beans
14. Marinara Sauce (low sodium one check the label)
15. Whole Wheat pastas (fetticine/spaghetti/penne)
16. Wild Rice
17. Brown Rice
18. Uncle Sam's Orginal Wheat Berry Flakes with Flaxseed
19. TJ's Shredded Bite Size Wheats (red box)

**If there is no Trader Joe's near you, then any other Healthy Food Store Will do. These Shopping Lists were just created so that you get the most bang for your $$ and don't go broke while trying to get healthy

Costco Shopping List

*Best Items to Buy in Bulk
1. Dates (pitted)
2. Bananas
3. Oranges
4. Tangerines
5. Lemons
6. Avocodos
5. Frozen Fruit Tropical Mix
6. Frozen Strawberries
7. Frozen Berry Medly Mix
8. Whole Wheat bread

-Dates:
 Fill the tub with water and let them soak overnight. Pour the syrup from the dates into a gravy pourer/container. This can be used as a sugar replacement. It is very sweet & natural. Refrigerate the remaining dates. Dates can be used in smoothies, to make almond milk, and baking recipes as a natural sweetner.

-Frozen Fruits/Veggies:
If you can't afford to buy organic, these are an excellent choice because they have more nutrients than fruits at the grocery store that have sat on a truck all the way from Mexico for a couple days. Frozen fruits and veggies are frozden right after harvesting, therefore preserving more nutrient conent.

When to Buy Organic?
Easiest rule of thumb is if it has a thick peel, no need for organic. For example: bananas, watermelon, oranges, tangerines, cantelope, honeydew.

Going Plant Based for Beginners

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-952/PlantBased-Diet-for-Beginners-How-to-Get-Started.html

Engine 2 Diet's 28 Day Challenge: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-952/PlantBased-Diet-for-Beginners-How-to-Get-Started.html

-Clean out your Kitchen!
 http://engine2diet.com/~engine2/usrfiles/files/28daytoolbox-kitchenoverhaul.pdf

-Go Shopping for Neccesities
 http://engine2diet.com/~engine2/usrfiles/files/28daytoolbox-kitchenmusthaves.pdf

-Meat Substitutes
     As long as you are eating the colors of the rainbow in your meals, you should be ok!
http://engine2diet.com/~engine2/usrfiles/files/28daytoolbox-meatsubstitutes.pdf

Videos to Watch: (most are on netflix)
http://www.forksoverknives.com/
http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/
https://signup.netflix.com/movie/The-Engine-2-Kitchen-Rescue/70225529
http://www.takepart.com/foodinc

Must Reads:
China Study http://www.amazon.com/The-China-Study-Comprehensive-Implications/dp/1932100385
Engine 2 Diet http://www.amazon.com/The-Engine-Diet-Firefighters-Save-Your-Life/dp/0446506699
Unprocessed http://www.amazon.com/Unprocessed-achieve-vibrant-health-weight/dp/1456576097
Heart Attack Proof
http://www.amazon.com/Prevent-Reverse-Disease-Caldwell-Esselstyn/dp/1583332723

Why a Plant Based Nutrition??

"Why a Plant Based Nutrition??'

Sometimes the most elegant solution is the most simple. Why plant-based nutrition? Why not? Why develop heart disease? Cancer? Diabetes? The epidemic of chronic, degenerative disease that is sweeping the western world can not only be stopped, it can be reversed. The power lies in the hands of the consumer, in the choices we make about what to put on our plates. "

     -T.Colin Campbell

        After trying the Rip Esselstyn's Engine 2 Diet's 28 Day Challenge http://engine2diet.com/tools to eliminate animal product from my diet including: meats, dairy, cheese, eggs- I failed, not once but twice. I wasn't prepared and couldn't get this whole new time management thing together with coordinating when to go to the grocery store & when to cook meals. I attended one of Chef AJ's seminar classes on a Plant Based Diet Lifestyle Classes http://www.thinnervention.info/Home.html in which she shows you how easy it is to make delicious, quick meals that are all very green friendly! I thought this is it, I can finally do it...it was starting to click....The whole concept sounded so radical, almost impossible: no meats, dairy/eggs/cheese/milk, no salt, no oils, no sugar, "yeah right its not possible". Chef AJ's class in which she made delicious meals proved me wrong. Now was just the dilemma, What do I eat?

Shortly after my husband and I spent almost a month in Thailand & Bali where meat is a luxury, dairy was just about non-existent, EVOO what is that?....it was quite funny that after failing a couple times to change our lifestyle, we were basically forced into a vegan diet! We went through withdrawals, especially the first week and seeing a Burger King was like water in a desert. After the initial shock, our tastebuds changed. We came back home to the States and food didn't even taste the same, everything was so processed and not fresh. Now we can't imagine going back to a regular western diet. We have so much more energy, feel healthier, and there is something spiritual and harmonious about this whole process. I hope this blog can help you to a more balanced life!