# Sticky  Plant based/Vegan/Vegetarian or just after some new ideas?



## rottiepointerhouse

I've kept promising to start a thread to share information and recipes about following a plant based diet but don't want to exclude anyone so please join in if you want to share information or recipes or even if you are a meat eater but fancy cutting back and trying something new now and again. I will post some recipes/articles and/or videos at regular intervals and perhaps talk about/review some of the many books available and welcome contributions from other people who are already established or just starting out 

A whole food plant based (WFPB) diet means you eat vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes (beans & lentils) nuts and seeds. The higher percentage of your diet this makes up the better - preferably 90 % or more for maximum benefits to health. It avoids processed carbohydrates such as white flour, sugar, white rice & white pasta as well as minimal salt and oils. 

However if someone really doesn't want to give up all meat or dairy its better to follow as much of the WFPB diet as possible whilst cutting down on meat and dairy than doing nothing at all. The single biggest benefit to health you can do is eat more fruit and vegetables - especially green leafy ones. Being vegetarian or vegan in itself is not enough if you still consume lots of junk/processed foods and high fat or fried foods.


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## rottiepointerhouse

To get the ball rolling here is my favourite Chilli recipe - its slightly adapted from "Keep it Vegan" by Aine Carlin. Here is my latest attempt at it



Recipe

1 large onion - diced
large handful of mushrooms - chopped
1 red pepper - chopped
1 yellow pepper - chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 400g can of chopped tomatoes
1 400 g can of red kidney beans
1 400 g can of black beans
1 heap teaspoon ground cumin
A pinch of cinnamon
Half teaspoon chilli flakes
Half teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon tomato puree
Optional ingredient - 20g (2 squares) dark chocolate

Fry onion & garlic (use tiny splash of oil then water) for 5 mins. Add spices (use more or less according to how hot you like it) and sweat for a few more minutes. Add peppers and mushrooms. Stir in tomato puree and get it all well coated. Add chopped tomatoes and beans. Simmer for 10 mins but add water if it looks too dry. Add chocolate if using and let it melt/stir in well. You can either leave it to cook on the hob for 20 mins or I prefer to put it in the oven so I don't have to watch it. Serve with brown rice (I add a teaspoon of turmeric to the cooking water) and wholemeal pitta bread or spicy potato wedges (if anyone wants recipe for those ask) or even over a baked potato.


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## rottiepointerhouse

For those people who like an ice cream type dessert here is one with a video

https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/cherry-soft-serve-ice-cream/#gs.RqoMd_Q






and this one from Dr Fuhrman

*Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream*








Serves: 2

Category: Desserts
Author: www.drfuhrman.com
Tags:

Average Rating: 
Rated by: 27 members

Rate it: PRINT RECIPE

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This rich, chocolate dessert is ready in five minutes and uses only five ingredients. For a change of pace, you can substitute other nuts-macadamia, cashews, almonds or pecans-for the hazelnuts.

*INGREDIENTS:*
1/3 cup unsweetened soy, hemp or almond milk
2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder
2 ripe bananas, frozen (see note)
1/4 cup raw hazelnuts or macadamia nuts
4 regular or 2 medjool dates, pitted
*INSTRUCTIONS:*
Blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth and creamy. Freeze until firm.

Note: Freeze ripe bananas at least 8 hours in advance. Peel bananas and seal in a plastic bag before freezing.


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## Guest

Assuming of course your choice to not eat meat is based on health reasons. Not all vegetarians are doing it for the health benefits. 
I am a longtime vegetarian, sometimes vegan (over 3 decades now). I do it mostly for personal reasons, if it has a face and a CNS I prefer not to eat it. 
I do like how I feel when I eat healthier, and I try to eat healthy about 85% of the time. I'm also perfectly happy to roast a marshmallow with the kids, or tuck in to a greasy cheese pizza out with friends, and am not going to overthink that sort of thing. I'm not sure how mentally healthy it is to be too restrictive with your diet. A true vegan, plant-based diet is socially restrictive as well. I'm no social butterfly either, but not being able to go to a restaurant with the family because there is nothing there you will allow yourself to eat, isn't healthy either. 
Don't get me wrong, I'm all about more health and planet conscious eating, I'm not dismissing a vegan/vegetarian diet at all. Just pointing out some realities as well  

Anyway, on to recipes  
This time of year it's all about the salads and in-season veggies. One of the easiest, quickest meals I make and that everyone in the family will eat happily, is plain old pasta and veggies. I just toss whatever veggies I have on hand in to a pan with olive oil and garlic, cook to preference (we like fresh veggies just lightly cooked), season, then throw on top of the pasta. Done. 

My other go-to recipe this time of year is tomato/cucumber salad since both are in season and most people have them growing in their gardens. Chop up equal parts tomato and cucumber, add a red onion if you like, salt, olive oil, nice red vinegar, and done. We leave it in the fridge and the kids snack on it all day.


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Assuming of course your choice to not eat meat is based on health reasons. Not all vegetarians are doing it for the health benefits.
> I am a longtime vegetarian, sometimes vegan (over 3 decades now). I do it mostly for personal reasons, if it has a face and a CNS I prefer not to eat it.
> I do like how I feel when I eat healthier, and I try to eat healthy about 85% of the time. I'm also perfectly happy to roast a marshmallow with the kids, or tuck in to a greasy cheese pizza out with friends, and am not going to overthink that sort of thing. I'm not sure how mentally healthy it is to be too restrictive with your diet. A true vegan, plant-based diet is socially restrictive as well. I'm no social butterfly either, but not being able to go to a restaurant with the family because there is nothing there you will allow yourself to eat, isn't healthy either.
> Don't get me wrong, I'm all about more health and planet conscious eating, I'm not dismissing a vegan/vegetarian diet at all. Just pointing out some realities as well
> 
> Anyway, on to recipes
> This time of year it's all about the salads and in-season veggies. One of the easiest, quickest meals I make and that everyone in the family will eat happily, is plain old pasta and veggies. I just toss whatever veggies I have on hand in to a pan with olive oil and garlic, cook to preference (we like fresh veggies just lightly cooked), season, then throw on top of the pasta. Done.
> 
> My other go-to recipe this time of year is tomato/cucumber salad since both are in season and most people have them growing in their gardens. Chop up equal parts tomato and cucumber, add a red onion if you like, salt, olive oil, nice red vinegar, and done. We leave it in the fridge and the kids snack on it all day.


I wasn't assuming anything - that is why I said all contributions are welcome and so are meat eaters


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## FeelTheBern

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I wasn't assuming anything - that is why I said all contributions are welcome and so are meat eaters


I was a vegetarian for quite some time but I have since returned to eating meat. Despite this, I do like to eat vegetarian/vegan meals every so often. I'll see if I can find some recipes that I can add to this thread.


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## Team_Trouble

Kale Wrap
From a recipe book by Kathy somebody (adapted)

Wholemeal wrap
Some kale
A bit of avocado
Some hummus
Grated carrot
Cucumber
Chopped apple
Lemon juice
Maple syrup

Wash the kale and chop off the stalky bits. Place in a bowl with the cucumber, chopped apple and Grated carrot. You could add other nice things here. 
Mix a small amount of lemon juice with a very small amount of maple syrup. Pour into bowl and toss.
Spread the wrap with hummus. If you like, mash the avocado and mix it with the hummus; or just spread it out over the wrap. Add as much of the kale mixture as you can. Yummy.


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## rottiepointerhouse

KatieandOliver said:


> Kale Wrap
> From a recipe book by Kathy somebody (adapted)
> 
> Wholemeal wrap
> Some kale
> A bit of avocado
> Some hummus
> Grated carrot
> Cucumber
> Chopped apple
> Lemon juice
> Maple syrup
> 
> Wash the kale and chop off the stalky bits. Place in a bowl with the cucumber, chopped apple and Grated carrot. You could add other nice things here.
> Mix a small amount of lemon juice with a very small amount of maple syrup. Pour into bowl and toss.
> Spread the wrap with hummus. If you like, mash the avocado and mix it with the hummus; or just spread it out over the wrap. Add as much of the kale mixture as you can. Yummy.


That sounds lovely Katie.


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## noushka05

Thank you so much for this thread RPH. Your chilli looks delicious! I do a slightly different version but am going to have ago at yours now. I'll be keeping a very close eye on this thread for ideas & will add some of my own.


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## bogdog

Although I'm an omnivore, I do like good recipes without meat and will be trying the chilli and the kale wrap. Thanks.


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## cheekyscrip

I love the idea of more veggie meals.
My DD currently went veggies and l am happy to accompany her with OH...
Great thread....


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## StormyThai

I gave up meat nearly a year a go now, I'm always looking for new ideas so great thread 

Here is one of my favorites.
*Lentil ragu 
*
3 carrots (sliced)
2 onions (finely chopped)
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
500g red lentils
400g chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomatoe puree
3 tbsp olive oil
1l vegetable stock
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp thyme
3 bay leaves

Heat oil and add carrots, onions and garlic. Cook gently for 15-20 mins or until everything is soft.
Stir in lentils, tomatoes, tomatoe puree, herbs and stock.
Bring to simmer and cook for 40-50 mins until lentils are tender.

I have it with spaghetti, pasta as filling for lasagna or on top of a baked potato.

I do a sweet potatoe chilli too which I will share once I work out the quantities


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## Matrod

Great thread RPH, I love food so I'll be keeping an eye on this thread & hope to add in some recipes.


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## Greydrift

Simple salsa (though the flavours are better after a while in the fridge):

Diced fresh tomatoes
Julienned radishes
Thinly sliced red onion
Juice of a lime or lemon
Coriander leaves (the dried ones are convenient, and work well)
Teaspoon rice vinegar

Chop, dice, slice and mix everything together. The radishes take on a different flavour, and it's up to you how you prefer the balance between tomato and radish. 

Surprisingly nice as a standalone salad, as well as a favourite fajita accompaniment.


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## Greydrift

Tofu Slurp Breakfast

Block silken tofu (precooked, packaged)
Plain yogurt
Milk (your choice of)
Frozen or fresh fruit
Spices/cacao/carob etc (optional, your choice)

Add, blitz to consistency of your choice. The milk is to slacken the mix to your preferred blitzing consistency, be it thick and chunky or smooth and easily pourable.

Put slurp sludge in container in fridge, and either have as a drink, or on cereal. Lovely made with frozen red berries, but banana and nutmeg also very tasty. Thickens up a bit, so can be eaten like a joghurt, too.

Good one for those who have never tried tofu.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Greydrift said:


> Simple salsa (though the flavours are better after a while in the fridge):
> 
> Diced fresh tomatoes
> Julienned radishes
> Thinly sliced red onion
> Juice of a lime or lemon
> Coriander leaves (the dried ones are convenient, and work well)
> Teaspoon rice vinegar
> 
> Chop, dice, slice and mix everything together. The radishes take on a different flavour, and it's up to you how you prefer the balance between tomato and radish.
> 
> Surprisingly nice as a standalone salad, as well as a favourite fajita accompaniment.


That sounds tasty, might try that on a new recipe for chickpea burgers I made yesterday - they were lovely but needed some relish or salsa to add a bit of zing.


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## ebonycat

Fabulous thread RPH.
I love vegetarian & vegan recipes, I turned vegetarian in my early teens, though I've had bouts of eating meat off & on (I'm 40 now), I don't eat certain meat/meat products & don't eat meat often, have always preferred vegetarian dishes. 
Never eat meat dishes if I go out to eat.

Things have got easier if you want vegetarian food, than they were when I first went veggie. 
There's lots more choice now.
Loving the recipes so far, definitely going to cook your chilli recipe & @StormyThai 's recipe


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## Guest

Does half a watermelon and spoonfuls of hummus count as a meal? 'Cause that's what I just ate and I'm not even sorry.


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Does half a watermelon and spoonfuls of hummus count as a meal? 'Cause that's what I just ate and I'm not even sorry.


Of course it does


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## Lurcherlad

I'm a Pescanildarian!  but wanting to go more vegan so I will be using this thread!


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## Babyshoes

Has anyone done a low carb diet as a veggie, or at least with limited meat? If so, I'd love some recipe suggestions (especially easy lunches & supper), as I've found a low carb diet is the only one which works for me, but now I need to eat less meat for medical reasons. Also think it's a good idea ethically too...

Don't need full recipes, I can either look them up or work off instructions with quantities such as "a bit" and "some", as I tend not to follow recipes exactly anyway! Maybe send me a message if you have lots of ideas, don't want to completely derail this thread... Thanks!


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## Lurcherlad

Babyshoes said:


> Has anyone done a low carb diet as a veggie, or at least with limited meat? If so, I'd love some recipe suggestions (especially easy lunches & supper), as I've found a low carb diet is the only one which works for me, but now I need to eat less meat for medical reasons. Also think it's a good idea ethically too...
> 
> Don't need full recipes, I can either look them up or work off instructions with quantities such as "a bit" and "some", as I tend not to follow recipes exactly anyway! Maybe send me a message if you have lots of ideas, don't want to completely derail this thread... Thanks!


I did Rosemary Conley GI Jeans diet which is lower fat and good carbs such as brown rice/pasta - avoiding all processed white carbs whilst a pescatarian.

I lost 1 1/2 stone on it fairly painlessly 

Actually got the blurb out this morning to galvanize me again and just had poached egg, mushrooms and a portion of baked beans.

Just be careful you don't add too much roughage to your diet in the form of beans, lentils and pulses too quickly as it can "over stimulate" the digestive system, if you know what I mean? 

I have to be careful because I've suffered with IBS in the past and too much, too fast can cause a flare up.

Using Quorn and meat substitutes made it easier to transition away from meat for me, but now I'm dairy free a lot of them are no longer suitable.


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## StormyThai

*Sweet potatoe chilli
*
2 medium sweet potatoes (500g)
1 level teaspoon cayenne pepper 
1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin 
1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon 
1 onion
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
2 cloves of garlic
1 bunch of fresh coriander
1 fresh red chilli
1 fresh green chilli
2 x 400 g tinned beans, such as kidney, chickpea, pinto, cannellini
2 x 400 g tins of quality plum tomatoes
Olive oil to taste

Chop everything and they throw in the slow cooker on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.


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## CRL

My parents are veggi and my mum usually chucks things in a pan and hopes for the best. 
Chop veggies - usually onion mushrooms peppers and courgettes - throw in a pan and cook. 
Then we have that with a packet of grains which you can get different types in Tesco that you microwave. 
Or we have it in a wrap, or as chilli or with mini wholemeal pitta


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## Elles

It looks like vegans practically live on onions and peppers.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Elles said:


> It looks like vegans practically live on onions and peppers.


Not really, I use onions & mushrooms as the base for pretty much everything - some recipes like chilli or curry or stir fry I do use peppers but others like lentil stew, soya bean goulash, aduki bean hotpot, puy lentil shepherds pie etc etc are more root vegetable base. I'll put some of those recipes up through the week rool


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## MilleD

Whilst I'm currently a meat eater, I really don't enjoy it that much, and there are LOADS of things I won't eat. For instance my OH made a curry yesterday from pork cheek  and I ate round that, just the onions mushrooms etc.

So I shall enjoy seeing the options on this thread.

I'm also hugely vitamin D deficient and currently on a daily loading dosage of 3200iu. I don't like fish very much so I'm not sure what my options would be for fixing that.

I think maybe I'm just fussy.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Babyshoes said:


> Has anyone done a low carb diet as a veggie, or at least with limited meat? If so, I'd love some recipe suggestions (especially easy lunches & supper), as I've found a low carb diet is the only one which works for me, but now I need to eat less meat for medical reasons. Also think it's a good idea ethically too...
> 
> Don't need full recipes, I can either look them up or work off instructions with quantities such as "a bit" and "some", as I tend not to follow recipes exactly anyway! Maybe send me a message if you have lots of ideas, don't want to completely derail this thread... Thanks!


You might be interested in the work of Dr Joel Fuhrman - he isn't promoting a low carb vegan diet but his recommendations are for low glycaemic index foods and his favoured starch is beans - see links for explanations. He also uses the term g-bombs as a memory aid for the main principles of his recommendations which stands for greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries and seeds which are all lower on the glycaemic scale. If you are interested he has videos of You tube and several books the most well known of which is Eat To Live.

http://www.doctoroz.com/article/fuhrman-superfoods-g-bombs

https://www.drfuhrman.com/learn/library/articles/29/the-healthiest-anti-cancer-foods-g-bombs

https://www.drfuhrman.com/learn/lib...are-the-preferred-starch-source-for-diabetics

As evident from the table, the bean group's fiber intake increased more and GL decreased dramatically more compared to the grain group. This highlights important nutritional differences between beans and whole grains. Comparing fiber content, even intact whole grains don't come close to beans. Plus, much of the starch in beans is resistant starch and slowly digestible starch, which limits the overall glycemic effect of the carbohydrate in beans and are fermented into anti-cancer compounds in the colon. Beans are also higher in resistant starch than most grains.


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## Lurcherlad

MilleD said:


> Whilst I'm currently a meat eater, I really don't enjoy it that much, and there are LOADS of things I won't eat. For instance my OH made a curry yesterday from pork cheek  and I ate round that, just the onions mushrooms etc.
> 
> So I shall enjoy seeing the options on this thread.
> 
> I'm also hugely vitamin D deficient and currently on a daily loading dosage of 3200iu. I don't like fish very much so I'm not sure what my options would be for fixing that.
> 
> I think maybe I'm just fussy.


Try using quorn chunks in place of chicken. OH might not mind them either 

I found that frozen quorn was a better texture.

Sunshine is a good source of Vitamin D


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## 8tansox

I was a vegetarian for years, my Dr. suggested as my iron was very low, to go and eat red meat, which I do now, in small quantities, however, I'm now thinking about going back to being a vegetarian as I really don't enjoy meat, I absolutely hate fish, and chicken's just tasteless unless it's dripping in garlic butter, so I'll be watching this thread for ideas too. 

My husband is a big meat eater, he loves fish, but he also likes some limited vegetarian food, I used to cook dinner and a portion of meat/chicken for him on the side, it worked for years so I'm sure I can do it again if I put my mind to it. The odd thing is I never really miss meat, it's just my iron is very low... apparently.


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## MilleD

Lurcherlad said:


> Try using quorn chunks in place of chicken. OH might not mind them either
> 
> I found that frozen quorn was a better texture.
> 
> Sunshine is a good source of Vitamin D


 I cycle to work year round so it's not like I don't go outside 

Quorn is a bit of no no. Whilst I can sometimes fool him with the mince version, I think the chicken pieces replacement will defo not work.

I will have to work on him. His parents used to give him pigs trotters as a treat when he was a kid so he'll eat anything. Except oysters, because they are gritty


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## rottiepointerhouse

8tansox said:


> I was a vegetarian for years, my Dr. suggested as my iron was very low, to go and eat red meat, which I do now, in small quantities, however, I'm now thinking about going back to being a vegetarian as I really don't enjoy meat, I absolutely hate fish, and chicken's just tasteless unless it's dripping in garlic butter, so I'll be watching this thread for ideas too.
> 
> My husband is a big meat eater, he loves fish, but he also likes some limited vegetarian food, I used to cook dinner and a portion of meat/chicken for him on the side, it worked for years so I'm sure I can do it again if I put my mind to it. The odd thing is I never really miss meat, it's just my iron is very low... apparently.


I do wish doctors would get their nutritional facts straight  This is an extract from Dr Michael Greger's How Not To Die

"Compared with people who eat meat, vegetarians tend to consume more iron (as well as more of most nutrients) but the iron in plant foods is not absorbed as efficiently as the heme iron in meat. Whilst this can be an advantage in preventing iron overload, about one in thirty menstruating women in the US lose more iron than they take in, which can lead to anaemia. Women who eat plant-based diets do not appear to have higher rates of iron deficiency anaemia than women who eat a lot of meat but all women of childbearing age need to ensure adequate iron intake.

Those diagnosed with iron deficiency should talk with their doctors about first trying to treat it with diet as iron supplements have been shown to increase oxidative stress. The healthiest sources of iron are whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and green leafy vegetables. Avoid drinking tea with meals as that can inhibit iron absorption. The amount of vitamin C in a single orange can enhance iron absorption as much as 3 to 6 fold so those trying to boost their iron absorption should reach for some fruit instead of a cup of tea".

So beans, lentils and greens are rich sources of iron and having some fruit for extra vitamin C will help with absorption 

Some more info

https://www.drfuhrman.com/learn/health-concerns/4/anemia

Here is a list of some healthy iron-rich foods to include:


Leafy green vegetables
Legumes (particularly soybeans, lentils, and chickpeas)
Quinoa
Sesame seeds and tahini (sesame seed butter)
Nuts (particularly cashews and almonds)
Dried fruit (particularly prunes and apricots)


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## StormyThai

No tea with my dinner 
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!


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## Guest

Elles said:


> It looks like vegans practically live on onions and peppers.


I know right?!
Just like meat eaters practically live on beef and chicken! 
Craziness!


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## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I do wish doctors would get their nutritional facts straight  This is an extract from Dr Michael Greger's How Not To Die
> 
> "Compared with people who eat meat, vegetarians tend to consume more iron (as well as more of most nutrients) but the iron in plant foods is not absorbed as efficiently as the heme iron in meat. Whilst this can be an advantage in preventing iron overload, about one in thirty menstruating women in the US lose more iron than they take in, which can lead to anaemia. Women who eat plant-based diets do not appear to have higher rates of iron deficiency anaemia than women who eat a lot of meat but all women of childbearing age need to ensure adequate iron intake.
> 
> Those diagnosed with iron deficiency should talk with their doctors about first trying to treat it with diet as iron supplements have been shown to increase oxidative stress. The healthiest sources of iron are whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and green leafy vegetables. Avoid drinking tea with meals as that can inhibit iron absorption. The amount of vitamin C in a single orange can enhance iron absorption as much as 3 to 6 fold so those trying to boost their iron absorption should reach for some fruit instead of a cup of tea".
> 
> So beans, lentils and greens are rich sources of iron and having some fruit for extra vitamin C will help with absorption


This. It is so frustrating sometimes to deal with western doctors who think the only balanced diet involves copious amounts of meat.

I've been very fortunate to have two wonderful Indian doctors who understand a vegetarian diet. One was when I was hospitalized during my pregnancy. Everyone was freaking out about me not eating meat and how could I possibly be consuming enough calories (I was gaining weight just fine, as were the babies), the doctor stepped in and set them all straight. Then when I was nursing, again my diet came up and how I could possibly eat enough to lactate properly - even though I was already producing more than enough milk - that was the particularly weird part. I wasn't even having any issues! Again it was an Indian doctor (my longtime OBGYN) who stepped in and shut up the ignorant comments.

A balanced vegetarian diet has all the nutrition a human needs. Entire cultures have lived on a vegetarian, or largely vegetarian diet for as long as **** sapiens have existed.


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## simplysardonic

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I do wish doctors would get their nutritional facts straight  This is an extract from Dr Michael Greger's How Not To Die
> 
> "Compared with people who eat meat, vegetarians tend to consume more iron (as well as more of most nutrients) but the iron in plant foods is not absorbed as efficiently as the heme iron in meat. Whilst this can be an advantage in preventing iron overload, about one in thirty menstruating women in the US lose more iron than they take in, which can lead to anaemia. Women who eat plant-based diets do not appear to have higher rates of iron deficiency anaemia than women who eat a lot of meat but all women of childbearing age need to ensure adequate iron intake.
> 
> Those diagnosed with iron deficiency should talk with their doctors about first trying to treat it with diet as iron supplements have been shown to increase oxidative stress. The healthiest sources of iron are whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and green leafy vegetables. Avoid drinking tea with meals as that can inhibit iron absorption. The amount of vitamin C in a single orange can enhance iron absorption as much as 3 to 6 fold so those trying to boost their iron absorption should reach for some fruit instead of a cup of tea".
> 
> So beans, lentils and greens are rich sources of iron and having some fruit for extra vitamin C will help with absorption
> 
> Some more info
> 
> https://www.drfuhrman.com/learn/health-concerns/4/anemia
> 
> Here is a list of some healthy iron-rich foods to include:
> 
> 
> Leafy green vegetables
> Legumes (particularly soybeans, lentils, and chickpeas)
> Quinoa
> Sesame seeds and tahini (sesame seed butter)
> Nuts (particularly cashews and almonds)
> Dried fruit (particularly prunes and apricots)


I did not know that about quinoa I have had massive issues with dangerously iron in the past.

It was no different back when I ate meat but of course people immediately jump to conclusions when they find out I'm veggie & have low iron

I foresee a county wide shortage of quinoa coming on now I know that!


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## Elles

ouesi said:


> I know right?!
> Just like meat eaters practically live on beef and chicken!
> Craziness!


Lol. The only time I have peppers is in a stir fry and I don't like cooked onions which is why I noticed.


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## simplysardonic

This was a staple when I was a veggie teenager, although I used flaked almonds instead of pine nuts:

http://www.flora.com/recipes/detail/100718/1/nutty-mushroom-and-coriander-pilaf



Elles said:


> Lol. The only time I have peppers is in a stir fry and I don't like cooked onions which is why I noticed.


I like peppers, but they don't like me, they repeat on me for hours!

Onions I've come to like (if not love) if they are finely chopped & well cooked


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## rottiepointerhouse

simplysardonic said:


> This was a staple when I was a veggie teenager, although I used flaked almonds instead of pine nuts:
> 
> http://www.flora.com/recipes/detail/100718/1/nutty-mushroom-and-coriander-pilaf
> 
> I like peppers, but they don't like me, they repeat on me for hours!
> 
> Onions I've come to like (if not love) if they are finely chopped & well cooked


That looks lovely - the sort of meals we enjoy all in one bowl.


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## Lurcherlad

Just made this:










Lentil and butterbean ragu. Tastes yummy! 

Tin lentils
Tin butter beans
Tin tomatoes and splash of water
Chopped onion, pepper and carrots
Garlic
Italian herbs
Tomato puree
Pinch salt, pepper, sugar

To have with some wholewheat pasta for my tea! 

Beef ragu for the carnivores


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## rottiepointerhouse

That looks lovely too @Lurcherlad - not unlike my mixture that I use for Shepherds pie or stew. This is a batch I made last week - I used half for a shepherds pie adding mashed potato and froze the other half which I will add some red wine to for a stew.



My secret ingredient for getting some lovely flavour is dried porcini mushrooms

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/pro...11&gclid=CPDHqZnJuNQCFYfGGwodOUAAOg&gclsrc=ds

I use about a third of a pot that size per meal, pour boiling water over and leave for about 30 mins - add the mushrooms to the mix and strain the liquid to use like stock (strain as it can be gritty)

The recipe is an adaptation of Beefless Strew from Straight Up Food.

1 large onion
3 ribs of celery
3 carrots
2 parsnips
2 leeks
large handful of mushrooms
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1 teaspoon mixed herbs 
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon paprika
1 pouch of puy lentils

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/pro...87&gclid=CJHfg-nKuNQCFc2wGwodTRsAvw&gclsrc=ds

It makes enough to serve 4 or do 2 meals for 2 people. I serve with a pile of steamed broccoli and kale.


----------



## Guest

My favourite vegetarian dish is either a risotto with wild mushroom and some parsley/broccoli or carrot -coriander soup. I love all tomato based sauces / soups too, as you can add just about anything and it´s taste nice.

I like also that at Finnish schools, well at least in Helsinki, they have now a vegetarian day and this way all kids will get used to eating vegetarian dishes.


----------



## Guest

I'm terrible for sharing recipes because most of my cooking is eyeing and tasting. Also a lot of what I put in depends on what I have in the fridge or what's in season. 
(Plus I'm really not much of a cook.)

But I'll try...

Today I made Tortellini salad for lunch - great summer food because you serve it cold. 
Prepare your favorite tortellini, I generally use plain cheese tortellini, but the rainbow ones are good too. Rinse with cold water, set aside to cool more.

Now chop up and add in the veggies. This varies based on your preferences, but today I added:
Red and yellow pepper
Cucumbers
Grape tomatoes (halved)
Artichoke hearts (quartered)
Black olives

A drizzle of olive oil and vinegar, season to taste, I also added some feta cheese, toss it all together with the tortellini and lunch is served. 
Really easy and fast. Kids gobble it up too.

Photo is the veggies before I added tortellini, feta, and seasoning.


----------



## Jonescat

Make your own hummous

Tin of drained chick peas
Garlic clove or two
Dessertspoon of Tahini
Squeezed lemon
salt to taste

Blitz until you get to the consistency you like. Don't be afraid to add a little water, as chickpeas can really clog up a stick blender, some people add olive oil but imo it isn't necessary.

Then once you have the hang of that - vary it! Change the bean - butter beans make a very smooth hummous and red kidney beans make a good one with cajun mix , lime juice and coriander. Add a handful of herbs, or a bit of cumin or avocado.


----------



## Guest

I also make a pretty tasty veggie lasagna if I do say so myself. 
Can't even begin to list amounts for the recipe, but basically I start with sauteed veggies (whatever you feel like putting in), add chopped tomatoes, make a good base sauce. Then I add in replacement meat crumbles (the brand I use is called morning star), though the meat replacer isn't necessary. 

For the cheese layer I use ricotta, grated parmesan and/or romano cheese, and to that I mix in fresh spinach that I chop and wilt in some garlic, onion, and olive oil. Mix the spinach and cheeses in well. 

Then just layer everything. Tomato sauce on the bottom, lasagna noodles, cheese, tomato, more noodles, cheese, tomato, top with mozzarella and romano/parm cheeses. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes covered, then 25 to 30 minutes uncovered. 

It sounds like a lot of work, but it's really not too bad and I usually make enough to freeze some for later. Well, that worked before I started feeding teenagers....


----------



## Nettles

Not exactly a recipe, but crispy Kale is nice for a healthier snack when your craving crisps.

Handful of shredded Kale on a baking tray, lightly spray with olive oil. Sprinkle of sea salt and paprika over the top and stick in the oven until crispy. Yum!


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## rottiepointerhouse

Last night we had a spicy stir fry



Strips of red and yellow pepper and carrot
Purple sprouting broccoli
Peas
Corn
Rice noodles
Tofu
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons chilli saurce


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I'd like to recommend this book to anyone new to this way of eating or thinking about giving it a try or just wanting to incorporate more plant based food into your existing way of eating to improve health. Its written by the co founder of Whole Foods Market in the US (we have a few of their shops over here) and the two doctors involved in the film Forks over Knives. I like it because it draws together all the different doctors and dietitians and scientists who have studied plant based diets and explains all of the health benefits but in a very inclusive and encouraging way. One of the stand out things for me was the section on not letting your deal breakers derail you. In other words if you have a particular food or habit that is your deal breaker - for instance the Sunday roast dinner or your grans homemade chicken soup when you go to visit then keep those things but make as many changes as you can or are comfortable with. Its also not insisting on veganism so might suit those who can't go the whole hog but want to go as far as they are comfortable with. I got my copy from Amazon and it cost £18.79 in hardback but dare say it will come down in price especially when the paperback comes out.


----------



## noushka05

I just had this for dinner it doesn't look very nice but it is really tasty (& easy). The red stuff is what was left over from yesterdays tea we had it with organic brown rice & quinoa. The chick pea thing is what I made from the chick peas left over from yesterdays tea lol( I've just picked the leaves fresh off my allotment). I'm afraid its one of my own concoctions so no accurate amounts to the ingredients I'm afraid.










But basically it consists of.

red stuff -

Sweet potato diced
2 sticks of celery chopped
1 Red pepper chopped.
1 onion chopped
I clove garlic chopped
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp mustard seeds
tomatoes - I use the organic cartons.
half cup veg stock
half tin mashed chick peas.

Fry spices in a little oil, then add onions & everything else to coat. Put a lid on for a few mins. Then add tomatos, chickpeas & stock & simmer till sweet potato is tender.

Chick pea effort.

1 tsp mustard seeds - (I use a lot of these )
1 tsp curry powder (& this lol)
a little oil
1/2 an onion chopped
1 clove of garlic finely chopped.
1/2 tin chick peas

Gently fry spices, add onion, then garlic & chick peas - & season with a little salt.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Looks lovely @noushka05 and I would imagine very tasty  Must be lovely to have leaves freshly picked from your allotment. I am very jealous as mine all come in a bag from Tesco or some from my organic veggies box.


----------



## noushka05

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Looks lovely @noushka05 and I would imagine very tasty  Must be lovely to have leaves freshly picked from your allotment. I am very jealous as mine all come in a bag from Tesco or some from my organic veggies box.


It is nice & theres lots of tasty looking recipes on here I'm going to try. I'm so glad you did this thread  I get those organic leaves from Tesco when I don't have any ready of my own. Those leaves I just grew in a big plant pot from seed RPH. I keep them in the green house on my allotment & pick a bunch a day


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Things are gradually changing - well more so across the pond but we will follow in time - Dr Neal Barnard is one of my heros 

https://www.forksoverknives.com/veg...ource=Email&utm_term=Vegan-Lunches#gs.7U3P7J0

Congratulations to the Los Angeles Unified School District! Earlier this month, school board members unanimously voted in favor of bringing healthful plant-based options to L.A. schools next fall in a pilot program championed by students, parents, and doctors. Lila Copeland, an inspiring 15-year-old LAUSD student, launched the campaign back in 2016. Before board members made their decision, I joined Lila and other LAUSD students in offering a testimony about the importance of this initiative.

Adding vegan options is a tremendous step toward keeping students healthy, but removing unhealthful foods from the menu is equally important. That's why the Physicians Committee recently filed a lawsuit to stop LAUSD and Poway Unified School District, also in California, from serving students processed meats-including hot dogs, pepperoni, and luncheon meat-which are linked to colorectal cancer.

We're still working on getting processed meats out of LAUSD. But in the meantime, read my testimony that helped get vegan options in:

_I am Neal Barnard, M.D., Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicine at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C., President of the Physicians Committee, and Fellow of the American College of Cardiology._

_Thank you for considering giving students access to healthful plant-based foods. There is always controversy whenever you talk about food, of course, but this is a great idea, and you really deserve accolades for it. _

_This is actually important for every student-not just those who are already looking for vegan choices, but for every student. Students who have a chance to try plant-based meals gain familiarity with the most healthful foods-completely free of animal fat and cholesterol, and rich in vitamins, fiber, and protein in its most healthful form. And they set the stage for healthy habits in the future._

_And those who take advantage of plant-based choices at every meal are adopting the healthiest possible eating pattern. As you know, plant-based diets have been recognized by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee for their health benefits._

_Plus, plant-based meals are sometimes the cheapest, because they can be built from beans, rice, and other simple ingredients.

Some people who are not familiar with plant-based diets may ask if they provide adequate nutrition. The fact is they provide better nutrition than is typical of most American diets. Plant-based foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, and healthful fiber, and provide more than enough protein, without the animal fat and cholesterol that children do not need. Meats do have protein and iron, but plant-based diets have more than enough of both in more healthful forms. Dairy products do have calcium, but greens and beans do, too, in a more absorbable form. Meats and dairy products have no fiber and are poor sources of many vitamins, and they tend to push healthful vegetables and fruits off the plate. That's why plant-based diets stack up much better on structured nutrition rating systems, such as Harvard's Alternative Healthy Eating Index.

This initiative shows you really care about your students-all your students. Studies show that children who grow up with plant-based foods have much less risk of becoming overweight as adults. And in a 2009 study, nearly 8 percent of people following typical American diets had diabetes. For people following vegan diets, that figure was just 2.9 percent, and they are also much less likely to develop heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, and certain cancers.

If children are unfamiliar with plant-based options and never learned the taste of a meal without cheese and meat, they have one arm tied behind their backs.

Many students have learned that the United Nations and other authorities have called for reducing consumption of meat, dairy products, and animal products in general for the sake of the environment. They understand that beef and dairy cows belch methane into the atmosphere, and that raising feed for chickens, pigs, and other animals consumes an enormous amount of water and fertilizer. When schools ignore these considerations, students feel they are living among climate change deniers. Every student needs a healthy, plant-based option accessible every day.

And there is more to it. The majority of people of color have trouble digesting lactose-the milk sugar-which can then cause bloating and diarrhea. This is not a disease; it's the biological norm. By the teen years, many children have symptoms that can get in the way of studying, athletic performance, and day-to-day activities. Dairy-free meals and beverages should be available for all children, without forcing them to get a doctor's note for what is a perfectly normal condition.

While you do your wonderful work making sure that children are as well-equipped as possible for what life has in store for them, the greatest threats they will face come from physical problems-overweight, heart disease, diabetes, and others. So if your son or daughter were to say, "I'd like to bring more plant-based meals into my life," or "I really want to help the environment," or "I want to be compassionate in my eating choices with your help," I hope your answer will be a resounding "Yes!"

_


----------



## bogdog

One of our favourites:

*Cheesy leek parcels*

2-3 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced
12 ozs of Caerphilly cheese (or Lancashire) crumbled
Packet of filo pastry 
3 ozs of melted butter

Makes 6 parcels

Lay a sheet of filo pastry flat, brush with melted butter. Lay 2nd sheet on top of the 1st, brush with melted butter, repeat with 3rd sheet.

Place 1/6th of the leeks in the middle of the pastry sheets, top with 1/6th of the cheese. Fold the corners of the pastry on top of filling, press lightly to seal, brush with melted butter. Repeat 5 more times.

Bake in the middle of the oven, gas mark 6, 200°C for about 20 minutes, serve with Jersey Royals and petit pois.

Bon appetit!


----------



## bogdog

Meat eating husband - free to a good home!


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## rottiepointerhouse

bogdog said:


> One of our favourites:
> 
> *Cheesy leek parcels*
> 
> 2-3 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced
> 12 ozs of Caerphilly cheese (or Lancashire) crumbled
> Packet of filo pastry
> 3 ozs of melted butter
> 
> Makes 6 parcels
> 
> Lay a sheet of filo pastry flat, brush with melted butter. Lay 2nd sheet on top of the 1st, brush with melted butter, repeat with 3rd sheet.
> 
> Place 1/6th of the leeks in the middle of the pastry sheets, top with 1/6th of the cheese. Fold the corners of the pastry on top of filling, press lightly to seal, brush with melted butter. Repeat 5 more times.
> 
> Bake in the middle of the oven, gas mark 6, 200°C for about 20 minutes, serve with Jersey Royals and petit pois.
> 
> Bon appetit!


Hope its a special occasion meal as it does sound loaded with saturated fat


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Interesting article about a doctor with MS who improved so much with a plant based diet she has made a film

http://nutritionstudies.org/doctor-with-ms-makes-film-on-collapse-of-us-healthcare/


----------



## Jonescat

I like this one - very cheap and very cheerful 

Scarlet Barley from Appetite for Reduction (Isa Chandra Moskowitz)

Saute garlic in olive oil, add 1 cup of pearl barley, 2.5 cups vegetable stock, a bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then simmer for about 20 mins. When most of the water has absorbed, add 1 grated beetroot. Cook for another 20 mins, keeping an eye on the liquid.When cooked, turn it off, add juice of half a lemon and test for salt. Let it sit for 10 mins, remove the bay leaf and serve topped with fresh dill. (I have never actually used the dill but I expect it is lovely)


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I love mushrooms and try to have some everyday. This is one of my favourite soups



200 g of mushrooms (chestnut give more flavour) or use a mixture
Some dried Porcini mushrooms and the fluid they are soaked in
1 onion
50 g of brown rice
half teaspoon garlic powder
half teaspoon oregano
1 stock cube
2 tablespoons ground flax seed to thicken
optional but worth using if you have any - 2 tablespoons of sherry


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## Guest

If you eat eggs, good old fashioned Spanish omelette (tortilla de patatas) is a great staple. I just fed the kids that for lunch.
We get our eggs from a neighbor who has backyard chickens so I feel good about where they come from. Plus it's always fun to see what color/size we get


----------



## Zayna

We discovered a delicious little treat the other day... Drain a can of chickpeas and dump onto a non stick baking tray. Season (I used salt and pepper, Hubby likes cayenne pepper) and bake in the oven for around 30mins, I normally set the oven to around 160. Just keep an eye on them and give the tray a gentle shake every now and then so they get evenly browned. 
Once they are nicely browned and crispy chuck them in a bowl and you have a delicious but very healthy snack!


----------



## Lurcherlad

Instead of my after lunch coffee:

Handful of spinach
Banana
3 strawberries
Cup of rice milk
Dessert spoonful of oats

Whizzed in Nutrabullet.

Yummy!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Has everyone discovered Nutritional Yeast? I love it even though it looks like dried fish food :Hilarious:Hilarious I use it on pasta dishes, on baked potatoes or beans on toast. Also did a recipe where I mixed it with some bread crumbs, flax seends, garlic powder and paprika and sprinkled that over a tray of asparagus spears and baked in the oven - they were yummy.

http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/engevita-yeast-flakes-60024884?skuid=024884


----------



## catz4m8z

hmm, that yeast thing looks interesting...might have to try some!

Im trying to find some vegan sandwich fillings at the moment coz even though I like cooking in the winter half the time summer dinners are just sandwiches coz I CBA!
Yesterday I mashed up a tinned of chickpeas, vegan mayo and curry powder and it made quite a nice coronation chicken type filling.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> hmm, that yeast thing looks interesting...might have to try some!
> 
> Im trying to find some vegan sandwich fillings at the moment coz even though I like cooking in the winter half the time summer dinners are just sandwiches coz I CBA!
> Yesterday I mashed up a tinned of chickpeas, vegan mayo and curry powder and it made quite a nice coronation chicken type filling.


My OH loves hummus and beetroot with salad leaves and red onion. I was going to try but haven't got round to it yet a filling where you blitz in the blender peas and mint with I think some lemon juice and black pepper but I can't find the recipe


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Has everyone discovered Nutritional Yeast? I love it even though it looks like dried fish food :Hilarious:Hilarious I use it on pasta dishes, on baked potatoes or beans on toast. Also did a recipe where I mixed it with some bread crumbs, flax seends, garlic powder and paprika and sprinkled that over a tray of asparagus spears and baked in the oven - they were yummy.
> 
> http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/engevita-yeast-flakes-60024884?skuid=024884


Ugh! *shudder* 
You Brits with your marmite and yeast stuff :Yuck 

I'm actually kind of giggling at this thread, and the cultural differences in food preferences. I keep posting pasta dishes with lots of garlic, tomatoes, and fresh veggies, and you guys keep posting lentils and beans and root vegetables in a curry sauce :Hilarious

Not that I don't like beans and lentils and root vegetables, I do, but they're a winter food. Way too heavy for summer


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Ugh! *shudder*
> You Brits with your marmite and yeast stuff :Yuck
> 
> I'm actually kind of giggling at this thread, and the cultural differences in food preferences. I keep posting pasta dishes with lots of garlic, tomatoes, and fresh veggies, and you guys keep posting lentils and beans and root vegetables in a curry sauce :Hilarious
> 
> Not that I don't like beans and lentils and root vegetables, I do, but they're a winter food. Way too heavy for summer


:Hilarious:Hilarious I've just made a chick pea and sweet potato curry for our dinner tonight.

I did make a pasta salad thingy the other night - photo is on my camera but I didn't like it much. My stir fry I posted a couple of pages back had no root vegetables or beans and was served with noodles :Smuggrin:Smuggrin


----------



## Rudydog

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Has everyone discovered Nutritional Yeast? I love it even though it looks like dried fish food :Hilarious:Hilarious I use it on pasta dishes, on baked potatoes or beans on toast. Also did a recipe where I mixed it with some bread crumbs, flax seends, garlic powder and paprika and sprinkled that over a tray of asparagus spears and baked in the oven - they were yummy.
> 
> http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/engevita-yeast-flakes-60024884?skuid=024884


I am slightly addicted to nutritional yeast

It's particularly delicious on a simple green salad with mustard nivegrette. (adds a slight nuttiness)


----------



## Elles

I prefer the salad, pasta and tomato recipes to the beans and lentils etc tbh. I eat a lot of salads and I like grated carrot, beetroot and mashed potato, especially king Edwards. I like my tomato soup meals too. I picked up a few ideas in Portugal, which basically means tomato soup with nearly anything. I might try the yeast.


----------



## Guest

Saw a recipe for thinly sliced zucchini (courgette) with a ricotta mix rolled up inside. It was very cheesy, I'm going to play with it so it's not so cheesy, try some veggies in with the ricotta, or maybe even rice or quinoa instead of the ricotta. Looked good though


----------



## Amelia66

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Has everyone discovered Nutritional Yeast? I love it even though it looks like dried fish food :Hilarious:Hilarious I use it on pasta dishes, on baked potatoes or beans on toast. Also did a recipe where I mixed it with some bread crumbs, flax seends, garlic powder and paprika and sprinkled that over a tray of asparagus spears and baked in the oven - they were yummy.
> 
> http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/engevita-yeast-flakes-60024884?skuid=024884


This is really good sprinkled into spicy foods too [i cook and eat alot of asian foods]

Making something with alot of chillies or gochujang paste then adding some nutritional yeast is just rool


----------



## Guest

Elles said:


> I prefer the salad, pasta and tomato recipes to the beans and lentils etc tbh. I eat a lot of salads and I like grated carrot, beetroot and mashed potato, especially king Edwards. I like my tomato soup meals too. I picked up a few ideas in Portugal, which basically means tomato soup with nearly anything. I might try the yeast.


Gazpacho!! Best summer soup ever!


----------



## Elles

ouesi said:


> Gazpacho!! Best summer soup ever!


Just be careful if you partake in Spain. They can put ham in everything. Ham is vegetarian in some Spanish villages. 

I prefer Spanish horses (sorry Portugal), but I prefer Portuguese food (sorry Spain)


----------



## Guest

Elles said:


> Just be careful if you partake in Spain. They can put ham in everything. Ham is vegetarian in some Spanish villages.
> 
> I prefer Spanish horses (sorry Portugal), but I prefer Portuguese food (sorry Spain)


I lived in Spain for a long time, never saw anyone make gazpacho with ham. Maybe added afterwards? 
In any case, I make my own, no ham here


----------



## Elles

ouesi said:


> I lived in Spain for a long time, never saw anyone make gazpacho with ham. Maybe added afterwards?
> In any case, I make my own, no ham here


Maybe it was where I was, but I got really fed up of seeing little bits of ham on and in everything, but yes, added afterwards, sprinkled on like salt. :Hilarious


----------



## Lurcherlad

ouesi said:


> Gazpacho!! Best summer soup ever!


:Vomit

Cold soup! Yuk! :Wtf


----------



## Elles

Lurcherlad said:


> :Vomit
> 
> Cold soup! Yuk! :Wtf


Noooo, it's gorgeous, plus proper bread and olive oil. Yum.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Elles said:


> Just be careful if you partake in Spain. They can put ham in everything. Ham is vegetarian in some Spanish villages.
> 
> I prefer Spanish horses (sorry Portugal), but I prefer Portuguese food (sorry Spain)


And Belgium.

I ate almost all of the "veggie" tomato soup our Belgian host was assured by the waitress was purely vegetarian, until with practically the last spoonful I pulled out a meatball! :Jawdrop:Wtf:Vomit


----------



## Guest

Lurcherlad said:


> :Vomit
> 
> Cold soup! Yuk! :Wtf


If you tasted mine you'd love it 
Right mix of vine ripe tomatoes, garden cucumbers, red onion (has to be red onion), garlic, olive oil, red vinegar, salt, pepper, and a few bread crumbs. Perfect.
Seriously though, it you can get the tomatoes and cucumbers from someone's garden, fresh that day, it's amazing.

Sometimes I sneak in a bell pepper, that adds a nice flavor too.


----------



## catz4m8z

ouesi said:


> If you tasted mine you'd love it


Im sure its lovely....... after its been nuked in the microwave!!LOL:Hilarious

Im pretty seasonal in what I eat so cold stuff in the summer (pasta or new potato salads, sandwiches, cous cous with falafel, etc) then lots of root veggies, stews, roasts, etc in the winter.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Chickpea curry & sweet potato curry - any vegetables can be changed



1 onion
2 cloves garlic
Large handful mushrooms
1 green pepper
green beans
1 courgette - diced
1 sweet potato - cubed
half a can of coconut milk (I use light but you don't have to)
handful of spinach
2 cans chickpeas
1 tablespoon tomato puree
half teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons garam massala

Fry onion and garlic until softened, add spices and cook for couple of minutes adding a splash of coconut milk and blending to a paste then adding more to make a sauce. Stir in tomato puree. Add sweet potato cubes and cook for 10 mins then add other vegetables and rest of coconut milk. Either cook on hob until potato cooked through and sauce reduced or stick in the oven. I usually put in oven but keep spinach leaves back until 20 mins before serving otherwise they disappear.


----------



## Lexiedhb

I'm not even close to being a veggie but........... Do like a good salad, and have some veggie friends so can share some recipes..... although im not very good with exact amounts.

Love a roasted balsamic beetroot, feta (I know I know), and Quinoa salad with a mint vinaigrette

and I'll make these for the veggies if I BBQ

Herby or spicy bean burgers

can chickpeas
can kidney beans
roasted sweet potato
bread crumbs
Chopped onion
chopped yellow pepper
Crushed garlic clove
Salt and pepper
then either 
A whole load of herbs to your taste - I like oregano and thyme - fresh
or Fresh chilli, pinch cumin, and paprika

Squish all ingredients together, form patties, and chill before BBQ ing


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Wasn't expecting this - wonder how it will impact on their ethics etc.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40306099

*Amazon to buy Whole Foods for $13.7bn*


----------



## Team_Trouble

Oh no  I live near a lovely whole foods. I


----------



## Guest

Okay this doesn't look appetizing at all, but trust me, it was delicious!










The stuff on the left is the zucchini roll ups. Which BTW, were a pain in the ass, next time I'm just making it like a lasagna, instead of trying to be fancy. 
Okay, the recipe I had was all cheese and no veggies. I made it differently.

It's basically layers:
Bottom layer is a good marinara sauce (store bought or make your own, I used store bought this time). 
Thin slices of zucchini (courgette)
Ricotta mix
More marinara
Repeat. 
Top with mozzarella and bake at 400 for 30 minutes. 
(The roll-ups are basically the ricotta and marinara rolled up inside a thin strip of zucchini, but they didn't stay rolled and kind of looked a mess (exhibit A above).

The ricotta mix I'm sure can be vegan-ized. 
The way I made it (no clue of amounts)
Sautee onions and garlic in olive oil until onions get translucent. Add finely diced orange or red (or both) bell peppers until they soften. 
Add fresh spinach and wilt. 
Season to taste
Looks like this:









Mix the spinach mixture in with ricotta and parmesan. Some people add an egg to the ricotta, I didn't and that might have helped bind it better.

Anyway, it looked awful but tastes delicious.


----------



## catz4m8z

Lexiedhb said:


> Love a roasted balsamic beetroot, feta (I know I know), and Quinoa salad with a mint vinaigrette
> 
> Squish all ingredients together, form patties, and chill before BBQ ing


One of my cooking kryptonites (along with pastry) is anything that needs to be made into a patty. For some reason I always wind up with some that looks more like scrambled egg in consistency.:Shifty

But now I really fancy a beetroot and quinoa salad!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I can highly recommend this film - total eye opener with some shocking bits about charities funding and how they collude with the big food industries despite the evidence showing that they should be recommending suffers avoid those products

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-047da69cdd-192763785

Plant-based documentary _What The Health_ will be hitting streaming system Netflix on June 16.

The movie, which comes from the team behind iconic film Cowspiracy, is described as the health documentary 'that health organizations don't want you to see,' by its makers.
Film makers Keegan Kuhn and Kip Anderson add: "The film follows intrepid filmmaker Andersen as he uncovers the secret to preventing and even reversing chronic diseases - and investigates why the nation's leading health organizations don't want us to know about it.

"With heart disease and cancer the leading causes of death in America, and diabetes at an all-time high, the film reveals possibly the largest health cover-up of our time. 
"With the help of medical doctors, researchers, and consumer advocates, What the Health exposes the collusion and corruption in government and big business that is costing us trillions of healthcare dollars, and keeping us sick."

The film features the input of an impressive number of physicians and experts, including Dr Kim Williams, MD President, American College of Cardiology who says: "There are two kinds of cardiologists: vegans and those who haven't read the data."
The movie follows in the footsteps of _Cowspiracy_, which was brought to Netflix by Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio.

Read Plant Based News' write up of _What The Health_ here.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

*EU Court Says Plant-Based Products Cannot Have 'Dairy-Style' Names*
*Vegan dairy-alternative products cannot be sold within the European Union [EU] under names including 'milk', 'butter' and 'cheese' following a landmark ruling by the European Court of Justice [ECJ].*

*Some exemptions to this rule include almond milk, coconut milk and peanut butter, however tofu and soya products do not fall under the exemptions.*

*Alexander Anton, secretary general of the European Dairy Association, described the ruling as 'a good day for dairy, a good day for European citizens and a good day for Europe'.

He added: "The unique and natural blend of micro and macronutrients of milk and dairy products cannot be matched by any plant-based products.

"Today's ECJ ruling protects European consumers: dairy terms like 'milk,' 'butter', 'whey', 'cheese' or 'yoghurt' cannot be used by vegatable ersatz-products. Even while explaining the difference on the packaging, the makers of such plant-based products are not allowed to misuse our dairy terms for marketing their products."*

*Alexandra Clark Humane Society International/Europe's Sustainable Food Campaigner, said: "With their environmental and health commitments the EU should be promoting plant-based products, not censoring them.

"The court cites 'customer confusion' as its reason for the ruling but in doing so fails to realise that the rising demand for plant-based milks and cheeses is not due to the public being misled but because people are increasingly aware that plant-based products are better for the environment, their health, and animals."

This ruling follows massive growth in the plant-based dairy alternative market, with predictions the global sector will balloon to $21.7 billion by 2022. 
*


----------



## Team_Trouble

rottiepointerhouse said:


> *EU Court Says Plant-Based Products Cannot Have 'Dairy-Style' Names*
> *Vegan dairy-alternative products cannot be sold within the European Union [EU] under names including 'milk', 'butter' and 'cheese' following a landmark ruling by the European Court of Justice [ECJ].*
> 
> *Some exemptions to this rule include almond milk, coconut milk and peanut butter, however tofu and soya products do not fall under the exemptions.*
> 
> *Alexander Anton, secretary general of the European Dairy Association, described the ruling as 'a good day for dairy, a good day for European citizens and a good day for Europe'.*
> 
> *He added: "The unique and natural blend of micro and macronutrients of milk and dairy products cannot be matched by any plant-based products. *
> 
> *"Today's ECJ ruling protects European consumers: dairy terms like 'milk,' 'butter', 'whey', 'cheese' or 'yoghurt' cannot be used by vegatable ersatz-products. Even while explaining the difference on the packaging, the makers of such plant-based products are not allowed to misuse our dairy terms for marketing their products."*
> 
> *Alexandra Clark Humane Society International/Europe's Sustainable Food Campaigner, said: "With their environmental and health commitments the EU should be promoting plant-based products, not censoring them. *
> 
> *"The court cites 'customer confusion' as its reason for the ruling but in doing so fails to realise that the rising demand for plant-based milks and cheeses is not due to the public being misled but because people are increasingly aware that plant-based products are better for the environment, their health, and animals."*
> 
> *This ruling follows massive growth in the plant-based dairy alternative market, with predictions the global sector will balloon to $21.7 billion by 2022. *


This is insane, and makes me want to leave the EU.


----------



## Elles

Reminds me of the furore over vaping. Big tobacco wanting it banned and not promoting as an aid to quitting. Funny how it's all died down since big tobacco got into ecigs. I thought the Eu was this wonderful beast that protects us all and that we were mad to vote to leave? Hopefully they'll soon find names to suit. 'I know it's not butter' or aren't they allowed to mention the word at all. Dairy terms have been around as long as language, how can big business steal words that don't belong to them. Ridiculous.


----------



## Guest

How the hell did Brexit make it in to a vegetarian/vegan thread?!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> How the hell did Brexit make it in to a vegetarian/vegan thread?!


Cos its in the news 

I'm looking forward to seeing what they call my oat milk, oat liquid or blended oats doesn't have quite the same ring to it.


----------



## Elles

Will cosmetic companies have to stop using the word milk or butter in their products too?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Elles said:


> Will cosmetic companies have to stop using the word milk or butter in their products too?


I doubt it. I get the impression the dairy industry brought the case to the ECJ because of the rising threat of the plant based alternatives to their profits whereas cosmetics don't do that.

I've just checked my oat milk and it doesn't mention the word milk at all - its called oat drink and the fake cheese doesn't say cheese on it either - just has a picture which looks like cubes of cheese. Not sure if that is a recent change because they were anticipating this ruling or not.


----------



## Jonescat

Vegans have the dairy industry on the run now! They (dairy industry) are terrified of loss of profit and have lobbied for, and got, a measure of protection for their industry .

Interesting though that it has been law/EUregulation since Dec 2013 and it is only hitting the headlines now because someone decided to test it in court in Germany. Alpro already have compliant labelling and don't use the word milk - its just called "Alpro Coconut" or "Alpro Soya" or "Alpro's Simply Plain soya alternative to yogurt".


----------



## Jonescat

ouesi said:


> I generally use plain cheese tortellini, but the rainbow ones are good too.


What is this rainbow tortellini? Do we have this?



rottiepointerhouse said:


> Has everyone discovered Nutritional Yeast?


I have tried but I find a little goes a very long way tastewise and a lot of recipes use too much. I do like it in baking though.



ouesi said:


> . I keep posting pasta dishes with lots of garlic, tomatoes, and fresh veggies, and you guys keep posting lentils and beans and root vegetables in a curry sauce :Hilarious


Hadn't noticed that but how interesting. The fresh stuff you are talking about isn't in season here yet and so is far more expensive than cabbage family, beets and spuds, and we do like spiced food.

ps first attempt at multiquote I think, hence all the edits!


----------



## Guest

Great documentary on Netflix right now, "What the Health"


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Great documentary on Netflix right now, "What the Health"


Yes its amazing - I've linked it a couple of times on here and have watched it twice myself. A real eye opener.


----------



## Matrod

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Has everyone discovered Nutritional Yeast? I love it even though it looks like dried fish food :Hilarious:Hilarious I use it on pasta dishes, on baked potatoes or beans on toast. Also did a recipe where I mixed it with some bread crumbs, flax seends, garlic powder and paprika and sprinkled that over a tray of asparagus spears and baked in the oven - they were yummy.
> 
> http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/engevita-yeast-flakes-60024884?skuid=024884


Ugh, I hate that stuff! I spent ages making some really yummy sounding raw crackers once in my dehydrator - all of which contained nutritional yeast - they were revolting :Vomit


----------



## Matrod

I love this dish in the winter, sorry @ouesi, more lentils!

Koshari

Serves 2

2 onions
4 garlic cloves
Handful of chervil
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
Tin chopped tomatoes 
Tin of green lentils
4oz basmati rice
Rice noodles - as much as you like

Finely slice one onion, finely chop the other. Grate the garlic & finely chop the chervil. Toast the cumin & coriander seeds in a small pan for 1-2 mins. Grind in a pestle & mortar. Warm a 1tbsp of oil in a pan & cook the chopped onion for 5-8 mins until glossy & soft. Add the garlic, cumin & coriander & cook for a further minute.

Add the chopped tomatoes, half fill the can with water & add that too. Put on a lid & simmer the sauce for 20 mins, season. While this cooks warm 1 tbsp of oil in a deep frying pan or wok, add the sliced onion & season. Gently fry for 10-12 mins over a low heat until golden & crisp, put on a plate lined with kitchen paper.

Add the rice & lentils to to the sauce, add 200ml hot water, cover & simmer for 10-15 until the rice is tender. Add the rice noodles & cook for 5 mins or so until cooked. Serve with the crispy onions & chervil sprinkled on top.


----------



## Guest

Matrod said:


> sorry @ouesi, more lentils!


LOL I love lentils  Just more of a garbanzo person in the summer 

Currently thinking about what I want to try for vegan alternatives to ricotta.....


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Red salad for lunch today with walnut vinaigrette dressing and roasted spiced chickpeas. It was lovely and refreshing.



Salad - red cabbage, red pepper, red onion, beetroot and some sweetcorn (not red but I love it ).

Walnut vinaigrette dressing (from Dr Fuhrman's website)

Quarter cup or 60 mls of balsamic vinegar
Half cup or 110 mls of water
Quarter cup or 25 g of walnuts
Quarter cup or 30 g raisins
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1 clove garlic
Quarter teaspoon dried thyme

Whiz together in the blender.

This is probably the nicest salad dressing I've ever tasted. A bit like honey & mustard I suppose.


----------



## catz4m8z

CRAVING ALERT!:Nailbiting (aaaand now Im going to have to roast some chickpeas for my salad today!).


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> LOL I love lentils  Just more of a garbanzo person in the summer
> 
> Currently thinking about what I want to try for vegan alternatives to ricotta.....


This came into my inbox this morning and I remembered you were looking for ricotta alternatives 

http://www.straightupfood.com/blog/2017/05/09/lasagna/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

These little peach pie/crumbles look lovely, might give them a try at some point

http://www.straightupfood.com/blog/2017/06/18/peach-pie-lets/

I love Cathy Fisher - have made a few of her recipes. You can follow her blog or just browse her website - she gives links to lots of other plant based websites and blogs too

http://www.straightupfood.com/blog/resources/


----------



## catz4m8z

hmm, might make some peach oat muffins after seeing that. I dont really follow a recipe just chuck aload of fruit, oats, soya milk, spices and wholemeal flour into muffin cases and bake (200C for 30 mins coz 90% of all things cook at this temperature! *nods*).
I actually thought I would miss cheese way more then I do but its been 3mths now and I still havent had any craving for animal products.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

These are my regulars - always got a stock of them in the freezer



The two on the left are blueberry oatbran and the rest are banana oatmeal. The banana ones are so quick and easy and great for taking on dog walks or with a coffee. Just mash 3 ripe bananas in a bowl add 100 g (or 1 cup) of oats and mix. I do add a couple of tablespoons of ground flax and a teaspoon of cinnamon to mine but not necessary, they are fine with just the two ingredients. Divide mixture into 8 and bake at 180 for 20 - 25 mins, flip over and give another 5 mins to prevent a soggy bottom


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Sushi worm parasite :Vomit:Vomit

https://nutritionfacts.org/2017/06/...-24208457&mc_cid=e6ede9c1f0&mc_eid=53363da263


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Sushi worm parasite :Vomit:Vomit
> 
> https://nutritionfacts.org/2017/06/...-24208457&mc_cid=e6ede9c1f0&mc_eid=53363da263


good god! that is both creepy and totally disgusting!:Nailbiting:Vomit:Yuck
Makes me glad I never felt the urge to eat raw fish.

This thread has inspired me though...I _did_ put roasted chick peas on my salad and after a rummage in the cupboards (and garden!) made peach, tayberry and pecan oat muffins. nom nom:Woot


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Why is it so hard to give up cheese?

https://www.forksoverknives.com/add..._source=Email&utm_term=Cheese-Trap#gs.56EU43k

Three reasons: salt, grease, and opiates


----------



## noushka05

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Red salad for lunch today with walnut vinaigrette dressing and roasted spiced chickpeas. It was lovely and refreshing.
> 
> 
> 
> Salad - red cabbage, red pepper, red onion, beetroot and some sweetcorn (not red but I love it ).
> 
> Walnut vinaigrette dressing (from Dr Fuhrman's website)
> 
> Quarter cup or 60 mls of balsamic vinegar
> Half cup or 110 mls of water
> Quarter cup or 25 g of walnuts
> Quarter cup or 30 g raisins
> 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
> 1 clove garlic
> Quarter teaspoon dried thyme
> 
> Whiz together in the blender.
> 
> This is probably the nicest salad dressing I've ever tasted. A bit like honey & mustard I suppose.


That salad dressing sounds lovely - something else I'll be doing, and the salad! 



rottiepointerhouse said:


> Sushi worm parasite :Vomit:Vomit
> 
> https://nutritionfacts.org/2017/06/...-24208457&mc_cid=e6ede9c1f0&mc_eid=53363da263


Oh my gawd


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Take a look at this very short video of how quickly this guy turned his health around by going plant based


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Why is it so hard to give up cheese?
> 
> https://www.forksoverknives.com/add..._source=Email&utm_term=Cheese-Trap#gs.56EU43k
> 
> Three reasons: salt, grease, and opiates


Though I agree that we eat way too much dairy I have to take issue with the whole "opiates" argument as alarmist. Dairy is bad enough for you without having to make a false arguments.

Exercise also causes the brain to release dopamine. So does breastfeeding an infant. So does sex. Causing the brain to release dopamine is not inherently a bad thing. Every time I go for a run it causes my brain to release dopamine, just like eating cheese does.

Dairy is bad for you, but not because it causes your brain to release dopamine. If that were the case, exercising would be bad for you. We know it's not. 
Dairy is bad for you because of the clear connections between dairy consumption and certain types of cancer (prostate, ovarian, breast) as well as the cholesterol and heart-unhealthy effect of eating dairy. Not to mention most adults are actually lactose intolerant and don't know it. (Lactose intolerant is the normal state for an adult human.)

FWIW, I have gone for stretches of being vegan, and it has never been hard for me to give up cheese. I do however find it hard to cook for my family (stuff that everyone will eat) without some dairy. That's probably because I'm not creative enough, or won't take the time to cream cashews in to sauces. I will say though, hats off to the vegan ice cream industry because there are some really yummy ones out there. If only they could do the same with cheese!

I'm not trying to be nit-picky, I just think that it behooves us vegetarians/vegans to be correct in our arguments against the meat and dairy industries. Because you can bet the meat/dairy industry and its supporters are ready and waiting to jump on any incorrect or misleading information and turn it in to a reason to discredit the entire argument.


----------



## Team_Trouble

ouesi said:


> Though I agree that we eat way too much dairy I have to take issue with the whole "opiates" argument as alarmist. Dairy is bad enough for you without having to make a false arguments.
> 
> Exercise also causes the brain to release dopamine. So does breastfeeding an infant. So does sex. Causing the brain to release dopamine is not inherently a bad thing. Every time I go for a run it causes my brain to release dopamine, just like eating cheese does.
> 
> Dairy is bad for you, but not because it causes your brain to release dopamine. If that were the case, exercising would be bad for you. We know it's not.
> Dairy is bad for you because of the clear connections between dairy consumption and certain types of cancer (prostate, ovarian, breast) as well as the cholesterol and heart-unhealthy effect of eating dairy. Not to mention most adults are actually lactose intolerant and don't know it. (Lactose intolerant is the normal state for an adult human.)
> 
> FWIW, I have gone for stretches of being vegan, and it has never been hard for me to give up cheese. I do however find it hard to cook for my family (stuff that everyone will eat) without some dairy. That's probably because I'm not creative enough, or won't take the time to cream cashews in to sauces. I will say though, hats off to the vegan ice cream industry because there are some really yummy ones out there. If only they could do the same with cheese!
> 
> I'm not trying to be nit-picky, I just think that it behooves us vegetarians/vegans to be correct in our arguments against the meat and dairy industries. Because you can bet the meat/dairy industry and its supporters are ready and waiting to jump on any incorrect or misleading information and turn it in to a reason to discredit the entire argument.


But the article isn't saying dopamine release is why cheese is bad for you, it's why it's so addictive and why so many overeat on it.


----------



## kimthecat

ouesi said:


> Dairy is bad for you because of the clear connections between dairy consumption and certain types of cancer (prostate, ovarian, breast) as well as the cholesterol and heart-unhealthy effect of eating dairy. Not to mention most adults are actually lactose intolerant and don't know it. (Lactose intolerant is the normal state for an adult human.)


 I don't eat meat meat except for chicken but I do have a lot of dairy . Is there a sort of safe range for cheese and milk ? 
My mum and gran had cancer but I don't think it was genetic but perhaps I should cut down on these .

I'm a weird fussy eater with a limited palate  though I do like Linda McCarrtney veggie and Quorn ranges .


----------



## Guest

kimthecat said:


> I don't eat meat meat except for chicken but I do have a lot of dairy . Is there a sort of safe range for cheese and milk ?
> My mum and gran had cancer but I don't think it was genetic but perhaps I should cut down on these .
> 
> I'm a weird fussy eater with a limited palate  though I do like Linda McCarrtney veggie and Quorn ranges .


I think any amount you can reduce your dairy intake is helpful. 
And adding as many plant-based foods as you can is added insurance because of the protective factors of plant-based nutrition.

I have noticed in the years my OH has gone from 100% meat and potato to a near vegan diet, that his palate has also changed tremendously. Just give it time  The more you eat plant-based, the more it tastes good and other foods don't taste as good as you remember.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Though I agree that we eat way too much dairy I have to take issue with the whole "opiates" argument as alarmist. Dairy is bad enough for you without having to make a false arguments.
> 
> Exercise also causes the brain to release dopamine. So does breastfeeding an infant. So does sex. Causing the brain to release dopamine is not inherently a bad thing. Every time I go for a run it causes my brain to release dopamine, just like eating cheese does.
> 
> Dairy is bad for you, but not because it causes your brain to release dopamine. If that were the case, exercising would be bad for you. We know it's not.
> Dairy is bad for you because of the clear connections between dairy consumption and certain types of cancer (prostate, ovarian, breast) as well as the cholesterol and heart-unhealthy effect of eating dairy. Not to mention most adults are actually lactose intolerant and don't know it. (Lactose intolerant is the normal state for an adult human.)
> 
> FWIW, I have gone for stretches of being vegan, and it has never been hard for me to give up cheese. I do however find it hard to cook for my family (stuff that everyone will eat) without some dairy. That's probably because I'm not creative enough, or won't take the time to cream cashews in to sauces. I will say though, hats off to the vegan ice cream industry because there are some really yummy ones out there. If only they could do the same with cheese!
> 
> I'm not trying to be nit-picky, I just think that it behooves us vegetarians/vegans to be correct in our arguments against the meat and dairy industries. Because you can bet the meat/dairy industry and its supporters are ready and waiting to jump on any incorrect or misleading information and turn it in to a reason to discredit the entire argument.





KatieandOliver said:


> But the article isn't saying dopamine release is why cheese is bad for you, it's why it's so addictive and why so many overeat on it.


That was how I read it too - Dr Barnard is explaining why its addictive (much like exercise can become addictive) rather than saying the opiate/dopamine part is bad for us - there is enough in cheese/dairy that is bad for us. Most of the plant based doctors say that when counselling patients to change their diets cheese is the main item people say they could not give up.

For those who don't like to follow links the jist of the article is

Dopamine rewards you for doing things that help you or your progeny to live on. And scientists believe that dopamine plays a role in our desire for salt.

If you were to look at a protein molecule with a powerful microscope, it would look like a long string of beads. Each "bead" is a protein building block called an _amino acid,_ and, during digestion, the individual amino acids come apart and are absorbed into your bloodstream so that your body can use them to build proteins of its own.

So the calf digests the proteins in milk, breaking apart the chain of beads and using these amino acids to build skin cells, muscle cells, organs, and the other parts of the body.

However, casein is an unusual protein. While it does break apart to release individual beads, it also releases longer fragments-chains that might be four, five, or seven amino acid beads in length. These casein fragments are called _casomorphins_-that is, casein-derived morphine-like compounds. And they can attach to the same brain receptors that heroin and other narcotics attach to.

In other words, dairy protein has opiate molecules built right into it.

Opiates in dairy products? What the heck are they doing there, you might ask. Well, imagine if a calf did not want to nurse. Or if a human baby was not interested in nursing. They would not do very well. So, along with protein, fat, sugar, and a sprinkling of hormones, milk contains opiates that reward the baby for nursing.

Opiates have a calming effect, and they also cause the brain to release dopamine, leading to a sense of reward and pleasure.

A cup of milk contains about 7.7 grams of protein, 80 percent of which is casein, more or less. Turning it into Cheddar cheese multiplies the protein content seven-fold, to 56 grams. It is the most concentrated form of casein in any food in the grocery store.

Call it dairy crack. Just as cocaine manufacturers have found ways to turn an addictive drug (cocaine) into an extremely addictive one (crack), dairy producers have found their own ways to keep you coming back. In the Middle Ages, cheese makers had no idea that cheese might concentrate milk's addictive qualities. But today's cheese industry knows all about cheese craving and is eager to exploit it. It is doing its level best to trigger cheese craving in vulnerable people.

Neal Barnard, MD, FACC, is an adjunct associate professor of medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C., founder and president of the nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, fellow of the American College of Cardiology, and a _New York Times_ bestselling author of more than 70 scientific publications and 18 books, including _Dr. Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes, Breaking the Food Seduction_, and _The Cheese Trap: How Breaking a Surprising Addiction Will Help You Lose Weight, Gain Energy, and Get Healthy_.

https://www.pcrm.org/health/resources


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

kimthecat said:


> I don't eat meat meat except for chicken but I do have a lot of dairy . Is there a sort of safe range for cheese and milk ?
> My mum and gran had cancer but I don't think it was genetic but perhaps I should cut down on these .
> 
> I'm a weird fussy eater with a limited palate  though I do like Linda McCarrtney veggie and Quorn ranges .


Please have a read about the health implications of dairy - particularly the work of Prof T Colin Campbell on the dairy protein casein and cancer (I don't really like quoting his work as he experimented a lot on rats) but here is a video of him discussing his findings which were also based on population studies

http://nutritionstudies.org/link-be...sein-cancer-mcdougall-advanced-study-weekend/

This is a video of Dr Neal Barnard giving a talk about cheese and dairy - he is a great speaker, easy to listen to and explains things clearly


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Take a look at this very short video of how quickly this guy turned his health around by going plant based


Good for him!
Wish it had helped me lose any weight...Sadly I discovered early on which junk foods were vegan so it didnt affect my piggy habits too much!:Shy:Hilarious
(this year was all about getting used to veganism though, next year can be about weight loss and TBH I have noticed Im not losing but Im not yoyoing with my weight like I normally do either).


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> Good for him!
> Wish it had helped me lose any weight...Sadly I discovered early on which junk foods were vegan so it didnt affect my piggy habits too much!:Shy:Hilarious
> (this year was all about getting used to veganism though, next year can be about weight loss and TBH I have noticed Im not losing but Im not yoyoing with my weight like I normally do either).


Unfortunately being vegan doesn't equal weight loss and better health automatically as there are plenty of junk vegan foods available (as you have discovered). Wholefood plant based (WFPB) is the term mainly used by people who are vegan because they want to improve their health (although many are also concerned about animal and environmental issues too) and it means you focus on vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, legumes, nuts and seeds and avoid added oils, salt, sugar and processed foods as far as possible. Everyone makes the transition in different ways though so getting used to being vegan first then looking at making it healthier later is as good a way as any. I know others who have made the transition by changing one meal at a time over to vegan or by making one day a week vegan then gradually increasing the days. I'm thrilled to see so many people prepared to give it a try even if its just for a couple of days per week.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@kimthecat - another Dr's views on dairy


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Latest offering - from Viva "Everyone's Going Dairy Free" - Creamy Leek & Mushroom Pasta



3 leeks sliced into rounds
2 cloves garlic
225 g mushrooms sliced
1 tsp dried oregano
Half tsp chilli flakes (optional)
Vegan cream cheese (I use Violife - about a quarter of a tub)
Wholewheat Spaghetti
Fresh parsley to garnish

Saute the leeks and garlic for 5 mins until beginning to soften, add the mushrooms and oregano/chilli flakes and cook for another 5 mins. Add the cream cheese and let it melt and stir to coat everything. Serve over the cooked spaghetti and garnish with the parsley.

It is delicious - tastes so good considering few ingredients and very quick to make. I've added some tofu that needed using up but no need to.


----------



## noushka05

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Latest offering - from Viva "Everyone's Going Dairy Free" - Creamy Leek & Mushroom Pasta
> 
> 
> 
> 3 leeks sliced into rounds
> 2 cloves garlic
> 225 g mushrooms sliced
> 1 tsp dried oregano
> Half tsp chilli flakes (optional)
> Vegan cream cheese (I use Violife - about a quarter of a tub)
> Wholewheat Spaghetti
> Fresh parsley to garnish
> 
> Saute the leeks and garlic for 5 mins until beginning to soften, add the mushrooms and oregano/chilli flakes and cook for another 5 mins. Add the cream cheese and let it melt and stir to coat everything. Serve over the cooked spaghetti and garnish with the parsley.
> 
> It is delicious - tastes so good considering few ingredients and very quick to make. I've added some tofu that needed using up but no need to.


That looks SO nice:Hungry

I could eat it now & its going on midnight


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Butternut squash and sweetcorn soup (adapted from a Delia Smith recipe)



3 carrots - chopped
half a butternut squash - peeled & diced
1 onion - chopped
1 clove garlic
100 g of sweetcorn
1 vegetable stock cube
100 g of red lentils
1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds (optional - use if you like a thicker soup)

Some extra sweetcorn to toast under the grill with some black pepper


----------



## catz4m8z

ooooh, that soup sounds really tasty! I love anything like squash or root veg (probably why I eat healthier in the winter).
I made myself a massive salad for lunch.....all so I wont feel guilty about the burger in bun and sweet potato fries for tea! :Shy


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Interesting short video from Fox Business News where Dr Dean Ornish (plant based) talks about saving businesses and health care providers money. @ouesi would that have gone out on the general news or just on a business channel?

http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/5464227001001/?#sp=show-clips


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Interesting short video from Fox Business News where Dr Dean Ornish (plant based) talks about saving businesses and health care providers money. @ouesi would that have gone out on the general news or just on a business channel?
> 
> http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/5464227001001/?#sp=show-clips


That's mainstream media, yes. 
Dr. Dean Ornish is also fairly well-known, he does the talk/news show circuit and though not a household name, still certainly not an unknown either. Yes, he is selling something - his books and lifestyle CDs etc., but he talks good sense IMO, not just on the diet front, but also in the move more and reduce stress category as well. He's a big proponent of the benefits of meditation/mindfulness practices like yoga and tai chi. 
I'm a big yoga fan myself and have found it hugely helpful not just improving how I feel physically (I have a lot of old injuries and yoga keeps me healthy and pain-free), but mental well-being too. There is some exciting research out there on how meditation can literally change the brain and help it heal itself. Just like a whole food, plant based diet can reverse physical illness.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> That's mainstream media, yes.
> Dr. Dean Ornish is also fairly well-known, he does the talk/news show circuit and though not a household name, still certainly not an unknown either. Yes, he is selling something - his books and lifestyle CDs etc., but he talks good sense IMO, not just on the diet front, but also in the move more and reduce stress category as well. He's a big proponent of the benefits of meditation/mindfulness practices like yoga and tai chi.
> I'm a big yoga fan myself and have found it hugely helpful not just improving how I feel physically (I have a lot of old injuries and yoga keeps me healthy and pain-free), but mental well-being too. There is some exciting research out there on how meditation can literally change the brain and help it heal itself. Just like a whole food, plant based diet can reverse physical illness.


I've got a couple of his books and have read a lot of the research he has done, especially his work on reversing heart disease and prostate cancer, I don't find his books as readable as some of the other plant based doctors (might be all the love and support stuff he goes on about) but he is definitely inspiring and I'm looking forward to hearing about their research into dementia.

https://www.ornish.com/

https://www.ornish.com/proven-program/the-research/

For more than 35 years, Dean Ornish, MD and his colleagues at the non-profit Preventive Medicine Research Institute (PMRI), have conducted a series of research studies showing that changes in diet and lifestyle can make a powerful difference in our health and well-being, how quickly these changes may occur, and how dynamic these mechanisms can be.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Enchilada Casserole - adapted from recipe on Straight up Food



1 onion
I red pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 can tomatoes
1 can red kidney beans (chilli ones if poss)
1 courgette
100 g sweetcorn
large handful mushrooms
chilli powder to taste (I use 2 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons oregano
4 corn tortillas

Fry onion, garlic, red pepper, mushrooms and courgette until softened, add chilli powder and oregano for a few more minutes. Add tin tomatoes & beans and sweetcorn. Leave to cook down further while you cut the tortillas into small squares. Mix half into the mixture, keep other half back. Put mixture in casserole dish, cover with foil and bake for 30 mins at 200 c. Then add the other two tortillas and leave uncovered in oven until browned.

Alternative which we prefer is to only use the 2 tortillas in the mixture and add rings of thinly sliced potato to the top. Serve with greens or salad.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Thanks to @LinznMilly for posting this video on another thread - its only about 15 mins long and is so interesting although I have to admit to skipping the 2 min section in the middle with the warning about distressing images.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@LinznMilly I've just order Melanie Joy's book "Why we love dogs, eat pigs and wear cows" from Amazon.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lean finely textured beef?? Is this food or pink slime?

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...192763785&ct=t(Newsletter_June_30th6_30_2017)


----------



## Elles

Does it matter? It's processed animal. Why people would be bothered about a specific processed animal being in their food and not one from another process beats me. 

Obviously the pink stuff going into a cardboard box can't be it. The picture breaks so many food processing laws it's unbelievable. It's not food and it's not a food processing factory in America. If it were, it wouldn't matter what it was it would be shut down. Tbh it looks more like strawberry ice cream and it's not that either lol.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Elles said:


> Does it matter? It's processed animal. Why people would be bothered about a specific processed animal being in their food and not one from another process beats me.
> 
> Obviously the pink stuff going into a cardboard box can't be it. The picture breaks so many food processing laws it's unbelievable. It's not food and it's not a food processing factory in America. If it were, it wouldn't matter what it was it would be shut down. Tbh it looks more like strawberry ice cream and it's not that either lol.


Doesn't matter to us because we don't eat meat but might matter to people who buy ready meals thinking the beef is well beef, rather than that and yes it is the pink stuff going into the cardboard box. Shudders.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

This is a couple of minutes of the original ABC news report showing the process and how the "product" is then sold on to be used in fast foods and packaged foods etc


----------



## Elles

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Doesn't matter to us because we don't eat meat but might matter to people who buy ready meals thinking the beef is well beef, rather than that and yes it is the pink stuff going into the cardboard box. Shudders.


It's not though. Not at the factory where they process this stuff. It breaks too many food laws, it was a con. Even more of a con than the product itself. Even if the stuff did look exactly like that, what's the problem?

It is meat, it's just the little bits of meat that are stuck to the fat when they take the fat off. I can see nothing wrong, or different about what the reporters are turning their nose up at. If you eat processed meat, there's nothing different about eating this particular processed meat. Scaremongering at it's finest. Funny how going 'omg pink slime' puts millions of people off, but video showing animals murdered, how we're conditioned into eating them and how much better we and the planet would be if we stopped eating animals just gets switched off.

As a none meat eater of course I find the whole thing gross, but this is no more gross than anything else. Sorry. Maybe promoting any kind of meat eating as gross is the way forward though.


----------



## Calvine

rottiepointerhouse said:


> do wish doctors would get their nutritional facts straight


I think, generally speaking, that GP's don't know much at all about nutrition. My son was skinny when he was small, despite eating well (he's 6'5'' now). I remember a woman GP ranting on at me and asking what he had had that day for breakfast. I told her he had sliced cheese on dry toast as he hated butter (and still does), a banana and some orange juice. I then had to sit and listen to her as she told me 'I MUST give him butter as there was so much goodness in it'. A few years later we were all being told to avoid butter like the plague and use one of the substitutes. Not many of the vets I've met have concerned themselves too much with nutrition either.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> This is a couple of minutes of the original ABC news report showing the process and how the "product" is then sold on to be used in fast foods and packaged foods etc


The processing plant featured here sued ABC over this report and if I remember right, won. I'll have to look it up, but the power of the meat and dairy industry, especially in this country is, to put it mildly, significant.


----------



## Elles

ouesi said:


> The processing plant featured here sued ABC over this report and if I remember right, won. I'll have to look it up, but the power of the meat and dairy industry, especially in this country is, to put it mildly, significant.


That was @rottiepointerhouse first post on the subject, so you don't have to look further than this thread.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> The processing plant featured here sued ABC over this report and if I remember right, won. I'll have to look it up, but the power of the meat and dairy industry, especially in this country is, to put it mildly, significant.


Seems it was an out of court agreement so unlikely we will get to hear the sum - doesn't it come under some draconian US law about not being able to do anything that might financially harm the meat/dairy industry so undercover videos from intensive farms etc not allowed?? I might have got that wrong but thought I had read it somewhere.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Calvine said:


> I think, generally speaking, that GP's don't know much at all about nutrition. My son was skinny when he was small, despite eating well (he's 6'5'' now). I remember a woman GP ranting on at me and asking what he had had that day for breakfast. I told her he had sliced cheese on dry toast as he hated butter (and still does), a banana and some orange juice. I then had to sit and listen to her as she told me 'I MUST give him butter as there was so much goodness in it'. A few years later we were all being told to avoid butter like the plague and use one of the substitutes. Not many of the vets I've met have concerned themselves too much with nutrition either.


You are right and its not just GP's, the amount of nutrition training doctors get is pathetic and very little of that is focused on actual food and what foods are beneficial/harmful, same goes for charities who are supposed to be helping people with heart disease or diabetes or cancer, many of them promote the very foods (such as processed meat - a grade 1 carcinogen as defined by the world health organisation) they should be telling people to avoid.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Elles said:


> It's not though. Not at the factory where they process this stuff. It breaks too many food laws, it was a con. Even more of a con than the product itself. Even if the stuff did look exactly like that, what's the problem?
> 
> It is meat, it's just the little bits of meat that are stuck to the fat when they take the fat off. I can see nothing wrong, or different about what the reporters are turning their nose up at. If you eat processed meat, there's nothing different about eating this particular processed meat. Scaremongering at it's finest. Funny how going 'omg pink slime' puts millions of people off, but video showing animals murdered, how we're conditioned into eating them and how much better we and the planet would be if we stopped eating animals just gets switched off.
> 
> As a none meat eater of course I find the whole thing gross, but this is no more gross than anything else. Sorry. Maybe promoting any kind of meat eating as gross is the way forward though.


Can you show me a link please so I can notify Plant Based News if its a con? I would say the problem is a lot of people who eat burgers/processed meat or meat in packet meals would not have any idea that sludge is what they are eating - its not just the fat from what I can gather its some of the scrag ends that would normally go into pet food. Would people really be so happy to feed these products to their kids if they understood the process its gone through?


----------



## Elles

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Can you show me a link please so I can notify Plant Based News if its a con? I would say the problem is a lot of people who eat burgers/processed meat or meat in packet meals would not have any idea that sludge is what they are eating - its not just the fat from what I can gather its some of the scrag ends that would normally go into pet food. Would people really be so happy to feed these products to their kids if they understood the process its gone through?


No need. The article doesn't mention the picture and it's the picture that was a con.

People have known for years about some of the rubbish that goes into processed food.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Elles said:


> No need. The article doesn't mention the picture and it's the picture that was a con.
> 
> People have known for years about some of the rubbish that goes into processed food.


Yes but how do you know the picture was a con? If it is I'd like to tell them so they don't carry on using it?


----------



## Elles

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Yes but how do you know the picture was a con? If it is I'd like to tell them so they don't carry on using it?


It's all over the net. They don't know where it originated, just that it's not the factory. They can carry on using it, the picture contributed to the story and the whole controversy. Why shouldn't they use it?

http://time.com/5978/one-year-later-the-makers-of-pink-slime-are-hanging-on-and-fighting-back/


----------



## Guest

Elles said:


> That was @rottiepointerhouse first post on the subject, so you don't have to look further than this thread.


Honestly, just reading about meat processing kind of grosses me out, so I didn't click on the link. 
I don't think of myself as one of those vegetarians who gets grossed out by meat, but I have to admit, a lot about meat does indeed gross me out. Anything being squeezed through a tube like in making sausages and in all the pink slime footage I've seen totally turns my stomach!

In other news, I'm still trying to find a decent cheese replacement and failing miserably, so today I'm experimenting with a vegetarian lasagna that still has real cheese, but much less of it. I used half as much ricotta as usual, and used shredded zucchini to make up for the rest. I did find a good nut-based mozzarella replacement so that's on the top. It's still in the oven so jury is still out. Smells good though!


----------



## Guest

This is something that has been fascinating to me ever since I heard about it. There is a type of tick who's bite can trigger a meat allergy. Any mammal meat. Not chicken or fish, just mammals.

This is one story on it, but there's info all over the net. For real, not a hoax!
http://globalnews.ca/news/3556940/l...ed-meat-allergies-are-on-their-way-to-canada/
"It isn't quite clear why the Lone Star tick's bite sparks meat allergies in some people but enough case reports have surfaced to know it's a common outcome.

A sugar in the Lone Star tick's saliva triggers an immune response reprogram in humans. That shift triggers an allergy to all types of red meat, such as beef, lamb and pork.

Chicken, turkey and fish are OK, though, according to Jason Tetro, a Canadian microbiologist and bestselling author."


----------



## Guest

Lasagna was a huge hit! Yay. Everyone loved it, both teenagers had two helpings, and the two who say they don't like zucchini (courgette) don't believe I put two in there LOL. Granted I've been hiding zucchini in dishes forever ha ha :Happy

The only animal product in it was the ricotta, really wish I could figure out a suitable replacement. Even though our ricotta is local and from a small dairy, I'd rather not include it at all.... Wonder if they would notice if I slowly wean out the ricotta and replace it with zucchini :Angelic


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Lasagna was a huge hit! Yay. Everyone loved it, both teenagers had two helpings, and the two who say they don't like zucchini (courgette) don't believe I put two in there LOL. Granted I've been hiding zucchini in dishes forever ha ha :Happy
> 
> The only animal product in it was the ricotta, really wish I could figure out a suitable replacement. Even though our ricotta is local and from a small dairy, I'd rather not include it at all.... Wonder if they would notice if I slowly wean out the ricotta and replace it with zucchini :Angelic


Glad it was a hit. Not sure if you noticed this when I posted it for you a few pages back but just in case you missed it here it as again 

http://www.straightupfood.com/blog/2017/05/09/lasagna/


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Glad it was a hit. Not sure if you noticed this when I posted it for you a few pages back but just in case you missed it here it as again
> 
> http://www.straightupfood.com/blog/2017/05/09/lasagna/


I've tried the tofu version of ricotta and it did not go well  But most of my crew are not tofu fans 

I might be able to get away with totally replacing the ricotta with zucchini, we'll see. I mix in a lot of veggies in the ricotta layer, I'll see what I can play with and figure out


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I'm currently reading this book and can highly recommend it so far

http://proteinaholic.com/

*About the author*

Dr. Garth Davis is the medical director of the Davis Clinic at the Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, and starred on the hit TLC show _Big Medicine_.

In addition to _Proteinaholic_, Dr. Davis is author of _The Expert's Guide to Weight Loss Surgery_. Dr. Davis graduated from the UT in Austin where he was the Student Government President. Dr. Davis completed his surgical residency at the prestigious University of Michigan. While there, Dr. Davis underwent extensive training in general surgical disciplines, specializing in laparoscopic procedures.

Dr. Davis has been named a Texas Monthly "Super Doc" several times, most recently in 2015. Dr. Davis is a recognized expert in initial bariatric procedures as well as revisional bariatric surgery, and frequently lectures on the importance of a plant-based diet. He is dedicated to helping people discovern the foods and adopt the behaviors that can lead to a healthy and happy life.

Now that he's totally recovered Proteinaholic, Dr. Davis competes in marathons and Ironman triathlons. He lives in Houston with his family, a shy cat, and an absurdly large dog.

*What's in the Book*
• Protein is not the key to weight loss - it is actually one of the biggest factors behind the obesity epidemic.

• Animal protein is not the healthiest food we can eat - it is strongly associated with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and cancer.

• Carbs are not the enemy - they are a source of energy, and are staples in the diets of the longest-living peoples in the world.

Dr. Davis's conclusions are supported by numerous scientific studies over many years in multiple countries: meat-not carbs, and not even sugar-provokes a state of inflammation; an immune system response that, when it becomes chronic, underlies virtually every one of our chronic disorders, including heart disease and diabetes.

Consuming animal protein is also linked to weight gain, and even issues related to fatigue and brain fog.

Dr. Davis distills these findings into a straightforward, plant-based solution that combines what we know about our own biology, the evidence from our world's healthiest cultures, and an insider's knowledge of the health media and its flawed messaging.

A two-week plan will get you started with a diet composed of fresh, whole fruits and vegetables, along with nuts, seeds, beans, and grains.

You'll understand the scientific debates over the effects of animal protein and finally know how to interpret the findings of endless contradictory studies and confusing headlines in the news.

You'll feel confident in knowing how to make the healthiest decisions for yourself and enjoy the extraordinary relief of being able to come to your own conclusions.

Even if you're a certified "proteinaholic," Dr. Davis will make recovery a clear, simple process that will change your life forever.

This is a free chapter from the book if anyone is interested

http://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/4/7/c/47c...98996738&hwt=230e2da05faa0f02a01d96bfe2bd506f

Book cost £9.99 from Amazon


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> • Carbs are not the enemy - they are a source of energy, and are staples in the diets of the longest-living peoples in the world.


This!!!
Being a vegetarian in the age of Atkins, Paleo, and the rest of the low carb craze, it drives me crazy how judge-y people can be about my plate being loaded up with carbs. 
Yes, I eat carbs. No, I'm not afraid of them LOL!

And I've been saying the civilization thing for years. All great civilizations were founded on some sort of carbohydrate. Rice in Asia, grains in Europe, corn in Central America, potato in South America... Carbohydrates are the foundation and there is nothing wrong with them being the foundation of your diet either.

I mean, yes, there is a danger of a vegetarian just becoming "carboterian" if you don't naturally default to including lots of veggies and fruits in your diet, but at the same time, no one can survive on fruits and veggies alone. I have two teenagers, they need carbs. They need meals based on good carbs. As long as it's not all highly processed junk. Nothing wrong with rice, whole grains, potatoes (holy cow we go through a lot of potatoes) and even breads and pasta.


----------



## Royoyo

Welp I don't think I can ever eat sushi again after this thread :Arghh:Arghh:Arghh:Arghh


----------



## ebonycat

Morning everyone, so I eat a mainly vegetarian/vegan diet and I've got loads of cook books but I'm looking for a good plant based cook/diet book.

I'm looking for them on amazon & ive found the 'forks over knives plan, whole food plant-based diet' does anyone have this book? Is it any good? Helpful? Are the recipes easy to follow.

Any suggestions from you guys especially @rottiepointerhouse would be great, thank you x


----------



## Jonescat

I like Veganomicon, Appetite for Reduction and Vegan Brunch by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero, and the Post Punk Kitchen blog
http://www.theppk.com/recipes/

And I have just got Peace and Parsnips after my sister met the author, ate his food and raved about it


----------



## JenKyzer

StormyThai said:


> *Sweet potatoe chilli
> *
> 2 medium sweet potatoes (500g)
> 1 level teaspoon cayenne pepper
> 1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
> 1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon
> 1 onion
> 1 red pepper
> 1 yellow pepper
> 2 cloves of garlic
> 1 bunch of fresh coriander
> 1 fresh red chilli
> 1 fresh green chilli
> 2 x 400 g tinned beans, such as kidney, chickpea, pinto, cannellini
> 2 x 400 g tins of quality plum tomatoes
> Olive oil to taste
> 
> Chop everything and they throw in the slow cooker on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.


Currently have this in the slow cooker thanks to this  sounds amazing


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ebonycat said:


> Morning everyone, so I eat a mainly vegetarian/vegan diet and I've got loads of cook books but I'm looking for a good plant based cook/diet book.
> 
> I'm looking for them on amazon & ive found the 'forks over knives plan, whole food plant-based diet' does anyone have this book? Is it any good? Helpful? Are the recipes easy to follow.
> 
> Any suggestions from you guys especially @rottiepointerhouse would be great, thank you x


I've got the Forks over Knives plan which is a good all round book - more of a plan for how to change over to being plant based, they do it over 4 weeks, week one changing breakfasts, week 2 lunches, week 3 dinners and week 4 snacks. It contains lot of useful information about health and nutrition with some recipes at the back. There is also a Forks over Knives recipe book but I haven't really tried anything from it as firstly there are few photos which I hate in a cook book and secondly a lot of the ingredients are not common over here so you have to try to find alternatives, I seem to remember they use apple sauce a lot  Their website has lots of recipes though

https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/#gs.ippzC3E

The main books I use are

The New Vegan by Aine Carlin and Keep it Vegan by the same author. However they are more traditional vegan books rather than plant based so I just adapt the recipes to use less oil and sweetners etc. I also like Easy Vegan by Sue Quinn and the Viva cookbook available directly from Viva.

My absolute favourite though is Eat to Live quick & easy by Joel Fuhrman - I've made quite a few of his recipes and they have all been lovely. All are available on Amazon although not sure if the Viva one is.

I will also pm you a downloaded version of a book - if anyone else wants it let me know.


----------



## Jonescat

I made this last night - http://thevegan8.com/2013/12/28/vegan-garlic-alfredo-sauce/
Pasta /Vegan garlic Alfredo sauce made with stock, nutritional yeast, boiled onion and garlic and cashews and a big garden salad. It was ok but the others who ate it thought it was a bit bland. (that could have been me undersalting it). GIventhe low fat, I think I will make it again but fiddle with it a bit - herbs and pepper I think


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

*Type 2 Diabetes, Angina, Exhaustion, and 50 Pounds Gone in 18 Months*

https://www.forksoverknives.com/typ...Email&utm_term=Patricia-Slimbarski#gs.vgsPnI8


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Jonescat said:


> I made this last night - http://thevegan8.com/2013/12/28/vegan-garlic-alfredo-sauce/
> Pasta /Vegan garlic Alfredo sauce made with stock, nutritional yeast, boiled onion and garlic and cashews and a big garden salad. It was ok but the others who ate it thought it was a bit bland. (that could have been me undersalting it). GIventhe low fat, I think I will make it again but fiddle with it a bit - herbs and pepper I think


That looks yummy, might give that a go.


----------



## ebonycat

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I've got the Forks over Knives plan which is a good all round book - more of a plan for how to change over to being plant based, they do it over 4 weeks, week one changing breakfasts, week 2 lunches, week 3 dinners and week 4 snacks. It contains lot of useful information about health and nutrition with some recipes at the back. There is also a Forks over Knives recipe book but I haven't really tried anything from it as firstly there are few photos which I hate in a cook book and secondly a lot of the ingredients are not common over here so you have to try to find alternatives, I seem to remember they use apple sauce a lot  Their website has lots of recipes though
> 
> https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/#gs.ippzC3E
> 
> The main books I use are
> 
> The New Vegan by Aine Carlin and Keep it Vegan by the same author. However they are more traditional vegan books rather than plant based so I just adapt the recipes to use less oil and sweetners etc. I also like Easy Vegan by Sue Quinn and the Viva cookbook available directly from Viva.
> 
> My absolute favourite though is Eat to Live quick & easy by Joel Fuhrman - I've made quite a few of his recipes and they have all been lovely. All are available on Amazon although not sure if the Viva one is.
> 
> I will also pm you a downloaded version of a book - if anyone else wants it let me know.


Thank you

I've got the viva cookbook & a couple of other vegan cookbooks (one of which is American & you're right they do use a lot of apple sauce in their recipes).
And a Linda McCartney vegetarian cookbook that I've had for over 20years(it's been well used)

Going to order the two Aine Carlin books you mentioned, I did see them on amazon the other day when I was looking for a new cookbook & I put them in my wish list


----------



## Phoenix Rising

rottiepointerhouse said:


> These are my regulars - always got a stock of them in the freezer
> 
> 
> 
> The two on the left are blueberry oatbran and the rest are banana oatmeal. The banana ones are so quick and easy and great for taking on dog walks or with a coffee. Just mash 3 ripe bananas in a bowl add 100 g (or 1 cup) of oats and mix. I do add a couple of tablespoons of ground flax and a teaspoon of cinnamon to mine but not necessary, they are fine with just the two ingredients. Divide mixture into 8 and bake at 180 for 20 - 25 mins, flip over and give another 5 mins to prevent a soggy bottom


Ahh Found it!! I'm gonna have a go at these now I've got some banana's in! .. I've got some frozen mixed fruit too (blackberries,raspberry's, blueberries etc) if I wanted to do same would I leave some fruit out to defrost first then just add the oats and make them the same?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Phoenix Rising said:


> Ahh Found it!! I'm gonna have a go at these now I've got some banana's in! .. I've got some frozen mixed fruit too (blackberries,raspberry's, blueberries etc) if I wanted to do same would I leave some fruit out to defrost first then just add the oats and make them the same?


Just experiment and see what you like - I would try the banana and oat first time (bananas need to be quite ripe) then perhaps add some other fruit like berries the next time and see how it comes out - the bananas give them a bit of sweetness whereas berries tend to be quite sharp.


----------



## Phoenix Rising

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Just experiment and see what you like - I would try the banana and oat first time (bananas need to be quite ripe) then perhaps add some other fruit like berries the next time and see how it comes out - the bananas give them a bit of sweetness whereas berries tend to be quite sharp.


ok. I wasn;t sure if they would hold together the same with berries as the banana's and oats would, so wasn't sure if anything else was needed to get them to stick together? ..otherwise end up with a pile of oats with some berries in, rather than a 'health type bar' snack?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Phoenix Rising said:


> ok. I wasn;t sure if they would hold together the same with berries as the banana's and oats would, so wasn't sure if anything else was needed to get them to stick together? ..otherwise end up with a pile of oats with some berries in, rather than a 'health type bar' snack?


Yes the banana holds it together so I wouldn't leave it out - just add some berries in if you want to.


----------



## Phoenix Rising

We need a 'Thanks' button on here or something! While I'm here.... I found a 'mince' substitute I like (beanfeast bolognaise) if I was going to fill it out with lentils which type would I need? .. do I need to cook them seperately as only need to add boiling water to the Beanfeast bolognaise to rehydrate it or could I just pour in some dry lentils to the dry mix then add boiling water over them both for them to 'rehydrate'?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Phoenix Rising said:


> We need a 'Thanks' button on here or something! While I'm here.... I found a 'mince' substitute I like (beanfeast bolognaise) if I was going to fill it out with lentils which type would I need? .. do I need to cook them seperately as only need to add boiling water to the Beanfeast bolognaise to rehydrate it or could I just pour in some dry lentils to the dry mix then add boiling water over them both for them to 'rehydrate'?


I would use puy lentils as they are quite similar to mince so blend nicely with a meat substitute - you buy them in a pouch and just add them straight to what you are cooking. You can get brown lentils which are quite small - you need to cook them before adding them to the mince - the packet will have instructions - don't cook for quite as long as they say if you will be adding to a mix that will cook again for longer or they will disappear. I like green lentils myself which I don't precook if adding to something that will be cooking in the oven or on the hob for a while but would precook otherwise.


----------



## StormyThai

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Latest offering - from Viva "Everyone's Going Dairy Free" - Creamy Leek & Mushroom Pasta
> 
> 
> 
> 3 leeks sliced into rounds
> 2 cloves garlic
> 225 g mushrooms sliced
> 1 tsp dried oregano
> Half tsp chilli flakes (optional)
> Vegan cream cheese (I use Violife - about a quarter of a tub)
> Wholewheat Spaghetti
> Fresh parsley to garnish
> 
> Saute the leeks and garlic for 5 mins until beginning to soften, add the mushrooms and oregano/chilli flakes and cook for another 5 mins. Add the cream cheese and let it melt and stir to coat everything. Serve over the cooked spaghetti and garnish with the parsley.
> 
> It is delicious - tastes so good considering few ingredients and very quick to make. I've added some tofu that needed using up but no need to.


I made this last night.
So, so easy to make and delicious too


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

StormyThai said:


> I made this last night.
> So, so easy to make and delicious too


Oh good I'm so pleased - its one of our favourites


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Chickpea burgers and spicy potato wedges



The chickpea burgers are from Dr Joel Fuhrman's Eat to Live book and the Spicy Wedges are from brand new vegan blog (link below)

*Chickpea burgers* - blitz 1 can of drained chickpeas or mash them with a potato masher, put in a large bowl and add half a red onion finely chopped, half (or a third if its a big one) a grated courgette, 100 g of oats, 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons of tomato ketchup, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon garlic powder and a pinch of black pepper. Mix it all together and divide into 6 patties. Bake in oven for 30 mins (180) turning half way through. I usually serve with a pile of lightly cooked mushrooms on top. You could serve in a bun with salad too. They freeze well so I keep a batch in the freezer for those nights when I don't have time to cook.

*Spicy Potato wedges * 4 potatoes washed and cut into wedges (I prefer the red skinned variety) - par boil for 5 mins. Mix together in a bowl 1 tablespoon of flour, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon paprika and half teaspoon of chilli powder. When the potatoes have had their 5 mins, drain then put back in the saucepan with the lid on and give them a good shake, add the powder and shake again then bake in the over for about 30 mins - turn them half way through. They are as good as any I've bought from a shop 

The blog has some great recipes so have a look

http://www.brandnewvegan.com/


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## rottiepointerhouse

Does anyone know what to use for a recipe that says a 6 oz can of tomato paste? We don't seem to have that over here. I thought of passata but that would be too runny and tomato puree doesn't seem right? Its to make a Marinara sauce for a pasta dish.


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## StormyThai

Apparently it's the same as double concentrate tom puree.
If that's not right then maybe make your own?


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## Elles

@rottiepointerhouse you might be pleased to hear that my optician recommended that I eat more veggies, particularly kale, for my eyesight. :Wideyed Good to prevent macular degeneration. I don't think I've ever eaten kale. What do you do with it?


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## rottiepointerhouse

Elles said:


> @rottiepointerhouse you might be pleased to hear that my optician recommended that I eat more veggies, particularly kale, for my eyesight. :Wideyed Good to prevent macular degeneration. I don't think I've ever eaten kale. What do you do with it?


I love curly kale, I just steam it and serve it with balsamic vinegar. From what I've read its all cruciferous veggies that help prevent macular degeneration so broccoli and spinach, watercress and rocket are all good as well as the orange and yellow veggies that contain carotenoids. I am very pleased to hear your optician is actually recommending good nutrition - it makes a nice change to hear that


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## grumpy goby

We are back into meat free weekdays, luckily a wholefoods place just round the corner to buy loose beans/lentils (around £3 for 1kg of whatever...) so we stocked up on green/red/brown/puy lentils and various different beans and split peas/chickpeas, we already have a healthy spices stock from the Indian supermarket...

So the plan is bean chillis, lentil or chickpea curries with home made flat breads, vege curries like potato and aubergine, saag or paneer. Veg casseroles, mushroom, lentil and garlic burgers. Soups etc etc. Looking forward to doing it again


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## StormyThai

Elles said:


> @rottiepointerhouse you might be pleased to hear that my optician recommended that I eat more veggies, particularly kale, for my eyesight. :Wideyed Good to prevent macular degeneration. I don't think I've ever eaten kale. What do you do with it?


I have a veg bake recipe that uses kale. I'll dig it out in a bit


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## rottiepointerhouse

KatieandOliver said:


> Kale Wrap
> From a recipe book by Kathy somebody (adapted)
> 
> Wholemeal wrap
> Some kale
> A bit of avocado
> Some hummus
> Grated carrot
> Cucumber
> Chopped apple
> Lemon juice
> Maple syrup
> 
> Wash the kale and chop off the stalky bits. Place in a bowl with the cucumber, chopped apple and Grated carrot. You could add other nice things here.
> Mix a small amount of lemon juice with a very small amount of maple syrup. Pour into bowl and toss.
> Spread the wrap with hummus. If you like, mash the avocado and mix it with the hummus; or just spread it out over the wrap. Add as much of the kale mixture as you can. Yummy.


There is this recipe that @KatieandOliver gave us a few pages back as well


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## StormyThai

*Veg bake - serves 4
*
4 to 5 potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 shallots, finely chopped
50g butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 (200g) bag curly kale
1 leek, sliced into rings
1/2 (300g) bag trimmed green beans
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

For the sauce:
15g butter
1 tablespoon plain flour
250ml milk
200g cheese, grated

Preheat oven for 180 C / Gas mark 4.
Place half of the potatoes in a large baking dish. Sprinkle the chopped shallots over the top, along with knobs of butter. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the curly kale, leek, green beans and cauliflower.
To make the cheese sauce, heat the butter over medium heat in a frying pan. Add the flour and stir with the butter to combine well. Slowly add the milk to the pan, stirring constantly to ensure a smooth mixture. Reduce heat to low and add half of the cheese. Stir until cheese has melted, remove from heat and pour 3/4 of the mixture over the vegetables.
Layer the remaining potatoes on top of the cheese sauce and vegetables. Cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, or until vegetables are tender and cheese is crisp.

It's a rare treat thing for me but it contains kale


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## Team_Trouble

Over the summer I have decided to make learning more recipes a project  so I'm looking forward to trying out loads of these.


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## rottiepointerhouse

StormyThai said:


> *Veg bake - serves 4
> *
> 4 to 5 potatoes, peeled and sliced
> 2 shallots, finely chopped
> 50g butter
> Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
> 1/2 (200g) bag curly kale
> 1 leek, sliced into rings
> 1/2 (300g) bag trimmed green beans
> 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
> 
> For the sauce:
> 15g butter
> 1 tablespoon plain flour
> 250ml milk
> 200g cheese, grated
> 
> Preheat oven for 180 C / Gas mark 4.
> Place half of the potatoes in a large baking dish. Sprinkle the chopped shallots over the top, along with knobs of butter. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the curly kale, leek, green beans and cauliflower.
> To make the cheese sauce, heat the butter over medium heat in a frying pan. Add the flour and stir with the butter to combine well. Slowly add the milk to the pan, stirring constantly to ensure a smooth mixture. Reduce heat to low and add half of the cheese. Stir until cheese has melted, remove from heat and pour 3/4 of the mixture over the vegetables.
> Layer the remaining potatoes on top of the cheese sauce and vegetables. Cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, or until vegetables are tender and cheese is crisp.
> 
> It's a rare treat thing for me but it contains kale


You could always use a vegan cheese and milk


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## rottiepointerhouse

Next Saturday is apparently National Mango Day - I hardly ever eat them so have resolved to try to include them in my diet

http://ucdintegrativemedicine.com/2...4d635fb46fdc1331fb30840bd657b16794#gs.8NLc7co

*Heath Benefits of Mangos*

The adage that an apple a day keeps the doctor away could also be applied to mangos.

While a one-cup serving of mangos is a scant 107 calories, it still provides 76 percent of your daily vitamin C and is full of health-promoting micronutrients and fiber.

This includes 25 percent vitamin A (which is great for your eyes) and 12 percent dietary fiber.

Mangos also have zero cholesterol, a negligible amount of sodium, and only 1 percent total fat.

The high antioxidant levels mean that mangos may help to lower blood pressure and cholesterol while protecting against cancer.

And a recipe for Mango fried rice.

http://ucdintegrativemedicine.com/recipes/mango-fried-rice/#gs.QAQ0JUU


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## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...2763785&ct=t(Newsletter_July_16th_newsletter)

According to Venus, who currently holds five Wimbledon titles, she has seen 'a big difference' in her health since adopting a raw plant-based diet.

Her condition - Sjögren's syndrome is a debilitating and incurable autoimmune disease that causes excessive fatigue. She said: "[I eat] a lot of wheat grass shots, lots of fresh juices and things like that. As a professional athlete, if you have fatigue, then that's tough."


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## KCTT

Nice thread. I am pescatarian but always looking for good vegetarian recipes and seen a few already I want to try on here.


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## Jonescat

Can I post cake recipes? I am not especially interested from the point of view of my own health, more the planet, and the individual beings I am not eating, but I am fond of cake and on a bit of a mission to find the best vegan cake recipes out there.


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## Phoenix Rising

I have to say this thread has inspired me! I never used to read food labels unless it was to see if it had nuts in but had no idea what most of the rest of it meant! (ie the preservatives in them) I did my food shop online in my lunch hour today and had searched for vegetarian lasagne.. I looked through ingredients and decided I'd have a go at one myself with the beanfeast bolognaise I've got so just added tinned mixed beans I like and veg, lasagne sheets to go on it. I've never made a lasagne before in my life, so this will be a first for me! ....same with pizza's I'd looked up veggie pizza... looked at prices and ingredients and decided I could do my own healthier ones so instead ordered wholegrain pitta breads to use as individual pizza bases so its a taste of pizza but healthier and less calories! 

Instead of adding the usual richmond sausages and bacon for weekend breakfast I've ordered quorn sausage patties (though have tried them before) nice with an egg in a muffin and the quorn chipolata's are ok with scrambled egg and toast too. I've still got chicken but got a organic whole one and will have a go at making southern fried legs myself instead of the boxed frozen ones with additional preservatives and salt etc in them. I didn't get anything with white bread such as cakes, though a box of Cadbury's Heroes on special offer did find its way into my basket!  Think it's healthiest shop I've ever done! (if you don't include the chocs!)

I don't think I'll be giving up my xmas turkey just yet but I'm definitely eating healthier and exploring more options 5 out of 7 meals for the next few weeks are meat free. The meat I do buy I'm now looking more for where it's produced, whether it's free range or organic.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Jonescat said:


> Can I post cake recipes? I am not especially interested from the point of view of my own health, more the planet, and the individual beings I am not eating, but I am fond of cake and on a bit of a mission to find the best vegan cake recipes out there.


Of course you can, you can post whatever you like


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## Jonescat

Thankyou 
Our gooseberries were very good this year so I have been searching out gooseberry cake recipes. This one is very simple but yummy. Our berries are red so the batter is pink, and it can be divvied up in to muffin sizes too.

half a cup of rape seed oil (or other oil of your choice)
one and a half cups gooseberries unsweetened and stewed
one and a half cups sugar - you can use less if your berries are very ripe 
8 oz plain flour
one and a half teaspoons of baking powder
two level teaspoons spice - I use mace or allspice or cardamom
pinch of salt if you wish

Mix the dry ingredients. Blend the oil and sugar. Add the gooseberries to the oil, and then mix the wet and dry ingredients together. Bake in an 8 inch tin at gas mark 4/350 F/180 C for 50 - 60 mins, or more, until the sides stands away from the tin.

I am going to try it with plums later in the year too, and I guess you can substitute other berries - just remember you need something acid to get the rise.


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## catz4m8z

Jonescat said:


> Can I post cake recipes? I am not especially interested from the point of view of my own health, more the planet, and the individual beings I am not eating, but I am fond of cake and on a bit of a mission to find the best vegan cake recipes out there.


the world def needs more cake! i keep meaning to try out my favourite courgette cake recipe as a vegan option...just trying to work out what to substitute the eggs with.



Phoenix Rising said:


> I don't think I'll be giving up my xmas turkey just yet but I'm definitely eating healthier and exploring more options.


I thought that too. My original plan at the beginning of the year was to go veggie but treat myself to meat at xmas. But TBH last xmas I really didnt enjoy the meat all that much, all stringy, gristly and usually much smaller when it was cooked.
So was veggie for the first 3 mths of the year and then tried vegan. I still havent really missed anything but I suspect that Im one of those people who does better on a more prehistoric diet anyways (lots fruit, veg, nuts, seeds and grains, for example).


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## FatherOfFlo

Lexiedhb said:


> I'm not even close to being a veggie but........... Do like a good salad, and have some veggie friends so can share some recipes..... although im not very good with exact amounts.
> 
> Love a roasted balsamic beetroot, feta (I know I know), and Quinoa salad with a mint vinaigrette
> 
> and I'll make these for the veggies if I BBQ
> 
> Herby  or spicy bean burgers
> 
> can chickpeas
> can kidney beans
> roasted sweet potato
> bread crumbs
> Chopped onion
> chopped yellow pepper
> Crushed garlic clove
> Salt and pepper
> then either
> A whole load of herbs to your taste - I like oregano and thyme - fresh
> or Fresh chilli, pinch cumin, and paprika
> 
> Squish all ingredients together, form patties, and chill before BBQ ing


Can you give quantities for all the ingredients? or is it all equal parts?


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## Lexiedhb

FatherOfFlo said:


> Can you give quantities for all the ingredients? or is it all equal parts?


Like I said I'm not very good with exact amounts as I'd do it by eye, but I'd go with 1 onion, half a pepper, half a large sweet potato, enough bread crumbs to bind it enough to handle...... 
For the salad yeah pretty much equal beetroot and feta and probably double quinoa.


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## Jonescat

My second gooseberry cake - much more of a production, and not for everyday but oh so gorgeous. It is a long recipe - worth reading through a couple of times and sticking to it because she does know what she is doing - serves about 12 and needs careful cutting because of the almond brittle on top. The custard does taste of coconut, so if you don't like that maybe sub the coconut oil, and I used an 8 inch tin.

http://www.seitanismymotor.com/2016/08/vegan-bienenstich/


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## catz4m8z

God, that cake looks nice!rool

I could do with some inspiration for veggie options. I dont really want recipes as such coz sometimes you just have a fridge full of various veg and need a tasty way to smoosh it all together into a meal! 
I mean once I've done curry and pasta sauce I tend to run out of ideas.:Bored


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## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> God, that cake looks nice!rool
> 
> I could do with some inspiration for veggie options. I dont really want recipes as such coz sometimes you just have a fridge full of various veg and need a tasty way to smoosh it all together into a meal!
> I mean once I've done curry and pasta sauce I tend to run out of ideas.:Bored


Stir fry. 
Casserole - just add some herbs/onion gravy and a bit of red wine if you have any. 
Cottage pie type thing - chuck in some lentils or beans use mashed potato or sliced like a hot pot on top. 
Big tray of roasted veggies - cube up some potato (sweet if you like it) add some garlic & Rosemary little bit of oil if you use it then chop up whatever you want to use up and roast. 
Veggies & rice with some spices - chuck in some red kidney beans & you have rice & peas.


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## StormyThai

If I have a load of veg left over I just throw it in the slow cooker, add herbs, a bit of stock and a tin of kidney beans or lentils and serve with mash or in a jacket potato


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## Jonescat

Sometimes I make a batch of this and freeze it in portions - the texture seems a lot better after freezing. 
http://veggieconverter.com/whole-food-vegetarian-ground-beef-substitute-recipe/#

Then just use like mince. I dare say it doesn't taste like mince but it tastes good and the texture works really well cooked in a sauce (like chilli or bolognese)*
2 c*ups dry brown rice
2 cups dry green lentils 
2 tablespoons Montreal steak seasoning (recipe on the link)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup vital wheat gluten* 
1 cup rolled oats
*for a gluten-free option, replace wheat gluten with:
1/4 cup diced and sauteed or marinated mushrooms
1/4 cup mashed potatoes

*Method*
Boil rice, lentils and steak seasoning until slightly soft . Drain any excess water, if necessary.Combine with remaining ingredients. Spread into a large pan (13 x 9) and bake at 300F for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to evenly dehydrate mixture.Store in portion-sized freezer bags.


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## rottiepointerhouse

More plant based news - former president Bill Clinton credits plant based diet

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...2763785&ct=t(Newsletter_July_23rd_newsletter)

and Canda's new dietary guidelines advice draft

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...-will-favor-plant_us_5966eb4ce4b07b5e1d96ed5e


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## Team_Trouble

I just got rid of some apple falafel because it went out of date, basically because I didn't know what to eat it with. Does anyone have any ideas? Dairy free please


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## Guest

KatieandOliver said:


> I just got rid of some apple falafel because it went out of date, basically because I didn't know what to eat it with. Does anyone have any ideas? Dairy free please


Apple falafel? Sounds interesting! Or is apple the brand?

This is one recipe for falafel. I shared it on the other thread with the caveat, don't bother with dried garbanzos, just use canned and mash 'em. Also don't bother with flour or baking soda, just mash the beans, add in the spices, sun dried tomatoes or roasted red peppers (or both) and fry it up!

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/my-favorite-falafel-231755

Oh and I kind of flatten out the balls so I don't have to use as much oil to fry them in. In this house falafel is always fried in olive oil, anything else would just be wrong 

My kids like falafel burgers with typical burger toppings - lettuce, tomato, onion, (avocado slices are good too). 
I love tahini and will dip falafel in that and eat it just as is or tucked in to a pita pocket with sprouts, cucumber, and good kalamata olives. 
Traditionally falafel is often eaten with tzatziki sauce, but that's yogurt based, dairy, so not for you  I've seen a couple recipes for vegan tzatziki sauce but have never tried any so not sure if they're any good.


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## Team_Trouble

ouesi said:


> Apple falafel? Sounds interesting! Or is apple the brand?
> 
> This is one recipe for falafel. I shared it on the other thread with the caveat, don't bother with dried garbanzos, just use canned and mash 'em. Also don't bother with flour or baking soda, just mash the beans, add in the spices, sun dried tomatoes or roasted red peppers (or both) and fry it up!
> 
> http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/my-favorite-falafel-231755
> 
> Oh and I kind of flatten out the balls so I don't have to use as much oil to fry them in. In this house falafel is always fried in olive oil, anything else would just be wrong
> 
> My kids like falafel burgers with typical burger toppings - lettuce, tomato, onion, (avocado slices are good too).
> I love tahini and will dip falafel in that and eat it just as is or tucked in to a pita pocket with sprouts, cucumber, and good kalamata olives.
> Traditionally falafel is often eaten with tzatziki sauce, but that's yogurt based, dairy, so not for you  I've seen a couple recipes for vegan tzatziki sauce but have never tried any so not sure if they're any good.


Thanks, I'm sure I could whip up a vegan mint and cucumber yoghurt thing... is that what tzatziki is? Or is that raita? Or are they the same...
I found the falafel very dry, so feel it definitely needs something wet but I'm pretty picky with condiments. 
Yes it was apple flavour!


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## rottiepointerhouse

KatieandOliver said:


> Thanks, I'm sure I could whip up a vegan mint and cucumber yoghurt thing... is that what tzatziki is? Or is that raita? Or are they the same...
> I found the falafel very dry, so feel it definitely needs something wet but I'm pretty picky with condiments.
> Yes it was apple flavour!


Beetroot would be nice with apple - you can get vegan mayonnaise (Holland & Barrett sell it) so you could make some coleslaw with shredded cabbage/carrot/onion or make the mint and cucumber yoghurt thing. I usually have some cous cous with falafels but that can be quite dry too.


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## Team_Trouble

I am very wary of beetroot for some reason, though I will eat beetroot crisps. Is it spicy? What is the texture like?


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## rottiepointerhouse

KatieandOliver said:


> I am very wary of beetroot for some reason, though I will eat beetroot crisps. Is it spicy? What is the texture like?


No it isn't spicy. I don't buy pickled, I get the cooked stuff in a pack which is sold in the fruit & veg dept. Not sure how to describe the texture, I usually cut it into wedges or if using in a sandwich cut in slices. We love it and its very good for you - why not try it and see what you think?


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## Team_Trouble

rottiepointerhouse said:


> No it isn't spicy. I don't buy pickled, I get the cooked stuff in a pack which is sold in the fruit & veg dept. Not sure how to describe the texture, I usually cut it into wedges or if using in a sandwich cut in slices. We love it and its very good for you - why not try it and see what you think?


I treated myself to a salad from wholefoods for lunch, and put a little spiralised beetroot in to try! I'll have to report back when I've had some.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Hope you enjoyed it @KatieandOliver

Recipe for spiced pasties from Sarah Brown's vegetarian kitchen as requested by @Phoenix Rising

I pack of frozen pastry - flaky or shortcrust

50 g of brown lentils
50 g of brown rice
1 onion - finely chopped
2 carrots - finely diced
110 g mushrooms finely chopped
1 teaspoon turmeric
half teaspoon ginger
half teaspoon cumin
Clove garlic - crushed
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 tablespoon oil

In a pan add 2 pints water to the lentils and rice and bring to boil, cover and simmer for 25 mins then drain.

Gently fry the spices in the oil, add the chopped vegetables and garlic, the lentil/rice mixture and tomato puree, mix well and cook for further 15 mins stirring occasionally and adding a little water if necessary to stop it sticking. Remove from heat and leave to cool. When its cold roll out pastry - cut around a small side plate, add 2 - 3 tablespoons of mixture to the centre and fold the sides up to make a pasty. Brush with some milk (non dairy  if you have it) make small hole for steam to escape and bake at 210 c for 20 mins or until browned. If you like spice I would add a bit more as they are not quite spicy enough for us.


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## Rudydog

Made this this weekend. Was a bit mushy (probably cooked it slightly too long) but I served it with crunchy/aldented broccoli. It was delicious and with the broc that 4 of your 5 a day 

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/spinach-sweet-potato-lentil-dhal


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## Phoenix Rising

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Hope you enjoyed it @KatieandOliver
> 
> Recipe for spiced pasties from Sarah Brown's vegetarian kitchen as requested by @Phoenix Rising
> 
> I pack of frozen pastry - flaky or shortcrust
> 
> 50 g of brown lentils
> 50 g of brown rice
> 1 onion - finely chopped
> 2 carrots - finely diced
> 110 g mushrooms finely chopped
> 1 teaspoon turmeric
> half teaspoon ginger
> half teaspoon cumin
> Clove garlic - crushed
> 1 tablespoon tomato puree
> 1 tablespoon oil
> 
> In a pan add 2 pints water to the lentils and rice and bring to boil, cover and simmer for 25 mins then drain.
> 
> Gently fry the spices in the oil, add the chopped vegetables and garlic, the lentil/rice mixture and tomato puree, mix well and cook for further 15 mins stirring occasionally and adding a little water if necessary to stop it sticking. Remove from heat and leave to cool. When its cold roll out pastry - cut around a small side plate, add 2 - 3 tablespoons of mixture to the centre and fold the sides up to make a pasty. Brush with some milk (non dairy  if you have it) make small hole for steam to escape and bake at 210 c for 20 mins or until browned. If you like spice I would add a bit more as they are not quite spicy enough for us.


Thanks I'll add stuff to next shopping list and have a go at this.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Rudydog said:


> Made this this weekend. Was a bit mushy (probably cooked it slightly too long) but I served it with crunchy/aldented broccoli. It was delicious and with the broc that 4 of your 5 a day
> 
> https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/spinach-sweet-potato-lentil-dhal


That looks yummy , I've printed that off to have a try.


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## Team_Trouble

The beetroot was ok, it didn't taste of very much but I only had a small amount of spiralised. I think it's safe to eat though, so I can now add it to things.


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## catz4m8z

KatieandOliver said:


> I just got rid of some apple falafel because it went out of date, basically because I didn't know what to eat it with. Does anyone have any ideas? Dairy free please


Ive been known to just warm in through and chuck it in a sandwich with a load of veggies!

Inspiration from a meat eater today! My mother said she was doing a savoury rice with left over chicken and it sounded nice so today Im having brown rice with tons of veggies chopped up and marinated tofu.
Also was attempting dairy free cakes today. Made banana, coconut and chocolate muffins, strawberry pecan slices and courgette cake. All very tasty and very filling (I tend to use oats in most of my cakes), and now I will have enough cake in my freezer to last quite some time!


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## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> Ive been known to just warm in through and chuck it in a sandwich with a load of veggies!
> 
> Inspiration from a meat eater today! My mother said she was doing a savoury rice with left over chicken and it sounded nice so today Im having brown rice with tons of veggies chopped up and marinated tofu.
> Also was attempting dairy free cakes today. Made banana, coconut and chocolate muffins, strawberry pecan slices and courgette cake. All very tasty and very filling (I tend to use oats in most of my cakes), and now I will have enough cake in my freezer to last quite some time!


Where are the photos?


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## Guest

Had a late lunch/early dinner for our main meal today. 
I made the black bean burgers from here: https://www.buzzfeed.com/melissaboy...e-burgers-asap?utm_term=.mq2nnzd3z#.mv9MMe2Pe though I mostly did my own thing. Put half an onion, tons of garlic, an orange bell pepper, and a handful of fresh spinach in the food processor then sauteed the water out of it then added that to the bean mix. Used just a touch of corn meal, added shredded zuchinni for texture too. Had to cook them longer than the recipe calls for because my added veggies added water, but they came out delicious. I will double the mix next time to have some left over. (There were no leftovers.)

For desert I made giant vegan blueberry muffins. Easiest recipe ever. Flour, baking powder, sugar, and cheap beer  Seriously easy and comes out nice and light. Threw in a pint of lovely fresh blueberries. I used white flour and white sugar (they're mostly for the kids anyway) but you could make them healthier with half white half brown flour (or oats) and agave or maple syrup for sweetness.


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## rottiepointerhouse

They look lovely @ouesi - I've printed those as I've been looking for a black bean burger recipe for ages and fancy the one you made and the portabello one too.


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## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> They look lovely @ouesi - I've printed those as I've been looking for a black bean burger recipe for ages and fancy the one you made and the portabello one too.


Yes, the sweet potato and garbanzo burgers looked interesting too. May try those next.


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## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Where are the photos?


sadly Ive never worked out how to do photos. Probably a good thing though.....most of my cooking attempts tend to look pretty dire, even if they taste nice!
Ive just been surfing Youtube for some ideas (plenty of inspiration on there!). Made me realiese that I should be thinking about adding more beans and lentils to my diet. Then again Ive only been doing it 4mths so any progress is good!


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## grumpy goby

Today has been a good day for food! Avocado on toast for breakfast, (was actually leftover guacamole from a beany chilli on saturday - basically Avocado, coriander, lime, chilli and onion) with the remaining Beany chilli for lunch with some home made tamarillo salsa - and for dinner we have a curry platter; paneer korma, bombay aloo and a daal with flat bread for dinner!

Not vegan, but he also made a carrot and orange cake!! (oranges from our own tree nomnomnom) Last weeks treat was coffee and banana cake! Gotta love a man who cooks haha


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## rottiepointerhouse

Another inspiring story about a lady with heart failure

http://nutritionstudies.org/hospice...d-diet-saved-moms-life-and-inspired-business/


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## Guest

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/...-penne-with-roasted-vegetables-recipe-1916906
Made this for dinner tonight. Roasted veggie pasta bake. Didn't follow this recipe exactly, I roasted the veggies as directed, but omitted the cheese entirely, used brown pasta instead of semolina, and added garlic. Then covered it with aluminium foil in the oven. It was delicious. Everyone had second helpings. 
I was going to make berry cobbler for dessert, I had FOUR pints of beautiful fresh, strawberries. I washed them, turned around, and a certain 14 year old who shall not be named ate half of them. Followed quickly by a certain much older accomplice. Probably just as well though. Not much can beat fresh strawberries just as they are


----------



## StormyThai

I made this for dinner https://holycowvegan.net/lentil-bolognese/
I portioned it up so I can make a Lasagne at a later date.


----------



## Guest

To add to the post above, was looking at nutrition facts for bell peppers 'cause I really do love them in just about anything, cooked, raw, minced up and added to sauces...
Anyway, one entire large bell pepper has a whopping 33 calories, but over 200% of your daily recommended dose of vitamin C, is a great source of vitamin B6, vitamin K, manganese, and a bunch of other good stuff. So for 33 calories you get tons of nutrition and important dietary fiber too. 

Then I looked up zucchini (courgette). One large zucchini is 52 calories, and loaded with B vitamins again, including Riboflavin and Folate, potassium, magnesium, manganese, and again, tons of other good stuff. 

So then I looked up the same calories worth of ground beef. And to make it fair, I looked up grass-fed beef. For 54 calories you get one ounce of raw beef. Not a single one of the vitamins and minerals listed were over single digits for RDA (where with the veggies many of them were in the double or triple digits). 

It really makes no sense for meat to be such a huge part of our diet.


----------



## catz4m8z

ouesi said:


> To add to the post above, was looking at nutrition facts for bell peppers 'cause I really do love them in just about anything, cooked, raw, minced up and added to sauces...
> .


I really wish I liked peppers. They always look so colourful added to dishes, I just cant stand the taste.

Made a nice (and lazy!)pasta sauce the other day though. A tin of mashed butter beans, couple of scoops of vegan garlic and herb cream cheese and some soya milk. 
Today i fancy indian though. Thinking carrot, courgette and lentil dal, bombay potatoes and mini garlic naan bread. I always have tons of spices and 'flavourings' for things, I just need to use up whats left of the rubbery and ancient veg before I buy more!


----------



## Guest

Just had to share this. Not vegan, not plant based, but touted as healthy low carb fare. No, I'm not kidding. All the low carb folks are posting it all over FB sharing recipes.

Seriously folks, this is not healthy eating....

https://lowcarbyum.com/bacon-cheeseburger-casserole/


----------



## grumpy goby

ouesi said:


> Just had to share this. Not vegan, not plant based, but touted as healthy low carb fare. No, I'm not kidding. All the low carb folks are posting it all over FB sharing recipes.
> 
> Seriously folks, this is not healthy eating....
> 
> https://lowcarbyum.com/bacon-cheeseburger-casserole/


God it looks (and sounds) hideous.

I like the way they used a little garnish to try make it look less like a cat threw it up.


----------



## Rudydog

ouesi said:


> Just had to share this. Not vegan, not plant based, but touted as healthy low carb fare. No, I'm not kidding. All the low carb folks are posting it all over FB sharing recipes.
> 
> Seriously folks, this is not healthy eating....
> 
> https://lowcarbyum.com/bacon-cheeseburger-casserole/


Looks vile! (and I eat meat)


----------



## StormyThai

:Spitoutdummy


----------



## catz4m8z

Damn, I feel like I should be grossed out....but instead Im thinking 'that would make awesome Sloppy Joe's!':Hilarious
Also the pedant in me doesnt think you can call it a cheeseburger anything without there being a bun involved.:Shifty


----------



## StormyThai

Not bad for a vegan bolognese.
I put butter beans in this batch because I love them but kidney beans will work too.


----------



## Guest

grumpy goby said:


> God it looks (and sounds) hideous.
> 
> I like the way they used a little garnish to try make it look less like a cat threw it up.





Rudydog said:


> Looks vile! (and I eat meat)


I was wondering if it was just me, but it really does look vile doesn't it?

Just goes to show that adopting a diet is more that just eliminating a food group. Just as eliminating meat doesn't make a diet healthy, eliminating carbs doesn't make a diet healthy either. Certainly there is room to try to cut back on simple carbs, but good grief, copious amounts of meat, cheese and eggs and not a vegetable or fruit in sight can't be good!!


----------



## StormyThai

ouesi said:


> copious amounts of meat, cheese and eggs and not a vegetable or fruit in sight can't be good!!


Acording to my MIL that is a perfect diet 
Meat at every meal (cooked in copious amounts of greese and fat) with chips or microwaved potato and baked beans is her and OH's staple diet and any time I cook for the OH (we live with MIL and she insists on cooking for her baby) she is moaning that it's not a proper meal without meat -sigh-
Oh and her idea of a salad is iceburg lettuce, a couple of slices of tomatoe and then slices of meat from the delli with LOADS of mayonaise 

The OH's health is starting to suffer but trying to get him to realise it is diet at fault is proving very difficult.


----------



## Guest

StormyThai said:


> The OH's health is starting to suffer but trying to get him to realise it is diet at fault is proving very difficult.


It's really hard to watch someone you care about suffer with health issues that minor dietary changes would completely solve. 
One of my friends who shared the recipe of that hamburger disgustingness struggles with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and is on several medications that they keep having to adjust. She's not even in her 40's yet with two young kids! 
She is doing this "low carb" thing because someone else told her it's a good way to lose weight and get her cholesterol down. It's not my place to tell her what she's eating is not healthy, but I try to put my 2cents in about vegetables and all I get back is that vegetables are all carbs and fruits have sugars. It's really heartbreaking because she is clearly willing to try to get healthy, but the people she has decided are the right gurus to listen to aren't helping her at all....


----------



## grumpy goby

ouesi said:


> It's really hard to watch someone you care about suffer with health issues that minor dietary changes would completely solve.
> One of my friends who shared the recipe of that hamburger disgustingness struggles with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and is on several medications that they keep having to adjust. She's not even in her 40's yet with two young kids!
> She is doing this "low carb" thing because someone else told her it's a good way to lose weight and get her cholesterol down. It's not my place to tell her what she's eating is not healthy, but I try to put my 2cents in about vegetables and all I get back is that vegetables are all carbs and fruits have sugars. It's really heartbreaking because she is clearly willing to try to get healthy, but the people she has decided are the right gurus to listen to aren't helping her at all....


We had to have a similar conversation with the brothers MIL who had silly high cholesterol who had started substituting coconut oil for normal oil - based on some internet "studies" and advice from self styled experts. Coconut oil is 90% Saturated fat - the clue is that is solid at room temperature... like butter and lard..

Basically, there are some nice fats and figures people throw out there about the chemical makeup of Coconut oil - but the evidence isnt there to suggest its a good idea for people with a medical condition! Advice is basically, use sparingly.


----------



## Rudydog

ouesi said:


> Just goes to show that adopting a diet is more that just eliminating a food group


Exactly that. Putting the ethics of meat production aside for a moment, having as varied diet a diet as possible is the easiest way to stay healthy I think. I am not suggesting that people should eat meat if they don't want to (fat from it), there are plenty of things which can be eaten instead on meat but too many vegetarians I know rely on the process Quorn stuff instead of eating a variety of things for protein - the options are endless if you try. Nothing wrong with Quorn per say but variety is important I think. Much like it is important to eat different coloured fruit and veg to get the range of vitamins and minerals. Too much of anything is not ideal, not because that one thing is bad for you but because it prevents variety.



ouesi said:


> She is doing this "low carb" thing because someone else told her it's a good way to lose weight and get her cholesterol down


The problem is there is so much misinformation out there.... I have a friend who is a doctor who keeps herself in permanent ketosis (very very low carbs -fruit is a no no and many veggies are out too). Now you can just imagine the kind of dietary advise she might give her patients... we don't talk about diet....

Personally I do not know how anyone can cut carbs out. I'd be miserable without bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fruit, corn.... the list goes on! but on the flip side I am also not a fan of cutting fats out completely providing they are selected carefully and eaten as part of a varied diet.


----------



## grumpy goby

Rudydog said:


> Exactly that. Putting the ethics of meat production aside for a moment, having as varied diet a diet as possible is the easiest way to stay healthy I think. I am not suggesting that people should eat meat if they don't want to (fat from it), there are plenty of things which can be eaten instead on meat but too many vegetarians I know rely on the process Quorn stuff instead of eating a variety of things for protein - the options are endless if you try. Nothing wrong with Quorn per say but variety is important I think. Much like it is important to eat different coloured fruit and veg to get the range of vitamins and minerals. Too much of anything is not ideal, not because that one thing is bad for you but because it prevents variety.
> 
> The problem is there is so much misinformation out there.... I have a friend who is a doctor who keeps herself in permanent ketosis (very very low carbs -fruit is a no no and many veggies are out too). Now you can just imagine the kind of dietary advise she might give her patients... we don't talk about diet....
> 
> Personally I do not know how anyone can cut carbs out. I'd be miserable without bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fruit, corn.... the list goes on! but on the flip side I am also not a fan of cutting fats out completely providing they are selected carefully and eaten as part of a varied diet.


I couldnt cope without carbs either! I do avoid the starchy sugary carbs; dont have alot of potato, and rice/pasta/bread is nearly always brown - but I prefer the taste of it to be honest... But to cut them out totally just sounds miserable! As does cutting out fat totally, and if I am honest Dairy! I have tried cutting milk out before with reasonable success... but butter... I just cant bare the alternative!


----------



## Rudydog

grumpy goby said:


> I couldnt cope without carbs either! I do avoid the starchy sugary carbs; dont have alot of potato, and rice/pasta/bread is nearly always brown - but I prefer the taste of it to be honest... But to cut them out totally just sounds miserable! As does cutting out fat totally, and if I am honest Dairy! I have tried cutting milk out before with reasonable success... but butter... I just cant bare the alternative!


Yes me too. I try and eat brown rice, pasta etc... but equally if I am eating out or someone is cooking for me, I am not going to stress it. Why? Because I know that I eat well 90% of the time so having a slice of white bread or chips every now and then is not going to kill me  
I do eat dairy and carefully selected meat (I buy local meat from the farm shop only and only about once or twice a week tops) and I eat eggs (but I have my own hens so I know they are well looked after) - apologies I know this is a veggie thread, I mean no offence.
The only things I really try and avoid are refined sugar and heavily manufactured foods - you won't catch me eating a ready meal for example (again wouldn't kill me once in a while but when you're used to fresh foods they taste vile). But then again I love cooking (and food) so it's not a chore for me.


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I'm currently reading this book and can highly recommend it so far
> 
> http://proteinaholic.com/
> 
> *About the author*
> 
> Dr. Garth Davis is the medical director of the Davis Clinic at the Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, and starred on the hit TLC show _Big Medicine_.
> 
> In addition to _Proteinaholic_, Dr. Davis is author of _The Expert's Guide to Weight Loss Surgery_. Dr. Davis graduated from the UT in Austin where he was the Student Government President. Dr. Davis completed his surgical residency at the prestigious University of Michigan. While there, Dr. Davis underwent extensive training in general surgical disciplines, specializing in laparoscopic procedures.
> 
> Dr. Davis has been named a Texas Monthly "Super Doc" several times, most recently in 2015. Dr. Davis is a recognized expert in initial bariatric procedures as well as revisional bariatric surgery, and frequently lectures on the importance of a plant-based diet. He is dedicated to helping people discovern the foods and adopt the behaviors that can lead to a healthy and happy life.
> 
> Now that he's totally recovered Proteinaholic, Dr. Davis competes in marathons and Ironman triathlons. He lives in Houston with his family, a shy cat, and an absurdly large dog.
> 
> *What's in the Book*
> • Protein is not the key to weight loss - it is actually one of the biggest factors behind the obesity epidemic.
> 
> • Animal protein is not the healthiest food we can eat - it is strongly associated with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and cancer.
> 
> • Carbs are not the enemy - they are a source of energy, and are staples in the diets of the longest-living peoples in the world.
> 
> Dr. Davis's conclusions are supported by numerous scientific studies over many years in multiple countries: meat-not carbs, and not even sugar-provokes a state of inflammation; an immune system response that, when it becomes chronic, underlies virtually every one of our chronic disorders, including heart disease and diabetes.
> 
> Consuming animal protein is also linked to weight gain, and even issues related to fatigue and brain fog.
> 
> Dr. Davis distills these findings into a straightforward, plant-based solution that combines what we know about our own biology, the evidence from our world's healthiest cultures, and an insider's knowledge of the health media and its flawed messaging.
> 
> A two-week plan will get you started with a diet composed of fresh, whole fruits and vegetables, along with nuts, seeds, beans, and grains.
> 
> You'll understand the scientific debates over the effects of animal protein and finally know how to interpret the findings of endless contradictory studies and confusing headlines in the news.
> 
> You'll feel confident in knowing how to make the healthiest decisions for yourself and enjoy the extraordinary relief of being able to come to your own conclusions.
> 
> Even if you're a certified "proteinaholic," Dr. Davis will make recovery a clear, simple process that will change your life forever.
> 
> This is a free chapter from the book if anyone is interested
> 
> http://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/4/7/c/47c...98996738&hwt=230e2da05faa0f02a01d96bfe2bd506f
> 
> Book cost £9.99 from Amazon


Just ordered it on ebay.


----------



## Guest

grumpy goby said:


> I couldnt cope without carbs either! I do avoid the starchy sugary carbs; dont have alot of potato, and rice/pasta/bread is nearly always brown - but I prefer the taste of it to be honest... But to cut them out totally just sounds miserable! As does cutting out fat totally, and if I am honest Dairy! I have tried cutting milk out before with reasonable success... but butter... I just cant bare the alternative!


If you like olive oil (which I do) it's a perfect substitute for butter in savory dishes, for sweet dishes, coconut oil is a great stand in for butter too. My daughter goes through bouts of wanting to be completely dairy-free and I'm happy to help. She likes her sweets, so I've learned to bake with coconut oil instead of butter and it really does do well. As above, use it sparingly, it is a saturated fat after all! Margarine and butter substitutes are horrible, I agree!

I'm with you and @Rudydog I couldn't go carb free, especially not the ones where they even eliminate fruits and veggies. That's insane to me. I also think healthy fats are good for you - in moderation of course. The keto diet stuff scares me. That can't be healthy. Yes, you might lose weight, but that's not a natural state for your body to be in for any prolonged period. I can't imagine what that does to the whole body system after a while.

And what amuses me in an ironic way, is how someone who's on a super low carb diet will look me in the face and talk about how restrictive a vegan diet is and how you can't eat out blah blah blah, meanwhile their diet is even more restrictive! I've yet to go to a restaurant that didn't have a salad and baked potato - perfectly vegan. *Shrug*


----------



## Rudydog

@ouesi olive oil is good for cakes too. I don't bake often but it's worked well for me in the past.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Just ordered it on ebay.


Its one of my favourites so far so will be interested to hear what you think.


----------



## Jonescat

Rapeseed oil is good for some cakes too and the deep yellow colour comes through to the cake which is nice.


----------



## catz4m8z

grumpy goby said:


> We had to have a similar conversation with the brothers MIL who had silly high cholesterol who had started substituting coconut oil for normal oil -


It is frustrating when people just blow off any sort of advice you offer. My mother and brother both suffer from high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes not to mention digestive problems. Ive tried telling them how much better a plant based diet would be or even just to cut out one thing to see if it helps but they really just dont want to change. Ive argued for personal health (dont think it would help....without even trying), animal cruelty (apparently all the animals we eat now would cease to exist if we didnt eat them!) and environmental concerns ('well, I'll probably be dead before I have to worry about it!':Banghead). I pretty much just keep my mouth shut at this point!

I agree that carbs are blimmin' lovely though. Tried bulgur wheat for the first time today, would def buy again. Really filling and tasty!


----------



## Guest

Went to the farmer's market this morning and got our first batch of peaches of the summer. They're so gorgeous. Put a bunch of them in a very simple crumble (equal parts flour and oats, a dash of cinnamon, drizzle of maple syrup, and cold coconut oil instead of butter). 

It's in the oven now. I'm sitting here drooling, the kitchen smells amazing.


----------



## LinznMilly

Rudydog said:


> Yes me too. I try and eat brown rice, pasta etc... but equally if I am eating out or someone is cooking for me, I am not going to stress it. Why? Because I know that I eat well 90% of the time so having a slice of white bread or chips every now and then is not going to kill me
> I do eat dairy and carefully selected meat (I buy local meat from the farm shop only and only about once or twice a week tops) and I eat eggs (but I have my own hens so I know they are well looked after) - apologies I know this is a veggie thread, I mean no offence.
> The only things I really try and avoid are refined sugar and heavily manufactured foods - you won't catch me eating a ready meal for example (again wouldn't kill me once in a while but when you're used to fresh foods they taste vile). But then again I love cooking (and food) so it's not a chore for me.


My auntie is trying to lose weight. She goes on the exercise bike twice a week, walks to mum's (sometimes). Eats ready meals regularly - Asda's own brand spag bol being a favourite. Lamb hotpot being another. Claims she knows why she's putting the weight on: because she has bread with every meal. :Facepalm


----------



## LinznMilly

ouesi said:


> Went to the farmer's market this morning and got our first batch of peaches of the summer. They're so gorgeous. Put a bunch of them in a very simple crumble (equal parts flour and oats, a dash of cinnamon, drizzle of maple syrup, and cold coconut oil instead of butter).
> 
> It's in the oven now. I'm sitting here drooling, the kitchen smells amazing.


Haven't made fruit crumble for years! *makes mental note to make one soon* rool


----------



## Alex westmore

rottiepointerhouse said:


> To get the ball rolling here is my favourite Chilli recipe - its slightly adapted from "Keep it Vegan" by Aine Carlin. Here is my latest attempt at it
> 
> 
> 
> Recipe
> 
> 1 large onion - diced
> large handful of mushrooms - chopped
> 1 red pepper - chopped
> 1 yellow pepper - chopped
> 3 cloves garlic
> 1 400g can of chopped tomatoes
> 1 400 g can of red kidney beans
> 1 400 g can of black beans
> 1 heap teaspoon ground cumin
> A pinch of cinnamon
> Half teaspoon chilli flakes
> Half teaspoon chilli powder
> 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
> 1 tablespoon tomato puree
> Optional ingredient - 20g (2 squares) dark chocolate
> 
> Fry onion & garlic (use tiny splash of oil then water) for 5 mins. Add spices (use more or less according to how hot you like it) and sweat for a few more minutes. Add peppers and mushrooms. Stir in tomato puree and get it all well coated. Add chopped tomatoes and beans. Simmer for 10 mins but add water if it looks too dry. Add chocolate if using and let it melt/stir in well. You can either leave it to cook on the hob for 20 mins or I prefer to put it in the oven so I don't have to watch it. Serve with brown rice (I add a teaspoon of turmeric to the cooking water) and wholemeal pitta bread or spicy potato wedges (if anyone wants recipe for those ask) or even over a baked potato.


Wow looks so good. I'm veggie and I think I'll try this one.


----------



## Guest

OMG you guys!!!! This is SOOOOOO good!!!


----------



## Matrod

ouesi said:


> OMG you guys!!!! This is SOOOOOO good!!!


That looks amazing! I LOVE crumble rool


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@ouesi

these look nice too if you have any left over peaches

http://www.straightupfood.com/blog/2017/06/18/peach-pie-lets/


----------



## Guest

That does look nice  
We're going to leave the rest of the peaches just as is. They're so yummy, and will make a perfect breakfast with blueberries if I can keep the kids out of the blueberries until tomorrow.


----------



## catz4m8z

ooooh, crumble! That would be perfect...(I have a couple of apples that have gone abit soft and bruised, not nice to eat fresh. Would be awesome to turn into an individual crumble though!).
Im getting into the habit of having overnight oats for breakfast too. Really brilliant to put in the fridge before I leave for work so when I get in from my nightshift I don't have to bother. Yesterday I had them with grated apple, chopped banana, some crushed mixed nuts and cinnamon. yum!


----------



## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> ooooh, crumble! That would be perfect...(I have a couple of apples that have gone abit soft and bruised, not nice to eat fresh. Would be awesome to turn into an individual crumble though!).
> Im getting into the habit of having overnight oats for breakfast too. Really brilliant to put in the fridge before I leave for work so when I get in from my nightshift I don't have to bother. Yesterday I had them with grated apple, chopped banana, some crushed mixed nuts and cinnamon. yum!


If you have a powerful enough blender, you can take fruit that's about to go bad and turn it in to a smoothie. Throw in some spinach leaves or kale and you don't even taste it because the fruit is so sweet at that point. You can also freeze it first, then smoothie it. All fruit freezes well.


----------



## grumpy goby

ouesi said:


> If you have a powerful enough blender, you can take fruit that's about to go bad and turn it in to a smoothie. Throw in some spinach leaves or kale and you don't even taste it because the fruit is so sweet at that point. You can also freeze it first, then smoothie it. All fruit freezes well.


Ooh we love a good smoothie.. although we have mostly green smoothies (with broccolli, kale or the sorts) I do like a higher % fruit smoothie as a treat! We buy the fruit in season then freeze them for use through the year! We also have a passion fruit vine in the garden so used a lot of that through summer.


----------



## catz4m8z

TBH Im not much of a fruit fan. Im trying to increase my intake though! I tend to just have it for breakfast and snack on stuff like mixed nuts or carrot/celery sticks with hummus or peanut butter.
The last couple of weeks Ive been trying to wean myself off of more processed vegan foods and onto fresher ones. So lots of home cooking and experimentation!
Gotta love plant based diets....Ive been having big breakfasts, lunches and dinners as well as a couple of big snacks a day and I can feel from my clothes that Ive lost weight!


----------



## Rudydog

LinznMilly said:


> My auntie is trying to lose weight. She goes on the exercise bike twice a week, walks to mum's (sometimes). Eats ready meals regularly - Asda's own brand spag bol being a favourite. Lamb hotpot being another. Claims she knows why she's putting the weight on: because she has bread with every meal. :Facepalm


Haha yeah must be the bread then 

Don't get me wrong I am not exactly skinny myself but I'd rather eat my own fist than a ready meal slag Bol: one of the easiest thing to make from scratch and can only imagine what's in that mince yuk! Those will be full of salt and sugar too  also I'd probably be still be hungry an hour later!


----------



## LinznMilly

ouesi said:


> OMG you guys!!!! This is SOOOOOO good!!!


That looks gorgeous! rool



catz4m8z said:


> TBH Im not much of a fruit fan. Im trying to increase my intake though!


You sound just like my SIL!!! Although she does eat meat.



Rudydog said:


> Haha yeah must be the bread then
> 
> Don't get me wrong I am not exactly skinny myself but I'd rather eat my own fist than a ready meal slag Bol: one of the easiest thing to make from scratch and can only imagine what's in that mince yuk! Those will be full of salt and sugar too  also I'd probably be still be hungry an hour later!


I looked up the nutritional analysis of the 2 of them yesterday. Both are low in sugar, but contain 50% of a person's RDA saturated fat. :Jawdrop :Wtf Lamb Hotpot is high in salt, and overall fat content, so the RDA "traffic light" light is a sea of red, except for the sugar. And she loves her cakes (as do I, if I'm honest - they're the only thing stopping me going fully vegan, and even then, I have 3 vegan cookbooks with desserts pages, so will be looking them up, too.  ) so it's no surprise to me that she's putting the weight on. . . But, like others have mentioned, she won't be told.

(Ive already said this somewhere, but I love home-made pasta bol - wholewheat pasta, veggie mince, and throw whatever veggies I fancy in ... mmmmmm ... my mouth's watering already).


----------



## catz4m8z

LinznMilly said:


> You sound just like my SIL!!! Although she does eat meat.
> 
> And she loves her cakes (as do I, if I'm honest - they're the only thing stopping me going fully vegan,


I kinda have to force myself to remember to add some fruit in my diet coz it wouldnt occur to me naturally to pick up an apple!:Shy Although I can never get through chopping any kind of veg for dinner without eating a large portion of it before cooking!
I dont think I could give up cakes either. Its why I batch cook loads of healthy muffins and slices for the freezer so I can have a cake a day!:Smug


----------



## LinznMilly

catz4m8z said:


> I kinda have to force myself to remember to add some fruit in my diet coz it wouldnt occur to me naturally to pick up an apple!:Shy Although I can never get through chopping any kind of veg for dinner without eating a large portion of it before cooking!
> I dont think I could give up cakes either. Its why I batch cook loads of healthy muffins and slices for the freezer so I can have a cake a day!:Smug


I like your style. :Smuggrin .

My [relatively healthy] vice is smoothies. I say "relatively" because until now, I've been relying on shop-bought. I've ordered a blender from Amazon, and I can't wait for it to arrive, so that I can do my own. :Hungry


----------



## Guest

LinznMilly said:


> I like your style. :Smuggrin .
> 
> My [relatively healthy] vice is smoothies. I say "relatively" because until now, I've been relying on shop-bought. I've ordered a blender from Amazon, and I can't wait for it to arrive, so that I can do my own. :Hungry


We got a refurbished vitamix blender off amazon and it is wonderful!

If you like bananas, get a bunch, let them go nearly brown, nice and ripe, break 'em up in to pieces and freeze. You can blend them in to "ice cream" and of course add them in to fruit smoothies for cool deliciousness


----------



## LinznMilly

ouesi said:


> We got a refurbished vitamix blender off amazon and it is wonderful!
> 
> If you like bananas, get a bunch, let them go nearly brown, nice and ripe, break 'em up in to pieces and freeze. You can blend them in to "ice cream" and of course add them in to fruit smoothies for cool deliciousness


rool . Thanks for the tip.


----------



## Guest

Someone was looking for cake recipes? 
This one looks so easy! I bet even I could do it  Might have to get some more peaches and try it with those....

http://www.thebuddhistchef.com/recipe/almond-cake/

BTW, The Buddhist Chef has some great recipes and tips.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

That does look good and doesn't contain too much fat so I might give it a go. Have also added his site to my list - thanks


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> That does look good and doesn't contain too much fat so I might give it a go. Have also added his site to my list - thanks


I bet you could replace some or all of that oil with applesauce. 
Also I refuse to use margarine :Yuck So I would butter the pan with coconut oil.


----------



## catz4m8z

That almond cake does look nice and fairly easy too, I might give it a go. Not that I need help enabling my cake habit! I even had cake for breakfast this morning! TBF though it was a home made coconut, chocolate chip and banana oat muffin which is fairly healthy (was lovely crumbled up with fresh blueberries and coconut soya yoghurt.
Ive been on a Youtube binge lately as well looking both at the cruelty issues around meat/dairy/etc and also the health benefits around plant based/vegan diets. There seems to be tons and tons of studies on the benefits for almost any health issue you can think of but I am struggling to find any evidence to show animal products are good for you....seems pretty conclusive.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> That almond cake does look nice and fairly easy too, I might give it a go. Not that I need help enabling my cake habit! I even had cake for breakfast this morning! TBF though it was a home made coconut, chocolate chip and banana oat muffin which is fairly healthy (was lovely crumbled up with fresh blueberries and coconut soya yoghurt.
> Ive been on a Youtube binge lately as well looking both at the cruelty issues around meat/dairy/etc and also the health benefits around plant based/vegan diets. There seems to be tons and tons of studies on the benefits for almost any health issue you can think of but I am struggling to find any evidence to show animal products are good for you....seems pretty conclusive.


Steady on you are starting to sound like me and those views are not very popular with a lot of people


----------



## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> There seems to be tons and tons of studies on the benefits for almost any health issue you can think of but I am struggling to find any evidence to show animal products are good for you....seems pretty conclusive.


 It does to me too... 
Yet people will still say vegetarian/vegan diets are extreme and look askance at those of us who even dare feed children like that


----------



## catz4m8z

Maybe its coz the results are just too good! I know it does almost look dodgy and suspicious:Shifty.......I mean if its _that_ good and has _so_ many health benefits why dont more people know about it??:Bored (kinda like how everybody thought smoking was good for your health years ago I suppose!).

Tonights experiment will be battered cauliflower with roasted sweet potatoes.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@catz4m8z have you seen this one? - Confessions of a reformed cardiologist

Robert Ostfeld is a cardiologist and Director of Preventive Cardiology. He is the founder and Director of the Cardiac Wellness Program at Montefiore Health System and Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.






I love it because it really does give me hope for the future - to think of a hospital offering plant based dietary advice, having forks over knives playing on the TV's and vegan hospital meals available is just amazing - only wish we were doing the same over here but I think it will come given time.


----------



## Jonescat

Making Rum and Raisin cake today for someone's birthday. Even the Rum is vegan. For tea however, I shall be binging on broccoli with garlic as we have just harvested our first ever calabrese


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Jonescat said:


> Making Rum and Raisin cake today for someone's birthday. Even the Rum is vegan. For tea however, I shall be binging on broccoli with garlic as we have just harvested our first ever calabrese


Photos please rool


----------



## Phoenix Rising

I am trying to incorporate more veggie meals and started replacing red meat with a veggie mince. I found I like the Beanfeast Bolognaise better than the frozen quorn mince's etc. My first lasagne the other week came out really well but was too big just for me. I'm looking for small foil trays to maybe make up individual one's I can freeze and quickly cook after work.

I saw an advert for 'Good Life' veggie products which tend to have vegetables rather than a quorn substitute eg they do a tomato and cheese sausage which I thought of putting in puff pasty to make mini rolls that can go in lunch box.

I find salad the most challenging.. salad to me is a lettuce, spring onion,a tomato or two, maybe some cheese and egg (usually had ham or corned beef) trying to come up with an interesting meat free alternative. Any ideas for different salads?


----------



## Phoenix Rising

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Hope you enjoyed it @KatieandOliver
> 
> Recipe for spiced pasties from Sarah Brown's vegetarian kitchen as requested by @Phoenix Rising
> 
> I pack of frozen pastry - flaky or shortcrust
> 
> 50 g of brown lentils
> 50 g of brown rice
> 1 onion - finely chopped
> 2 carrots - finely diced
> 110 g mushrooms finely chopped
> 1 teaspoon turmeric
> half teaspoon ginger
> half teaspoon cumin
> Clove garlic - crushed
> 1 tablespoon tomato puree
> 1 tablespoon oil
> 
> In a pan add 2 pints water to the lentils and rice and bring to boil, cover and simmer for 25 mins then drain.
> 
> Gently fry the spices in the oil, add the chopped vegetables and garlic, the lentil/rice mixture and tomato puree, mix well and cook for further 15 mins stirring occasionally and adding a little water if necessary to stop it sticking. Remove from heat and leave to cool. When its cold roll out pastry - cut around a small side plate, add 2 - 3 tablespoons of mixture to the centre and fold the sides up to make a pasty. Brush with some milk (non dairy  if you have it) make small hole for steam to escape and bake at 210 c for 20 mins or until browned. If you like spice I would add a bit more as they are not quite spicy enough for us.


Are brown lentils the same as Puy Lentils as you mentioned them last time? I'm doing my shopping list so deciding on a few new foods/recipes to try.


----------



## Guest

Phoenix Rising said:


> Any ideas for different salads?


We LOVE salads in this house, there is always a giant bowl of some sort of salad going all the time 

Today I made salad with:
romaine lettuce
baby spinach leaves
halved cherry tomatoes
one red, one yellow bell pepper
cucumber 
apple (love putting fruit in salad)
black olives
artichoke hearts

OH loves to top his salads with nuts, usually roasted almonds or walnuts.

For dressing I love balsamic oil and vinegar dressings. OH and the kids like creamy dressings which you can get in all sorts of vegan varieties. 
Not vegan, but feta cheese on salad is very nice too.


----------



## Jonescat

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Photos please rool












Cake pictures soon


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Phoenix Rising said:


> I am trying to incorporate more veggie meals and started replacing red meat with a veggie mince. I found I like the Beanfeast Bolognaise better than the frozen quorn mince's etc. My first lasagne the other week came out really well but was too big just for me. I'm looking for small foil trays to maybe make up individual one's I can freeze and quickly cook after work.
> 
> I saw an advert for 'Good Life' veggie products which tend to have vegetables rather than a quorn substitute eg they do a tomato and cheese sausage which I thought of putting in puff pasty to make mini rolls that can go in lunch box.
> 
> I find salad the most challenging.. salad to me is a lettuce, spring onion,a tomato or two, maybe some cheese and egg (usually had ham or corned beef) trying to come up with an interesting meat free alternative. Any ideas for different salads?


This is the red salad I posted earlier in the thread



Its red cabbage, red pepper, beetroot, red onion and some non red yellow sweetcorn  - I add tomato for my OH, its drizzled with the walnut vinaigrette dressing I make. I also love rocket and watercress leaves with some chopped up spring onion, romaine lettuce, green and yellow pepper. You could try roasting some chickpeas - toss them in spices or a BBQ sauce first then dry roast and serve with the salad.



Phoenix Rising said:


> Are brown lentils the same as Puy Lentils as you mentioned them last time? I'm doing my shopping list so deciding on a few new foods/recipes to try.


No they are different, brown lentils are smaller and usually come dried whereas Puy are a bit bigger and usually come pre cooked in a pouch. This site explains it all quite well

https://www.fix.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-lentils/


----------



## catz4m8z

Phoenix Rising said:


> I am trying to incorporate more veggie meals and started replacing red meat with a veggie mince.
> 
> I find salad the most challenging.. salad to me is a lettuce, spring onion,a tomato or two, maybe some cheese and egg (usually had ham or corned beef) trying to come up with an interesting meat free alternative. Any ideas for different salads?


Sounds like a good idea, doing more veggie meals. I think I was transitioning for years without realiesing! (soya milk was more convienient then cows, I preferred the taste of Quorn to meat, etc).

I did 2 salads today!
1. lettuce,spinach,cucumber,tomatoes,celery,spring onion,carrot,sweetcorn. Made 2 big bowls and had a big portion for lunch with wholewheat pasta and crumbled up falafels, then the rest as a side salad with dinner....still leaves me another bowl for tomorrow!
2. grated red onion, red cabbage and beetroot with white wine vinegar as a side.


----------



## Guest

The almond cake just came out of the oven. Smells amazing. Tastes even better 

I used coconut oil in the batter and to grease the pan. 
I coarsely ground some roasted almonds (unsalted) and sprinkled the top with almonds and cane sugar. I'm really hoping there is some left to have with coffee in the morning!


----------



## StormyThai

I really want cake now...I feel my diet lacks cake - must remedy this immediately!


----------



## Guest

StormyThai said:


> I really want cake now...I feel my diet lacks cake - must remedy this immediately!


That almond cake was one of the easiest cakes I've ever made, minimal ingredients and just whisk by hand. 
And I suck at baking!


----------



## Jonescat

Looks really good. Hope you get some with your coffee.


----------



## LinznMilly

@ouesi, that cake looks gorgeous! rool

My blender arrived yesterday. :Woot I'm still getting used to it, and so far, I keep under-estimating how long to keep it on for. My first smoothie was a simple strawberry and banana one, which was nice, but lacking something, so this morning, I added an apple to the mix, and it's stupid how full I feel.  :Wacky

I've got some frozen fruit in the freezer - think I might try them next. 

@rottiepointerhouse , my book arrived yesterday too. Only managed to read the first chapter so far, because Milly was being an attention w***e. :Shifty


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> @ouesi, that cake looks gorgeous! rool
> 
> My blender arrived yesterday. :Woot I'm still getting used to it, and so far, I keep under-estimating how long to keep it on for. My first smoothie was a simple strawberry and banana one, which was nice, but lacking something, so this morning, I added an apple to the mix, and it's stupid how full I feel.  :Wacky
> 
> I've got some frozen fruit in the freezer - think I might try them next.
> 
> @rottiepointerhouse , my book arrived yesterday too. Only managed to read the first chapter so far, because Milly was being an attention w***e. :Shifty


Hope you enjoy reading it, I find him very straightforward and easy to understand.


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Hope you enjoy reading it, I find him very straightforward and easy to understand.


So far, I'm finding it very easy to follow, and he talks a lot of sense. I see my family a lot in what he's saying - especially my bro, who, when he's on a health kick, buys big tubs of protein shakes.

Daft thing is, he'll look at WWE wrestlers, or other sports stars, and point out that so and so is vegan, and talk about nutrition and that it's possible to look slim, but be obese on the inside (so he knows his stuff) ... then, in the next breath, he says he couldn't survive on a vegetarian diet - let alone vegan!  :Facepalm


----------



## Phoenix Rising

rottiepointerhouse said:


> This is the red salad I posted earlier in the thread
> 
> 
> 
> Its red cabbage, red pepper, beetroot, red onion and some non red yellow sweetcorn  - I add tomato for my OH, its drizzled with the walnut vinaigrette dressing I make. I also love rocket and watercress leaves with some chopped up spring onion, romaine lettuce, green and yellow pepper. You could try roasting some chickpeas - toss them in spices or a BBQ sauce first then dry roast and serve with the salad.
> 
> No they are different, brown lentils are smaller and usually come dried whereas Puy are a bit bigger and usually come pre cooked in a pouch. This site explains it all quite well
> 
> https://www.fix.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-lentils/


Thanks,that salad looks very colourful! I've never had red cabbage though, would I cook it first or is it meant to be eaten raw? what does it taste most like?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Phoenix Rising said:


> Thanks,that salad looks very colourful! I've never had red cabbage though, would I cook it first or is it meant to be eaten raw? what does it taste most like?


You can do both, some people cook it to have as a vegetable with a meal, I never have so have no idea what its like. For salads you eat it raw, either chopped or you could shred it more finely for a coleslaw. I'm useless at describing how things taste so just get some and give it a try - its crunchy


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> You can do both, some people cook it to have as a vegetable with a meal,


Always surprises me the amount of veggies people dont eat raw. I grew up helping myself to my dads veg patch of cabbage, cauliflower, kale, tomatoes, sprouts, radishes, etc whenever i got abit peckish! 

I dont think I could be a raw vegan though. I love rice and pasta and winter for me is all about big piles of roasted veg and veggie soups. Also......cakes!:Shy


----------



## Team_Trouble

I am excitedly making a vegan curry, mostly from my own brain! I was vaguely taught how to make a chicken Korma a while ago, but this time I have made a paste and pureed the onions. I really hope it tastes nice, if it does, I'll add the recipe later 
It does smell good :Hungry


----------



## Dr Pepper

Here's one that came back to me today. Not particularly healthy but certainly fulfills the thread criteria (well not the vegan bit) and is dirt cheap. Elder Flower fritters. Just pick some elder flowers, might be to late now for much of the country, dip in batter, deep fry until batter cooked and dust with icing sugar. Once you've plucked up the courage to eat the first one you'll be addicted. 

That's probably about all I can contribute.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Dr Pepper said:


> Here's one that came back to me today. Not particularly healthy but certainly fulfills the thread criteria (well not the vegan bit) and is dirt cheap. Elder Flower fritters. Just pick some elder flowers, might be to late now for much of the country, dip in batter, deep fry until batter cooked and dust with icing sugar. Once you've plucked up the courage to eat the first one you'll be addicted.
> 
> That's probably about all I can contribute.


Think I'll give that one a miss but thank you for your contribution all the same


----------



## Dr Pepper

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Think I'll give that one a miss but thank you for your contribution all the same


I thought the same (the "give it a miss" not the ".... your contribution" bit). But if you like elderflower cordial it's exactly that taste but a tad more so.


----------



## Team_Trouble

It was quite nice, but I think the recipe needs some tweaking before I publish it


----------



## catz4m8z

ugh, just watched a news discussion on the rise of veganism and the 2 'experts' were very dismissive. One said it would be very difficult to have a nutritionally balanced diet, the other said she would never go vegan as there wasnt enough studies on long term benefits in this country.
Honestly!:Shifty Surely anybody can have a nutritionally balanced diet if they just look into it? and there are plenty of studies on long term benefits in other cultures (unless she felt UK humans are different from other humans!?).

Lunch was soup (kale,onion,tomato,carrot,courgette,broccoli,peas,sweetcorn,black eyed beans) and some seeded oatcakes.
Pretty sure thats more nutritionally balanced then the cheese sandwich and packet of crisps I used to eat!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> ugh, just watched a news discussion on the rise of veganism and the 2 'experts' were very dismissive. One said it would be very difficult to have a nutritionally balanced diet, the other said she would never go vegan as there wasnt enough studies on long term benefits in this country.
> Honestly!:Shifty Surely anybody can have a nutritionally balanced diet if they just look into it? and there are plenty of studies on long term benefits in other cultures (unless she felt UK humans are different from other humans!?).
> 
> Lunch was soup (kale,onion,tomato,carrot,courgette,broccoli,peas,sweetcorn,black eyed beans) and some seeded oatcakes.
> Pretty sure thats more nutritionally balanced then the cheese sandwich and packet of crisps I used to eat!


What programme was it on? would like to see it. Shame the interviewer didn't ask her about the multiple studies from other countries and the Blue Zones - there are studies from this country too - the Garth Davies proteinaholic book that @LinznMilly is reading discusses so many of the studies which repeatedly show vegans then vegetarians then fish eating vegetarians are the healthiest (in that order). A crap diet is a crap diet though so as we all know there are crap junk food vegan diets just as there are crap junk food meat/dairy diets. We only have to look at our chronic ill health levels though to see how ineffective the standard diet is at preventing ill health. On the clean eating thread recently we had a debate about osteoporosis and bone health and how vegans may be more at risk (according to some opinions) - I completely forgot to mention that back in 1979 when I first started nursing I did a 2 year orthopaedic certificate prior to doing my RGN training, we had 2 female adult orthopaedic wards and each winter as in most general hospitals the wards were full of elderly ladies with fractured neck of femurs and throughout my nursing career general surgical wards would have to cancel admissions because of overflow from the orthopaedic wards with this issue. None of those patients were vegans - I don't think I ever nursed a vegan.


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> would like to see it.


Me too!


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> What programme was it on? would like to see it.


sorry, I cant remember!:Shy It just came up on Youtube this morning, just some local news station.
The research is certainly interesting. My favourite Youtuber at the mo is Mic. the Vegan. He backs up all his statements with properly cited research. I think us nurses really do love our research based practice!LOL (working in gastrology and endocrinology I really should be better educated TBH!:Shy).


----------



## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> ugh, just watched a news discussion on the rise of veganism and the 2 'experts' were very dismissive. One said it would be very difficult to have a nutritionally balanced diet, the other said she would never go vegan as there wasnt enough studies on long term benefits in this country.
> Honestly!:Shifty Surely anybody can have a nutritionally balanced diet if they just look into it? and there are plenty of studies on long term benefits in other cultures (unless she felt UK humans are different from other humans!?).
> 
> Lunch was soup (kale,onion,tomato,carrot,courgette,broccoli,peas,sweetcorn,black eyed beans) and some seeded oatcakes.
> Pretty sure thats more nutritionally balanced then the cheese sandwich and packet of crisps I used to eat!


I watched a program a while back, also on youtube of a comedian who was morbidly obese and he went through all sorts of testing showing what the obesity was doing to his body. 
I was frustrated with the education part of the program because all it talked about really was how hard it is for someone of his size to restrict calories, smaller portion sizes, and the success rate of gastric by-pass surgery. Not one mention of *what* you eat making a big difference.

Surely if you're going to the extreme of gastric by-pass, it's worth a look at diet and trying an "extreme" diet (which I still don't think a vegan diet is that extreme) that has no potential life threatening complications.

Oh and they also talked about those liquid diets where you just drink goo of some sort for each meal. *shudder*


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> sorry, I cant remember!:Shy It just came up on Youtube this morning, just some local news station.
> The research is certainly interesting. My favourite Youtuber at the mo is Mic. the Vegan. He backs up all his statements with properly cited research. I think us nurses really do love our research based practice!LOL (working in gastrology and endocrinology I really should be better educated TBH!:Shy).


Oh OK, yes there are loads of people on Youtube bashing the vegan diet but thankfully lots of plant based doctors and scientists also promoting it


----------



## Team_Trouble

I watched What the Health at my sister's while I stayed there last weekend. She asked where vegans get calcium and I couldn't answer... I just knew that they were less likely to get osteoporosis. So what is the answer?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

KatieandOliver said:


> I watched What the Health at my sister's while I stayed there last weekend. She asked where vegans get calcium and I couldn't answer... I just knew that they were less likely to get osteoporosis. So what is the answer?


I posted this article on the other thread (clean eating) - basically its green leafy veggies, seeds, nuts, bread, beans, tofu plus things like cereals and plant based milks which are fortified with calcium

http://nutritionstudies.org/how-to-get-calcium-without-dairy/

"If you are eating a whole-food, plant-based diet, you can get over 500mg of calcium a day without thinking twice about it."

Edited to add - the recipes in Dr Fuhrman's book The End of Dieting have a nutritional breakdown at the bottom and that shows the calcium content which should give you a good idea of they type of foods to eat to make sure you get enough 

Edited again to ask if you enjoyed the film?


----------



## catz4m8z

I really wish I could do pictures, I was SO proud of my tea tonight!!LOL
I made an apple, pear and red onion pizza. It was half a cheat in that I made the base with wholemeal flour but I used a few spoonful of ready made pasta sauce. Also a sprinkle of vegan cheese on top.
Soooo tasty!rool and I still have half the dough for tomorrow!:Smug


----------



## Team_Trouble

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I posted this article on the other thread (clean eating) - basically its green leafy veggies, seeds, nuts, bread, beans, tofu plus things like cereals and plant based milks which are fortified with calcium
> 
> http://nutritionstudies.org/how-to-get-calcium-without-dairy/
> 
> "If you are eating a whole-food, plant-based diet, you can get over 500mg of calcium a day without thinking twice about it."
> 
> Edited to add - the recipes in Dr Fuhrman's book The End of Dieting have a nutritional breakdown at the bottom and that shows the calcium content which should give you a good idea of they type of foods to eat to make sure you get enough
> 
> Edited again to ask if you enjoyed the film?


I did, I was totally shocked at the immorality of the US health system though.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lovely article from the Forks over Knives team - its by a cardiologist called Monica Aggarwal who as a busy working Mum of 3 suffered serious health issues including a diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis and her journey back to health. Well worth 5 mins to have a read.

https://www.forksoverknives.com/rhe...mp&utm_term=Arthritic-Cardiologist#gs._yJP02A

a little extract

One morning, a couple of months later, I woke to the baby's cry and couldn't move my right shoulder. It was red and hot, but I ignored it, figuring it was from a trauma I couldn't remember. Three days later, the fourth finger on my left hand was red and hot. I started having trouble buttoning the kids' clothes. A day later, I felt like I had glass going through my feet. I started taking the elevator at work to ease the intense pain in my joints.

After about a week of denial, I realized something was truly wrong. I remember the day almost like it was dream. The alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. I felt exhausted in my bones. I could barely get out of bed. As I hobbled down the stairs to let the dog out, my feet felt even worse-the "glass" was cutting my feet. I could barely open the door to let the dog out.

Then the baby cried. I moved to run up the stairs to get her before the other children woke with the noise. But I couldn't. I couldn't run. Every bone in my body burned. I couldn't run up the stairs. So I crawled. I can still taste the salt from the tears I shed as I crawled up the stairs. I remember getting to her crib but not being able to get her out. It was then, as I lay on the floor crying, and when my husband had to pick up the baby to give her to me, that I realized I was in real trouble.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

KatieandOliver said:


> I did, I was totally shocked at the immorality of the US health system though.


Sadly I thought a fair bit of it applied to the system here too


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Article from Blue Zones newsletter about why people who eat nuts live longer 

https://bluezones.com/2017/07/why-n...199095005&mc_cid=f6397b42e6&mc_eid=97f9300fe5

a little taster


For women who are at high risk for heart disease, one study showed that those who ate nuts five or more days a week cut their risk of a heart attack nearly in half compared to those eating one serving or less.
Another long-term study of 7,000 men and women at high risk for cardiovascular disease found that one group who doubled their intake of nuts to about an ounce (a handful) every day cut their risk of stroke in half. And in general, those in the study who ate more nuts every day "had a significantly lower risk of dying prematurely overall."
Walnuts seem to have extra health benefits-those who ate more than three servings of walnuts a week cut their risk of dying from cancer in half.


----------



## Guest

I definitely don't eat enough nuts. I just don't think to most of the time, and honestly I'm not a huge fan either. 
Almond flour (which is nothing but blanched almonds) seems to be a good compromise. 
I wish coconut counted as a nut. I'd eat that 5 times a week easily.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I definitely don't eat enough nuts. I just don't think to most of the time, and honestly I'm not a huge fan either.
> Almond flour (which is nothing but blanched almonds) seems to be a good compromise.
> I wish coconut counted as a nut. I'd eat that 5 times a week easily.


I don't either. At one point I was having a serving (30 g) per day as part of my breakfast but my skin got quite bad again with acne which was a shame as it had been really good since I went vegan. I didn't connect it to nuts until I read Dr McDougall advising people with acne to cut out nuts so I gave it a go and my skin improved again. Might have been coincidence - not sure. I now try to compromise by using walnuts in a few meals and making the walnut salad dressing which we have a couple of times a week. Did you have a look at the article by Monica the cardiologist - I thought about you when I read it especially about her yoga. Really want to try and make time to do some yoga as I know it would help with my muscular skeletal problems.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Did you have a look at the article by Monica the cardiologist


Reading it now.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Did you have a look at the article by Monica the cardiologist


I love stories like this, but I know what the mainstream response to her story is - she's an outlier. Most people with RA and other autoimmune diseases don't recover, and holding her up as an example is unhelpful as it just makes those with these diseases feel guilty or worse ignore their doctor's advice.

It makes me crazy really, especially since I'm a "fixer" anyway and I want to help people "fix" things. One of my friends, not close friends, but we've known each other 14 years and our kids are friends. Anyway, she has juvenile RA. By 35 she had had 2 hip replacements and 2 knee replacements. I helped with the kids when she had her knees replaced. She can't be around sick people because her meds keep her constantly susceptible to infections. She's on tons of steroids. She is in constant pain. It's both inspiring to watch her do her life and also painful to watch.

But here's where I go a little crazy. She drinks 6 to 8 diet Mountain Dews a day. She eats red meat, processed meats, and dairy which I thought everyone knew contribute to inflammation. I have suggested yoga to her and she says her doctor told her not to do yoga because she has artificial knees (not true, you can adjust for replaced knees and hips) but I'm not a doctor, and I'm not going to tell anyone to go against their doctor's advice, but sorry that's baloney. And if not yoga she could do tai chi or at least meditation.

It seriously boils my blood that she has these doctors who are willing to cut her up and put her on meds that will eventually kill her and not one has looked in to what she eats and how that may be contributing to her disease. We KNOW diet affects health in so many ways. Why do doctors not address this especially when we're looking at chronic illnesses?!


----------



## catz4m8z

ouesi said:


> I definitely don't eat enough nuts. I just don't think to most of the time, and honestly I'm not a huge fan either.


I love nuts, of all kinds. Never met a cake recipe I didnt want to shove some nuts in either! I usually have a small handful of mixed nuts a day as a snack but since Ive been trying to go more wholefood Im just not feeling the need to snack much at all.

It is frustrating when you cant get someone to listen though. I keep trying to persuade my best friend to go vegan as she has been a vegetarian for 20 yrs as she is againest cruelty to animals. Tried explaining how the dairy industry works, or get her to watch a documentary but she just agrees that she probably should go vegan but 'I really love cheese though!':Banghead 
I just dont understand it. All it took for me was someone explaining (in non graphic terms) how we get our dairy and eggs and I had honestly never really considered it before....after that I couldnt eat them. I didnt really look depth about issues of health and cruelty until a few months after I changed my diet!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I love stories like this, but I know what the mainstream response to her story is - she's an outlier. Most people with RA and other autoimmune diseases don't recover, and holding her up as an example is unhelpful as it just makes those with these diseases feel guilty or worse ignore their doctor's advice.
> 
> It makes me crazy really, especially since I'm a "fixer" anyway and I want to help people "fix" things. One of my friends, not close friends, but we've known each other 14 years and our kids are friends. Anyway, she has juvenile RA. By 35 she had had 2 hip replacements and 2 knee replacements. I helped with the kids when she had her knees replaced. She can't be around sick people because her meds keep her constantly susceptible to infections. She's on tons of steroids. She is in constant pain. It's both inspiring to watch her do her life and also painful to watch.
> 
> But here's where I go a little crazy. She drinks 6 to 8 diet Mountain Dews a day. She eats red meat, processed meats, and dairy which I thought everyone knew contribute to inflammation. I have suggested yoga to her and she says her doctor told her not to do yoga because she has artificial knees (not true, you can adjust for replaced knees and hips) but I'm not a doctor, and I'm not going to tell anyone to go against their doctor's advice, but sorry that's baloney. And if not yoga she could do tai chi or at least meditation.
> 
> It seriously boils my blood that she has these doctors who are willing to cut her up and put her on meds that will eventually kill her and not one has looked in to what she eats and how that may be contributing to her disease. We KNOW diet affects health in so many ways. Why do doctors not address this especially when we're looking at chronic illnesses?!


There are so many success stories like Monica's though, I don't think any of the plant based doctors are saying all arthritis or all auto immune diseases can be cured by diet but certainly a reasonable proportion can be helped enormously (such as Venus Williams) and as there are no side effects from giving it a go I think main stream doctors and dietitians should at least be recommending people try it and see if it helps them.

The first link is a young lady with Juvenile RA

https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/education/health-science/stars/stars-video/juliea-baker/

https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/education/health-science/stars/stars-video/maralyn-millar/

https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/education/health-science/stars/stars-video/jackie-swoboda/

https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/...stars/stars-video/paula-rheumatoid-arthritis/

There are loads more but I'll leave it at those few


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> There are so many success stories like Monica's though, I don't think any of the plant based doctors are saying all arthritis or all auto immune diseases can be cured by diet but certainly a reasonable proportion can be helped enormously (such as Venus Williams) and as there are no side effects from giving it a go I think main stream doctors and dietitians should at least be recommending people try it and see if it helps them.
> 
> The first link is a young lady with Juvenile RA
> 
> https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/education/health-science/stars/stars-video/juliea-baker/
> 
> https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/education/health-science/stars/stars-video/maralyn-millar/
> 
> https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/education/health-science/stars/stars-video/jackie-swoboda/
> 
> https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/...stars/stars-video/paula-rheumatoid-arthritis/
> 
> There are loads more but I'll leave it at those few


Oh I totally agree. 
Why not try a diet change, if it doesn't work, it doesn't work, but it's not harmful to try. Whereas something like putting someone on lifelong immune blocking drugs and steroids IS harmful in the long run.

It's seriously frustrating to me. And people still look at you like you're crazy for not eating meat or dairy, but if you're taking a pharmacy full of meds every day that's somehow more normal? I just don't get it at all....

But then I also feel the same way about exercise. We know the benefits of regular exercise yet there are people out there who simply don't ever do anything physical. Nothing. And it's not a time thing. If you can find time to watch a 30 minute TV show, you have 30 minutes to do some physical activity while you watch....


----------



## Guest

Oh my! Check this out!
I think I would make this without the chocolate. I'm not a fan of chocolate and blueberries together (separately I love them both). This looks delicious though!
http://www.feastingonfruit.com/blueberry-magic-cookie-bars/


----------



## Guest

This is a great guide to anyone starting out on a plant-based journey. @Phoenix Rising you might find this helpful 

https://nutriciously.com/plant-based-meal-planning/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> This is a great guide to anyone starting out on a plant-based journey. @Phoenix Rising you might find this helpful
> 
> https://nutriciously.com/plant-based-meal-planning/


I like that - simple yet covers all bases. Have booked marked that site too.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I like that - simple yet covers all bases. Have booked marked that site too.


I don't agree with everything on there, and of course they're selling their "kits." But the recipes are good


----------



## Guest

Does anyone else notice how many recipes shared on line are 100% devoid of plant foods entirely? Like just a token sprig of parsley or decorative chives but no actual plants in the bulk of the recipe. Or maybe it's just me and the part of the world I'm in.


----------



## Phoenix Rising

ouesi said:


> This is a great guide to anyone starting out on a plant-based journey. @Phoenix Rising you might find this helpful
> 
> https://nutriciously.com/plant-based-meal-planning/


Thanks


----------



## catz4m8z

ouesi said:


> Does anyone else notice how many recipes shared on line are 100% devoid of plant foods entirely? Like just a token sprig of parsley or decorative chives but no actual plants in the bulk of the recipe. Or maybe it's just me and the part of the world I'm in.


Maybe it is cultural?? I know traditional British cooking often tends to have a 'meat and 2 veg' approach....meaning veg on the side!


----------



## Guest

Posting this 'cause it's super easy and a main standby in this house. 
Pasta with veggies:
1/2 onion
1 red bell pepper
1 or 2 cloves garlic
Frozen broccoli (can also be fresh)
Frozen peas (fresh works too)
Pasta of choice
Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare pasta 
Mince garlic, onion, and bell pepper
Sautee in olive oil until liquid from bell pepper reduces
Add broccoli and peas until heated through 
Add pasta
Salt & pepper to taste


----------



## Jonescat

Ah! Pasta and bits as it is known round here. With more or less any green veg subbing in on occasion, and herbs or chilli or lemon as you wish


----------



## Guest

Jonescat said:


> Ah! Pasta and bits as it is known round here. With more or less any green veg subbing in on occasion, and herbs or chilli or lemon as you wish


Yup  Any veggie really. A good "clean out the fridge" dish 
I like it with asparagus, wilted fresh spinach, artichoke hearts... Can also throw on some cherry tomatoes... Anything really


----------



## Lurcherlad

ouesi said:


> This is a great guide to anyone starting out on a plant-based journey. @Phoenix Rising you might find this helpful
> 
> https://nutriciously.com/plant-based-meal-planning/


Had a look this morning.

Gonna start today 

I'm the fattest, stiffest, achiest (?), lazyist (?), heaviest I've ever been  so it certainly can't hurt!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> Had a look this morning.
> 
> Gonna start today
> 
> I'm the fattest, stiffest, achiest (?), lazyist (?), heaviest I've ever been  so it certainly can't hurt!


Good luck, I can link you a brilliant video about calorie density if you are interested.


----------



## Lurcherlad

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Good luck, I can link you a brilliant video about calorie density if you are interested.


Yes please


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> Yes please


This is the video by Jeff Novick


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Just to add his calorie density information is aimed at people trying to lose weight so nuts and oils are off limits unless you can be very disciplined about the amount you have - rule of thumb is 30 g of nuts maximum which should ideally be mainly walnuts as they contain the most good fats (omega 3). This is not necessarily how you would eat once you have shed excess weight.


----------



## noushka05

rottiepointerhouse said:


> This is the video by Jeff Novick


This is so helpful & nice & simple lol I'm going to get my Son print that bottom pic off as a constant reminder.

I'm doing our usual Saturday tea - a mixed bean chilli, guacamole, salad - with brown rice & quinoa! Better make a start before they get home - I'm starving


----------



## Lurcherlad

My two carnivores (OH and DS) are away most of the weekend so, apart from Jack's tin of Butchers everything else food wise will be totally vegan 

Planning chickpea, lentil and veg curry with quinoa and bulgar wheat. The other half of the avocado from lunch for a starter 

Might make some popcorn for dessert with a smattering of the Brittany honey I got as a prezzie last week


----------



## Guest

Made a discovery at the farmer's market this morning:
http://www.noevilfoods.com/
It's delicious! And I love that there are so few ingredients. 
Now to figure out how to make it ourselves!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

An introduction to the wholefood plant based diet by Dr Anthony Lim






I haven't watched much of it yet but have listened to him talk before, he is part of the up and coming younger group of plant based doctors.


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> An introduction to the wholefood plant based diet by Dr Anthony Lim
> .


am halfway through this one and its really good! Nice simple, approachable presentation.

Im really hoping this is a way of eating that I can stick to. I think the veganism should be....before I yoyo dieted and would often say 'i'll start tomorrow' or 'I'll just treat myself today'. But thinking 'I'll start _not_ abusing and killing animals tomorrow' or 'I'll just treat myself to some deforestation and diabetes' just doesn't appeal to me for some reason!LOL:Hilarious
Im happy to take my time to get my head around the whole food thing though, progress through education and self awareness!:Woot (yesterday was fresh melon and pineapple, huge salad, butternut squash, sweet potato and butter bean soup with whole meal toast and a homemade oat muffin).


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> am halfway through this one and its really good! Nice simple, approachable presentation.
> 
> Im really hoping this is a way of eating that I can stick to. I think the veganism should be....before I yoyo dieted and would often say 'i'll start tomorrow' or 'I'll just treat myself today'. But thinking 'I'll start _not_ abusing and killing animals tomorrow' or 'I'll just treat myself to some deforestation and diabetes' just doesn't appeal to me for some reason!LOL:Hilarious
> Im happy to take my time to get my head around the whole food thing though, progress through education and self awareness!:Woot (yesterday was fresh melon and pineapple, huge salad, butternut squash, sweet potato and butter bean soup with whole meal toast and a homemade oat muffin).


I finished watching it last night apart from the Q & A at the end and really enjoyed it, just wish we could get something along these lines going over here. Sounds like you are doing really well with your meals


----------



## Lurcherlad

Lurcherlad said:


> My two carnivores (OH and DS) are away most of the weekend so, apart from Jack's tin of Butchers everything else food wise will be totally vegan
> 
> Planning chickpea, lentil and veg curry with quinoa and bulgar wheat. The other half of the avocado from lunch for a starter
> 
> Might make some popcorn for dessert with a smattering of the Brittany honey I got as a prezzie last week


Just realised - honey isn't classed as vegan is it? 

I suppose I should hang my head in shame according to some? 

:Mooning


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> Just realised - honey isn't classed as vegan is it?
> 
> I suppose I should hang my head in shame according to some?
> 
> :Mooning


Not really, people are vegan/plant based for all sorts of reasons not just ethical ones. I personally don't use it because of the calorie density as I still want to lose a few more pounds and my taste buds have changed so much since going plant based that I find honey/maple syrup etc way too sweet. I pretty much just use fruit for sweetening things.


----------



## Guest

I watched Dr. Lim's presentation yesterday while doing house chores (so mostly listened). Loved it. He's dead on about the carbs, was nice to hear that, the low carb craze never made sense to me, especially when it started limiting certain fruits and veggies. So it was validating to hear him dismiss the carb phobia. 

I also really liked his points about vegan vs. plant based. I'm not a true vegan and I doubt I ever will be. I don't feel bad about the eggs we get from our neighbor's backyard hens, or the local honey we use because I want to support bee keepers. I'm good at obsessing and I'd rather obsess over fun ways of getting more fruits and veggies in our diet than eliminating every trace of animal product, especially since some I don't think are cruel. (Like eggs from pet chickens.) 

His demo with the coke and water was so simple yet so powerful.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I watched Dr. Lim's presentation yesterday while doing house chores (so mostly listened). Loved it. He's dead on about the carbs, was nice to hear that, the low carb craze never made sense to me, especially when it started limiting certain fruits and veggies. So it was validating to hear him dismiss the carb phobia.
> 
> I also really liked his points about vegan vs. plant based. I'm not a true vegan and I doubt I ever will be. I don't feel bad about the eggs we get from our neighbor's backyard hens, or the local honey we use because I want to support bee keepers. I'm good at obsessing and I'd rather obsess over fun ways of getting more fruits and veggies in our diet than eliminating every trace of animal product, especially since some I don't think are cruel. (Like eggs from pet chickens.)
> 
> His demo with the coke and water was so simple yet so powerful.


I'm so glad a few people have watched it, just need to find a way of getting it out to a wider audience . I thought the water and coke demo was very powerful too.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Another really interesting video by Hans Diehl "Fork & knife - weapons of mass destruction"


----------



## LinznMilly

Trying to work through these videos, and you're posting more. I'm never going to catch up  . Not impressed. :Shifty


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Trying to work through these videos, and you're posting more. I'm never going to catch up  . Not impressed. :Shifty


Sorry - I have loads more too as they have just released a whole series from last year's plant based summit lectures :Hilarious:Hilarious I will try not to post too many at once


----------



## catz4m8z

I know the feeling! Ive only just got through that Dr Lim one!
I expect that it just becomes more natural to eat that way eventually. I made a huge salad for lunch and added wholewheat pasta and black beans so it was a proper substantial meal, not sure I would have bothered before (just got really hungry later and pigged out on junk!LOL).
Yesterday I made a side for my bean and vegetable soup by thinly slicing a potato and oven baking it with some smoked paprika. Turned out really tasty...would def make again!


----------



## Elles

If someone made it for me and sold it in packets to shove in the oven or microwave, I'd buy it. Wonder if someone will start a delivery service, instead of pizza.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

The Hans Diehl video I posted above has an amazing section on the effect of junk food/fat on coronary arteries and shows them pulling out strings of plaque during surgery - please even if you can't watch the whole video watch the bit from 20 mins :Jawdrop


----------



## LinznMilly

catz4m8z said:


> I know the feeling! Ive only just got through that Dr Lim one!
> I expect that it just becomes more natural to eat that way eventually. I made a huge salad for lunch and added wholewheat pasta and black beans so it was a proper substantial meal, *not sure I would have bothered before (just got really hungry later and pigged out on junk!LOL).*
> Yesterday I made a side for my bean and vegetable soup by thinly slicing a potato and oven baking it with some smoked paprika. Turned out really tasty...would def make again!


Same here! I'm about halfway through Dr Lim's video now.

My lunch was baby potatoes (with skins on), carrots, celery and 2 wholewheat bread buns. I'm still feeling full!! Would have plugged out on chocolate by now.

I have lentils, peppers and mushrooms in the slow cooker, which I'm going to have with some salad.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Elles said:


> If someone made it for me and sold it in packets to shove in the oven or microwave, I'd buy it. Wonder if someone will start a delivery service, instead of pizza.


Mr Tesco already does  There is so much already prepared stuff you can buy, frozen or microwaveable rice, frozen already chopped stir fry veg, frozen or tinned already cooked beans & lentils etc - its easy to chuck something quick and nutritious together :Hungry


----------



## Guest

Sorry @rottiepointerhouse just now getting to share those yoga videos. 
I'm a huge advocate of yoga, tai chi, anything that involves mindful movement with breathing. Science backs it up too. Tons of research out there that confirms the benefits of yoga so many of us already know.

Couple of pointers:
If you can go to a class, go a few times to have someone guide you on form and breathing. 
If you can't you'll still get all the benefits, it just helps to have those few pointers as a beginner. 
NOTHING should ever hurt. Stretch to the point of feeling it, but never pain. You don't have to stretch as far as the instructor, or, you can stretch further, either way. Whatever your body is capable of that moment, that day is as far as you push it. It's totally normal to feel looser or tighter on different days, and on different sides. 
Do what feels good to your body. It's always okay to go in to child's pose and sit out any pose that doesn't work for you. 
You don't need a yoga mat but it's worth getting one eventually so you don't slip as much. They're very cheap though.

I like this channel but really, I've yet to find a "bad" yoga video on youtube. Look around and get to know what sorts of videos work for you. It's all about YOU!  
This is a very easy starter video, also good bedtime, relaxing one:





A "basics" video:





For back pain (There are tons on this channel, shop around  )


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Thank you so much @ouesi - I've added to my favourites, just got to figure out a way of playing youtube on a TV I can see from the floor without having canine companions joining in


----------



## Lurcherlad

Thanks Ouesi - I need all of them! 

Just back from my second gym workout.

Can feel it "doing something" 

Needed the marinated tofu and vegetable stir fry I've just made and scoffed. After that and a hot shower - feeling good!


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> just got to figure out a way of playing youtube on a TV I can see from the floor without having canine companions joining in


you mean you find it difficult to practice yoga whilst being french kissed by a dog!?:Hilarious


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> you mean you find it difficult to practice yoga whilst being french kissed by a dog!?:Hilarious


It is a bit off putting when they try to join in :Joyful


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Thank you so much @ouesi - I've added to my favourites, just got to figure out a way of playing youtube on a TV I can see from the floor without having canine companions joining in


It's hopeless, you have to just lock 'em out of the room LOL. Dogs are good at a lot of things, yoga buddies they are not good at  
This is usually what I see if I don't:


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I've just received"Hungry Planet, What The World Eats" by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio which was mentioned and a couple of photographs shown on Dr Lim's presentation. Wow, an absolutely amazing book with so much more detail than I imagined. I got the paperback but its still a beautiful book. Can't wait to read it


----------



## Jonescat

Yoga on Youtube has change my life because it has facilitated an almost daily morning practice with occasional other bits. I have done a fair bit in the past but didn't have a local class, but this has removed all the excuses. I like Cole (above), and also these two Maris Aylward https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAUWdc_B05LUDmif1rypohw and Jason Crandell https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=jason+crandell+yoga

Cats are almost as good yoga partners as dogs - they chase the mat, sit on the blocks and lie underneath you when you are delicately balanced do you can't put your foot back down!


----------



## LinznMilly

@ouesi : Thanks for posting those yoga videos. I've just finished the top one that you posted. I meditate (not nearly often enough, though - something I must rectify) but I've never done yoga until now. I can see why you're such a big fan, although stretching out anywhere near as far as Cole did in that top video is a distant dream atm.

@rottiepointerhouse : I waited until Max was asleep in the hallway, and Milly's (as usual) taking up my space on my bed.


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Another really interesting video by Hans Diehl "Fork & knife - weapons of mass destruction"


Thanks for posting those documentaries. I've had a chance to catch up.  I've made a mental note to buy _The China Study, _and the 2 books on reversing/preventing and reversing heart disease. Might add _The Blue Zones_to that list, too. Interesting stuff.

You're going to turn us all into nutrition experts at this rate.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Thanks for posting those documentaries. I've had a chance to catch up.  I've made a mental note to buy _The China Study, _and the 2 books on reversing/preventing and reversing heart disease. Might add _The Blue Zones_to that list, too. Interesting stuff.
> 
> You're going to turn us all into nutrition experts at this rate.


:Woot:Woot Thank you, it makes my day to think at least a couple of people might watch them and take on board some of the advice. I'm so glad I started this thread


----------



## Elles

I'm obsessive about my dog and horse's diet, exercise and well being, but when it comes to me I'd sue me for neglect.  You guys are very healthy. Nearest I get to yoga is fake yogurt. If I didn't have to look after the animals, I'd be a sedentary blob. The thread has made me look a little more closely at what I eat though. Thanks.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

We've all got bits we need to work on though @Elles. I think I've pretty much got my diet cracked, I'm losing the last few pounds I want to and inches from my waist and I'm more than happy with the results the diet brought with my (and my OH's) blood pressure and cholesterol levels but I have a totally inflexible rigid body and suffer with back/neck problems as a result. This is the area I intend to work on next. I've tried the beginners back and neck yoga video @ouesi posted - I'm ashamed to say I am so inflexible I can't even sit cross legged unless by knees are up near my ears :Jawdrop:Hilarious and as for kneeling or sitting back on my haunches :Arghh:Arghh I had to sit out most of the video or do all the stretches from the same position, it makes me so sad and angry that I haven't kept up the flexibility I had when I was younger and seems like an impossible hill to climb to improve it but having said that I feel a tiny bit better from the little bit I could do so I will keep plugging away. I walk a lot and have pretty good muscle strength (do a little bit of floor exercises with weights) but some days I struggle to put my knickers and socks on :Shamefullyembarrased


----------



## Team_Trouble

rottiepointerhouse said:


> We've all got bits we need to work on though @Elles. I think I've pretty much got my diet cracked, I'm losing the last few pounds I want to and inches from my waist and I'm more than happy with the results the diet brought with my (and my OH's) blood pressure and cholesterol levels but I have a totally inflexible rigid body and suffer with back/neck problems as a result. This is the area I intend to work on next. I've tried the beginners back and neck yoga video @ouesi posted - I'm ashamed to say I am so inflexible I can't even sit cross legged unless by knees are up near my ears :Jawdrop:Hilarious and as for kneeling or sitting back on my haunches :Arghh:Arghh I had to sit out most of the video or do all the stretches from the same position, it makes me so sad and angry that I haven't kept up the flexibility I had when I was younger and seems like an impossible hill to climb to improve it but having said that I feel a tiny bit better from the little bit I could do so I will keep plugging away. I walk a lot and have pretty good muscle strength (do a little bit of floor exercises with weights) but some days I struggle to put my knickers and socks on :Shamefullyembarrased


Keep going! You will get there, but it takes time to notice a difference. I thought the Anthony Lim video was great.

I think I need to work with my food finickiness, and accept there are things I don't like as recently I have been trying to force down things I don't like sweet potato, and it doesn't make for a pleasant meal 

Luckily there are plenty of veggies I do like, and although it's a shame as sweet potato has so many health benefits, it's not the end of the world.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

KatieandOliver said:


> Keep going! You will get there, but it takes time to notice a difference. I thought the Anthony Lim video was great.
> 
> I think I need to work with my food finickiness, and accept there are things I don't like as recently I have been trying to force down things I don't like sweet potato, and it doesn't make for a pleasant meal
> 
> Luckily there are plenty of veggies I do like, and although it's a shame as sweet potato has so many health benefits, it's not the end of the world.


Yes go with the healthy stuff you do like, if you make it seem punishing in any way rather than enjoyable you just won't stick with it long term. I don't know if you have looked at any of Dr McDougall's work (the Starch Solution) - he basically says pick your favourite starch such as brown rice or potatoes, add a couple of veg and eat a couple of fruits a day and don't worry about much else.


----------



## Team_Trouble

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Yes go with the healthy stuff you do like, if you make it seem punishing in any way rather than enjoyable you just won't stick with it long term. I don't know if you have looked at any of Dr McDougall's work (the Starch Solution) - he basically says pick your favourite starch such as brown rice or potatoes, add a couple of veg and eat a couple of fruits a day and don't worry about much else.


That sounds lovely and simple for when I go back to work (I so miss work ) I've been making Buddha bowls recently which are great because it's so easy and I don't really have to worry about 'cooking' as such, i just cook the individual bits so its hard to go wrong! Must get a picture of one


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> We've all got bits we need to work on though @Elles. I think I've pretty much got my diet cracked, I'm losing the last few pounds I want to and inches from my waist and I'm more than happy with the results the diet brought with my (and my OH's) blood pressure and cholesterol levels but I have a totally inflexible rigid body and suffer with back/neck problems as a result. This is the area I intend to work on next. I've tried the beginners back and neck yoga video @ouesi posted - I'm ashamed to say I am so inflexible I can't even sit cross legged unless by knees are up near my ears :Jawdrop:Hilarious and as for kneeling or sitting back on my haunches :Arghh:Arghh I had to sit out most of the video or do all the stretches from the same position, it makes me so sad and angry that I haven't kept up the flexibility I had when I was younger and seems like an impossible hill to climb to improve it but having said that I feel a tiny bit better from the little bit I could do so I will keep plugging away. I walk a lot and have pretty good muscle strength (do a little bit of floor exercises with weights) but some days I struggle to put my knickers and socks on :Shamefullyembarrased


Thank the Gods that i'm not the only one. 

I tried that first video posted by @ouesi and barely managed walking my hands 3 inches in front of me. 

Slightly O/T, yet still relevant.

My dad came for a (rare) visit yesterday. Just had his medical. His cholesterol was 7, and BMI was 26 - apparently for him, it should be 25 or under. He's always tired, too. He has to go for a diabetes test. He's another "proteinaholic". I have more chance of getting my mum to change her diet, than getting him to. His attitude? He'll go when he goes. He's changing _nothing_.  :Banghead

So frustrating when you're up against that attitude.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Thank the Gods that i'm not the only one.
> 
> I tried that first video posted by @ouesi and barely managed walking my hands 3 inches in front of me.
> 
> Slightly O/T, yet still relevant.
> 
> My dad came for a (rare) visit yesterday. Just had his medical. His cholesterol was 7, and BMI was 26 - apparently for him, it should be 25 or under. He's always tired, too. He has to go for a diabetes test. He's another "proteinaholic". I have more chance of getting my mum to change her diet, than getting him to. His attitude? He'll go when he goes. He's changing _nothing_.  :Banghead
> 
> So frustrating when you're up against that attitude.


Sorry to hear about your Dad, just keep plugging away, you never know a little bit might get through and make a difference.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Brilliant interview with Dr Neal Barnard - discussing the backlash from "What the Health" and lots more - very thought provoking


----------



## catz4m8z

I do wish they would stop using these titles about 'debunking' or disapproving this diet though. I keep thinking somebody finally has some evidence againest it but it always turns out that some loon has said WFPB diets are just crap and then one of those 'crazy vegan types' pulls out a ton of studies disproving them! I mean I totally agree with the crazy vegans at this point but I kinda like to hear both sides of an argument too.

Just watched Cowspiracy today. :Wideyed:Nailbiting:Vomitunchrowning:Rage I must be a masochist...I was already on the bandwagon, I didnt really need to traumatize myself like that!!LOL:Hilarious:Shy


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> I do wish they would stop using these titles about 'debunking' or disapproving this diet though. I keep thinking somebody finally has some evidence againest it but it always turns out that some loon has said WFPB diets are just crap and then one of those 'crazy vegan types' pulls out a ton of studies disproving them! I mean I totally agree with the crazy vegans at this point but I kinda like to hear both sides of an argument too.
> 
> Just watched Cowspiracy today. :Wideyed:Nailbiting:Vomitunchrowning:Rage I must be a masochist...I was already on the bandwagon, I didnt really need to traumatize myself like that!!LOL:Hilarious:Shy


Youtube has quite a lot of videos by people queuing up to "debunk" What The Health - it seems to have rattled a lot of cages for some reason :Happy

You are very brave, I haven't watched Cowspiracy and don't intend to. Be warned if you get around to watching Eating You Alive it has some horrid animal bits in it towards the end - I had to fast forward through them - it was only a few minutes I think but the bit I accidentally saw really upset/disturbed me.

https://www.eatingyoualive.com/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I've just made this for our dinner tonight

http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/spicy-butterbean-chickpea-and-butternut-squash-stew/

I've been looking for a butterbean recipe for a while, I added extra paprika and some caraway seeds plus mushrooms and green beans as I want enough for two nights. Will report back on what its like but it looks and smells yummy.


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Youtube has quite a lot of videos by people queuing up to "debunk" What The Health - it seems to have rattled a lot of cages for some reason :Happy
> 
> You are very brave, I haven't watched Cowspiracy and don't intend to. /


Those 'debunkers' though!... I usually wind up shouting 'EVIDENCE!:Facepalm' at the screen coz most of them seem to think if you say something with enough authority then you dont need to back it up with stupid, inconsequential things like facts.:Bookworm
Cowspiracy isnt that bad TBH as its concentrating more on environmental impact rather then animal cruelty. Although it is jawdroppingly shocking what we are doing to the planet and it did make me cry at the thought we could be seeing empty oceans within my lifetime. Personally Im not brave enough for Earthlings!

That curry sounds awesome though, all my favourite things! My latest experiment involves coconut cream. Last night I made several portions of banana ice cream (just mashed banana, cinnamon and coconut cream) and the other half of the carton is going in a chickpea and vegetable curry.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

So after my yoga failure yesterday I've been looking at some beginners Pilates on Youtube as I've done a bit of it before with my physiotherapist. I've watched this class and really like her teaching style and think I can probably do most of it so going to try it out tomorrow

Part 1






Part 2 (not watched this one yet)


----------



## MilleD

Does whole food plant based equal vegan now? Has that word been dropped for some reason? I feel I've missed something x

I've not read the whole thread but some of the recipes are excellent x


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> So after my yoga failure yesterday


Pilates is good stuff too, but just to clarify, there is no failure in Yoga  
It's whatever works for you. Even if all you can do is barely move in that direction, that's okay. Any little bit is good for you


----------



## Guest

MilleD said:


> Does whole food plant based equal vegan now? Has that word been dropped for some reason? I feel I've missed something x


No, you can be vegan/vegetarian and eat very unhealthy. Potato chips, oreos, and coke are all vegan.
A whole food plant based diet is just that, a diet rich in unprocessed foods, mostly plants.


----------



## MilleD

ouesi said:


> No, you can be vegan/vegetarian and eat very unhealthy. Potato chips, oreos, and coke are all vegan.
> A whole food plant based diet is just that, a diet rich in unprocessed foods, mostly plants.


I see, thanks.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Pilates is good stuff too, but just to clarify, there is no failure in Yoga
> It's whatever works for you. Even if all you can do is barely move in that direction, that's okay. Any little bit is good for you


Yes I must work on being more positive when I can't do something  It felt like a big failure to not even be able to get into some of the starting positions and as for some of the transition movements :Jawdrop I've watched quite a few beginners yoga classes now and I think part of the problem is the instructor no matter how much they try to do basic movements is so flexible that they can't contemplate only being able to reach a tiny bit or bend a tiny bit or that people might not even be able to sit cross legged :Arghh I will try doing a little bit every day of the bits I could manage and see how I get on. I do a floor routine every day anyway but perhaps need to vary it as some of it is muscle strengthening whereas I need to find more to improve flexibility.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

MilleD said:


> Does whole food plant based equal vegan now? Has that word been dropped for some reason? I feel I've missed something x
> 
> I've not read the whole thread but some of the recipes are excellent x


The term whole food plant based was started as a way of differentiating people who were pretty much vegan for health reasons from those who were vegan for ethical reasons (animal rights) as the doctors and scientists working in the field felt the V word was associated with extremists and therefore people tended to dismiss it/not take it seriously. T Colin Campbell author of the The China Study and Whole is I think credited with starting to use the term - see his explanation in the brief article below

http://nutritionstudies.org/history-of-the-term-whole-food-plant-based/

I was not interested in defining this as a vegetarian diet or vegan diet (a word not yet known to me). The vegetarian idea was widely believed to be mostly 'outside of normal science.' I was very much aware of the charged atmosphere whenever that word was mentioned within the scientific community. But my research and that of a few others impressed upon me that nutritional treatment of cancer, if valid, was mostly about consuming low fat, high fiber diets, best achieved by consuming vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

Thus I believed that this 'V' idea had to be communicated in an objective, scientifically valid way. My solution was to choose "plant-based" for lack of a better word. I also thought that the idea had to rest on good solid science, if it were to survive. Still today, I avoid the 'V' words because most vegetarians consume too much animal based foods (such as dairy and fish) and total fat. Vegans tend to consume too much processed food and total fat. I added "whole" to my "plant-based" nomenclature a little later, in order to avoid the idea that isolated nutrients (as in supplements) and/or plant food fragments (refined carbohydrates sugar and white flour) conveyed health. My considerable experience in court testifying to the inappropriate use of nutrient supplements compelled me to add the word "whole" as in "whole food, plant-based."


----------



## Lurcherlad

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Yes I must work on being more positive when I can't do something  It felt like a big failure to not even be able to get into some of the starting positions and as for some of the transition movements :Jawdrop I've watched quite a few beginners yoga classes now and I think part of the problem is the instructor no matter how much they try to do basic movements is so flexible that they can't contemplate only being able to reach a tiny bit or bend a tiny bit or that people might not even be able to sit cross legged :Arghh I will try doing a little bit every day of the bits I could manage and see how I get on. I do a floor routine every day anyway but perhaps need to vary it as some of it is muscle strengthening whereas I need to find more to improve flexibility.


I think it helps when they have a couple of people behind the instructor showing different levels of a movement - we can then latch on to the one we feel most comparable to 

Even so, we should listen to our own bodies and not feel pressured to achieve the impossible, nor feel failures if we can't - yet! . If we push too hard we risk injury.

Small steps 

My chiropractor has advised me to do Pilates over Yoga as she knows my body, it's weakness and issues and my limitations.

I was planning on trying the Vibration Plate at the gym but she advised against it because of my joint issues.

I'm sure anyone watching my workout at the gym would think "what's the point" as it's relatively gentle, however, as a 56 year old who is overweight, stiff and unfit I need to start slowly and build gently - or risk injury or a heart attack!


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> The term whole food plant based was started as a way of differentiating people who were pretty much vegan for health reasons from those who were vegan for ethical reasons (animal rights) as the doctors and scientists working in the field felt the V word was associated with extremists and therefore people tended to dismiss it/not take it seriously. T Colin Campbell author of the The China Study and Whole is I think credited with starting to use the term - see his explanation in the brief article below
> 
> http://nutritionstudies.org/history-of-the-term-whole-food-plant-based/
> 
> I was not interested in defining this as a vegetarian diet or vegan diet (a word not yet known to me). The vegetarian idea was widely believed to be mostly 'outside of normal science.' I was very much aware of the charged atmosphere whenever that word was mentioned within the scientific community. But my research and that of a few others impressed upon me that nutritional treatment of cancer, if valid, was mostly about consuming low fat, high fiber diets, best achieved by consuming vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
> 
> Thus I believed that this 'V' idea had to be communicated in an objective, scientifically valid way. My solution was to choose "plant-based" for lack of a better word. I also thought that the idea had to rest on good solid science, if it were to survive. Still today, I avoid the 'V' words because most vegetarians consume too much animal based foods (such as dairy and fish) and total fat. Vegans tend to consume too much processed food and total fat. I added "whole" to my "plant-based" nomenclature a little later, in order to avoid the idea that isolated nutrients (as in supplements) and/or plant food fragments (refined carbohydrates sugar and white flour) conveyed health. My considerable experience in court testifying to the inappropriate use of nutrient supplements compelled me to add the word "whole" as in "whole food, plant-based."


Interesting, thanks for sharing 

From a personal POV, I simply don't like associating food with "diet" as in avoidance and deprivation. I don't think that's healthy long term. 
Vegan to me implies deprivation. Foods to avoid. Foods to feel "guilty" about eating. Guilt and food shouldn't go together.

Whereas WFPB diet implies inclusion. Foods to add in to your diet. 
Eat lots of fresh, yummy vegetables. Eat lots of fruit, oh I love fruit! Eat lots of whole grains and beans. Eat enough of the plant based foods, and pretty soon you find there isn't room left for other things. Not only is there no room left, you simply don't want the other things. And if there is a day that you don't stick to the WFPB plan, that's okay too. Just go back to eating the plant foods the next day because those plant based foods heal you every time you eat them


----------



## catz4m8z

ouesi said:


> Vegan to me implies deprivation. Foods to avoid. Foods to feel "guilty" about eating. Guilt and food shouldn't go together.


Thats kinda ironic really coz most vegans dont eat animal products coz they would feel "guilty" about eating them if they did!LOL
I think that the V word does seem to have unpopular connotations though, its weird how vegan food never seems to be labeled as such and uses vegetarian instead.
I dont think that people who are making a moral and ethical choice about their food really feel deprived of what they cant have though do they? Personally Im trying to be a wholefood vegan rather then WFPB. Thats not to say I wont cheat every now and then (I mean you can still eat chocolate, ice cream and my favourite...overly processed bagels!nom).


----------



## Guest

Dinner tonight veggie lasagna which I think I've finally perfected:









Half an onion
4 to 6 cloves garlic
1 red bell pepper
2 to 3 generous handfulls of fresh baby spinach
2 zucchini (courgette) 
Marinara (home made or store bought)
Meat replacement crumbles (Gardein brand is our favorite), you could also use mushrooms and crumbled walnuts I bet that would be good too. 
Optional: Mozzarella & romano or parmesan

Dice onion, garlic, bell pepper. Grate zucchini. 
Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil until onion softens. Add bell pepper, add in zucchini. Salt lightly. Continue cooking until zucchini softens a little. 
Wilt in several hanfuls of fresh spinach. 
Looks like this:








In a separate pot heat marinara and veggie crumbles.

The veggie layer is pretty wet so no need to pre-cook the lasagna noodles.

Layer noodles, marinara layer, veggie layer, then a thin layer of mozzarella (optional). Repeat. If you're not using cheese, top with a layer of breadcrumbs or nutritional yeast.

Cover with foil, bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 30 to 35 minutes.

If you can fight everyone off, let it stand for a good 20 minutes before serving. It smells amazing while it's cooking so be prepared for hostile family members wanting to know how soon it will be ready LOL!

This tastes even better the next day if you manage leftovers


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Looks amazing @ouesi - what are veggie crumbles?

I forgot to take photos of the butter bean stew/goulash thing I made the other day, I quite liked it but OH didn't - it was a bit heavy so perhaps might be better on a cold winter's night.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> what are veggie crumbles?


This is what I use, meat replacement basically. But I like this brand because it's somewhat less processed than a lot of the meat replacements and fewer ingredients. 
I bet you could use textured vegetable protein too. 
Honestly, I would eat this lasagna with just the marinara layer, especially when I make the marinara sauce myself. OH likes the meat replacement though, so I try to compromise


----------



## catz4m8z

Just nosed around the fridge for lunch and found half a tub of kidney beans and some hummus that was about to go off.
Made really tasty sandwich filling with mashed kidney beans, sweetcorn, spring onion, cucumber and hummus to hold it together. Open sandwiches made with home made wholemeal bread!
Am def going to be making that again!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I've just ordered some purple sweet potatoes on my shopping :Joyful I love them and haven't been able to get hold of any for a while.


----------



## Team_Trouble

I'm so proud of myself  I made a dish I feel is worth sharing on here!

1 green pepper
1 green chilli
Chilli powder
Around 150g soya mince
3 cloves garlic
Some tomato puree
1 carton Passata 
2 mushrooms
1 can kidney beans
Optional- most people would add an onion, but I don't like them

1. Fry the garlic, mushrooms, chilli and pepper until soft.
2. Add the soya mince and fry for a further 3 minutes
3. Add tomato puree, I just squeezed lots in, and stir, add chilli powder, however much you like. I added around a teaspoon, my mother usually puts a tablespoon in hers.
4. Add the kidney beans, including the water (helps moisten the soya mince)
5. Pour in the Passata, mix everything around and leave to simmer for 20-30 minutes 
6. Serve with wholegrain and wild rice
Enjoy


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I've just ordered some purple sweet potatoes on my shopping :Joyful I love them and haven't been able to get hold of any for a while.


I LOVE purple sweet potatoes! I can only get them in the fall/early winter, so I'm counting down the days until they show up in the supermarket


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

KatieandOliver said:


> I'm so proud of myself  I made a dish I feel is worth sharing on here!
> 
> 1 green pepper
> 1 green chilli
> Chilli powder
> Around 150g soya mince
> 3 cloves garlic
> Some tomato puree
> 1 carton Passata
> 2 mushrooms
> 1 can kidney beans
> Optional- most people would add an onion, but I don't like them
> 
> 1. Fry the garlic, mushrooms, chilli and pepper until soft.
> 2. Add the soya mince and fry for a further 3 minutes
> 3. Add tomato puree, I just squeezed lots in, and stir, add chilli powder, however much you like. I added around a teaspoon, my mother usually puts a tablespoon in hers.
> 4. Add the kidney beans, including the water (helps moisten the soya mince)
> 5. Pour in the Passata, mix everything around and leave to simmer for 20-30 minutes
> 6. Serve with wholegrain and wild rice
> Enjoy
> 
> View attachment 321360
> View attachment 321361


Well done, it looks lovely - did you enjoy it?


----------



## Team_Trouble

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Well done, it looks lovely - did you enjoy it?


Thank you I really did  and have some more for tomorrow


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Can I recommend this book for anyone who wants to know more about the calcium/bone health question we get asked almost as often as the where do you get your protein question. Its available on amazon










https://www.bookdepository.com/Building-Bone-Vitality-Amy-Joy-Lanou/9780071600194

I also have an interview with Amy Lanou which is really interesting/informative - the first 5 - 7 minutes are chat about her background and why she became plant based, from there on it discusses dairy/calcium and bone health. ETA they do go off topic and waffle on towards the end - about 30 mins of good stuff though.


----------



## LinznMilly

Anyone for any recipes involving bulgur wheat? (Obviously I'm not in a mad rush for recipes right now because it's 11:53 at night, but I have some in the cupboard and don't really know what to do with it).

I'm sure there will be recipes involving it somewhere in the thread, but browsing throw 20 pages of thread takes time and my eyes are getting heavy...


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Anyone for any recipes involving bulgur wheat? (Obviously I'm not in a mad rush for recipes right now because it's 11:53 at night, but I have some in the cupboard and don't really know what to do with it).
> 
> I'm sure there will be recipes involving it somewhere in the thread, but browsing throw 20 pages of thread takes time and my eyes are getting heavy...


I don't think I've used it in any of my recipes but I found a couple

Mediterranean Bowl
https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2016nl/jan/recipes.htm

This one has yoghurt as a dressing but you could use a vegan yoghurt

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/baked_sweet_potato_with_42313


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I don't think I've used it in any of my recipes but I found a couple
> 
> Mediterranean Bowl
> https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2016nl/jan/recipes.htm
> 
> This one has yoghurt as a dressing but you could use a vegan yoghurt
> 
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/baked_sweet_potato_with_42313


Thanks for that.  I seen it in a recipe, but can't find it now.


----------



## Guest

LinznMilly said:


> Anyone for any recipes involving bulgur wheat? (Obviously I'm not in a mad rush for recipes right now because it's 11:53 at night, but I have some in the cupboard and don't really know what to do with it).
> 
> I'm sure there will be recipes involving it somewhere in the thread, but browsing throw 20 pages of thread takes time and my eyes are getting heavy...


I've never used it (that I know of LOL) but I bet it would be great in soups and mixed in with veggie dishes


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Thanks for that.  I seen it in a recipe, but can't find it now.


I do that all the time, buy something because it was in a recipe I wanted to try then forget what/where the recipe was and get frustrated to be stuck with something I don't know what to use it in.


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I do that all the time, buy something because it was in a recipe I wanted to try then forget what/where the recipe was and get frustrated to be stuck with something I don't know what to use it in.


Haha! Glad I'm not the only one. 

Stupid thing is, it seemed to be everywhere before I decided to buy it, now I can't find it anywhere. :Wacky


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

This might work @LinznMilly

Its called Quinoa neat-loaf and its in Angelicious by Trinity Bourne

The recipe suggests 150 g of red quinoa but I've made it with mixed grains from Tesco which has quinoa and bulgur wheat (and a few other grains) and it worked so no reason it wouldn't work just with the bulgur wheat

150 g red quinoa or mixed grains - cooked as per instructions
1 medium apple - grated 
2 cloves garlic - crushed 
100 g of black or red kidney beans - mashed up (I used more beans than that)
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsps ground coriander 
handful fresh parsley chopped

Mix all the above ingredients together in a bowl - mash it altogether. Line a loaf tin (approx 7 x 4 x 3 inches) and press the mixture in. Bake for approx 45 mins at 200 c. Serve with a tomato sauce & veggies.

and this one looks simple but lovely - might try this myself

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/588654/garlic-and-herb-bulgur-wheat


----------



## Lurcherlad

I've been using Tofu in recipes - and decided , it's not actually that bad! 

Even DS tasted some in my veg curry last night (I'd fried it off in chunks in some oil to give it a bit of texture) and he said it was similar to Paneer


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I don't think I've used it in any of my recipes but I found a couple
> 
> Mediterranean Bowl
> https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2016nl/jan/recipes.htm
> 
> This one has yoghurt as a dressing but you could use a vegan yoghurt
> 
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/baked_sweet_potato_with_42313


I'm trying the top recipe now. I like that it's customisable.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> I'm trying the top recipe now. I like that it's customisable.


Let us know what its like


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Let us know what its like


It's a lot like quinoa, and IMHO, could probably be used as a substitute for it. Goes well with carrots and broccoli, and (although not strictly whole foods), the meat-free "meatballs" I used instead of tofu.

Quite nice, really.


----------



## Guest

I've been eating a ton of just plain salad lately, it's so hot, no one really feels like eating a heavy meal. 
One of my favorite salads lately is:
cucumber
tomatoes
apple
black olives
artichoke hearts
bell pepper
red onion
garbanzo beans

Chop everything up, toss together with oil & vinegar, salt/spice to taste, and I've been throwing it all on a bed of baby spinach leaves. 
It's a weird combination of veggies, but they all do really well together, and it's very satisfying too. 

My daughter is on a kick where she chops up strawberries and walnuts and puts them on a bed of spinach leaves with balsamic salad dressing and loves that as a side dish. I do like sweet fruits in a salad, really good combination


----------



## catz4m8z

ouesi said:


> I've never used it (that I know of LOL) but I bet it would be great in soups and mixed in with veggie dishes


I really like bulgur wheat. Its quite a nice one to add to salads as well as soups. Im working my way through the grains...tried millet the other day and not impressed TBH!:Shifty Next on the list is amaranth and teff.



ouesi said:


> My daughter is on a kick where she chops up strawberries and walnuts and puts them on a bed of spinach leaves with balsamic salad dressing and loves that as a side dish. I do like sweet fruits in a salad, really good combination


oooooh, that actually sounds really nice, plus I have all those ingredients in! Sounds like an awesome salad for getting your vitamin C, iron and omega 3 too!


----------



## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> oooooh, that actually sounds really nice, plus I have all those ingredients in! Sounds like an awesome salad for getting your vitamin C, iron and omega 3 too!


Yeah, 3 ingredients and really nutrient dense. It's a good idea! 
I'm such a mom though, I buy strawberries and then don't eat them because I know how much the kids love them and they just never seem to last long enough in this house.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Don't know if any of you are familiar with Dr Fuhrman's ANDI scores - its basically a nutrient density score showing the foods that have the highest micronutrients per calorie, he isn't saying you shouldn't eat foods with lower scores such as avacado/walnut but make the bulk of your meals from higher scoring foods. I believe they display the ANDI scores in Wholefoods supermarkets.

https://www.drfuhrman.com/content-image.ashx?id=73gjzcgyvqi9qywfg7055r


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Don't know if any of you are familiar with Dr Fuhrman's ANDI scores - its basically a nutrient density score showing the foods that have the highest micronutrients per calorie, he isn't saying you shouldn't eat foods with lower scores such as avacado/walnut but make the bulk of your meals from higher scoring foods. I believe they display the ANDI scores in Wholefoods supermarkets.
> 
> https://www.drfuhrman.com/content-image.ashx?id=73gjzcgyvqi9qywfg7055r


So daughter is doing well with her strawberry/spinach combo 
Haven't seen that particular chart, but just out of curiosity have looked up the nutrient profile of a lot of foods we eat regularly, and yes, getting those nutrient dense foods in you regularly really does make a difference. 
It's also interesting to me how many of those really nutrient dense foods are so low in calories. Bell peppers, which I love and put in just about everything have negligible calories, but they pack a punch in the nutrient department. And of course all those green leafies...


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Plant fit summit starting on 1 September - it lasts about 10 days, they usually have 3 - 4 speakers per day. You can register to watch/listen free here

https://plantfitsummit.com/

they usually put out a programme before it starts so you can make sure you listen to the ones you are interested in. Only slight drawback is the free pass means you only have access to that day's speakers for 24 hours so I usually pay and get lifetime access to the lectures. This one is a bit different to ones I've joined before as it has quite a lot of speakers on fitness rather than focusing entirely on diet.


----------



## Team_Trouble

I have enjoyed my other experiments with soya mince - great for making easy dishes like chilli and bolognese  and easy to get lots of veg in too, I just grate the mushrooms and don't notice them (I don't like mushrooms!). Today I have a cheeseless pizza in the oven, on wholegrain base, topped with cherry tomatoes, peppers and spinach (and homemade pizza sauce) :Hungry.


----------



## LinznMilly

I've been brave and bought a tin of chopped tomatoes (don't usually like toms).

Now that'll be another ingredient I see everywhere, until I buy it, when they all vanish. :Hilarious.


----------



## Guest

LinznMilly said:


> I've been brave and bought a tin of chopped tomatoes (don't usually like toms).
> 
> Now that'll be another ingredient I see everywhere, until I buy it, when they all vanish. :Hilarious.


I tend not to like tinned tomato anything. Something about the canning process changes the taste, and to me canned tomatoes always have a metallic taste. Glass jars don't seem to have the same effect. So if the tinned tomatoes don't work out, don't give up, try glass jars or fresh


----------



## LinznMilly

ouesi said:


> I tend not to like tinned tomato anything. Something about the canning process changes the taste, and to me canned tomatoes always have a metallic taste. Glass jars don't seem to have the same effect. So if the tinned tomatoes don't work out, don't give up, try glass jars or fresh


I've tried fresh tomatoes in the past and didn't like them. Strange how I don't mind passata or tomato-based pasta sauce. I'm using the tin as a step towards trying fresh toms again now that I'm vegetarian, but atm, I can't bring myself to buy fresh.


----------



## Team_Trouble

LinznMilly said:


> I've tried fresh tomatoes in the past and didn't like them. Strange how I don't mind passata or tomato-based pasta sauce. I'm using the tin as a step towards trying fresh toms again now that I'm vegetarian, but atm, I can't bring myself to buy fresh.


I am funny about tomatoes. If I'm putting them in as dish, I usually use Passata because I hate the texture of chopped tomatoes. But it put fresh cut cherry tomatoes on my pizza today and they were yummy :Hungry


----------



## catz4m8z

LinznMilly said:


> I've tried fresh tomatoes in the past and didn't like them. Strange how I don't mind passata or tomato-based pasta sauce. I'm using the tin as a step towards trying fresh toms again now that I'm vegetarian, but atm, I can't bring myself to buy fresh.


I wouldn't worry TBH. Tomatoes are one of the fruits and veg that is actually healthier for you if its cooked!
I love 'tinned' (well, I buy mine in cartons!) tomatoes and put them in everything. One of my favourite dishes is tinned toms and fresh, courgettes, onion and garlic. Then I add different things as the mood takes me and use it to top baked potatoes, pasta, rice, etc. Yesterday I added baby corn and marinated tofu....really tasty!


----------



## LinznMilly

I really need to get tofu, but the only shop I know where to look for it, is Asda, but even then, it's it's one store, which wouldn't be a problem if I was still driving, but I don't have a car atm. 

I might do an online shop and get it that way.


----------



## catz4m8z

LinznMilly said:


> I might do an online shop and get it that way.


online shopping is the way to go! I cant remember the last time I went to Sainsbury in person!LOL The delivery people probably hate me though, they have to climb a flight of steps and walk past 20 houses to get to me.:Shy

Its amazing how quickly you get used to eating more fruit and veg. I got in from work the other day and was so tired I couldn't be bothered doing breakfast (yes, even porridge or cereal was too much effort!). Before I might have grabbed a packet of crisps or cereal bar but instead I just chucked a load of strawberries, blueberries and grapes in a bowl.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> online shopping is the way to go! I cant remember the last time I went to Sainsbury in person!LOL The delivery people probably hate me though, they have to climb a flight of steps and walk past 20 houses to get to me.:Shy
> 
> Its amazing how quickly you get used to eating more fruit and veg. I got in from work the other day and was so tired I couldn't be bothered doing breakfast (yes, even porridge or cereal was too much effort!). Before I might have grabbed a packet of crisps or cereal bar but instead I just chucked a load of strawberries, blueberries and grapes in a bowl.


Could you stick some overnight oats in the fridge before you go to work so you have a nice breakfast ready for you when you come home tired in the morning?

I made some pesto yesterday with pine nuts, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, tomatoes, basil and spinach. It was a bit sharp so I added some sultanas to the blender. I didn't think I liked it on first taste but drizzled it over some mixed grains, leaks, onion, mushrooms, sweetcorn and soya beans for my lunch and really liked it so I used it again for dinner, cooked up some pasta and more soya beans then added the pesto and mixed it all together so it was coating the pasta and served with a large salad. I didn't expect OH to like it as he can be a bit funny with new things but he enjoyed it too.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Another brilliant video - Dr Michael Klaper is one of my favourite plant based doctors, I haven't finished watching it yet as it is quite long so watch it in shorter segments or while you are cooking etc. This talk is being given to the vegetarian society of Hawaii.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Another brilliant video - Dr Michael Klaper is one of my favourite plant based doctors, I haven't finished watching it yet as it is quite long so watch it in shorter segments or while you are cooking etc. This talk is being given to the vegetarian society of Hawaii.


I saw this pop up in my "suggested for you" videos on Youtube. Haven't watched it yet either, but it's on my list 

Found a nice looking recipe for salad dressing. Haven't tried it yet, but the second one on here looks good to me, though I would probably skip the raisins....
https://plantbasedcookingshow.com/2017/04/10/two-oil-free-vegan-salad-dressings/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

My favourite salad dressing is walnut vinaigrette from Dr Fuhrman

60 mls (quarter cup) balsamic vinegar
110 mls (half cup) water
25 g (quarter cup) walnuts 
30 g (quarter cup) raisins
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic
quarter teaspoon dried thyme


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I've decided to try out a few smoothie recipes - I'm not really one for smoothies as I prefer to eat the fruit as it comes and experience the individual taste/textures but I want to try getting some extra greens (kale & spinach) in to my day so I've been looking at some of Dr Fuhrman's smoothies and have just made his chocolate cherry smoothie - waiting for OH to come back to have it but had a taste and its really nice especially considering it has quite a lot of kale in it 

3 cups of kale (tough stems removed)
Third cup of vanilla soy, hemp or almond milk
Third cup of pomegranate juice (guess other juice would work fine)
1 cup frozen cherries
1 tablespoon cocoa power

The frozen cherries give it a really lovely cold and fresh taste.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

It was a bit heavy going and quite bitter not sure if that was the kale or the cocoa so I added some banana which took the edge off it but not sure I could drink that regularly.

This version on his website looks a bit more palatable and gives the nutritional content too

https://www.drfuhrman.com/recipes/449/chocolate-cherry-smoothie


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Found another really quick and easy lunch - Tesco do a pack of 4 sachets of frozen kale, broccoli, sweet potato and beetroot, takes a few minutes in the microwave so I microwaved it then chucked it in a wok, threw in some black beans (from a tin) and a spoon of hot chilli sauce (could use anything or just have it plain) and served it on rice with a wholemeal pitta. It was lovely, quick and very nutritious


----------



## Guest

I'm watching that Dr. Klaper talk this morning - have to pause it and take the dogs, they're bugging me, but so far lots of good info. A lot of validating stuff for me because we already do it (like my obsession with sauteing onions and garlic in to just about everything, apparently that's a good thing LOL), but also good info to share for why those whole plants make such a huge difference.


----------



## Lurcherlad

A handling of spinach in a fruit smoothie is nice


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I'm watching that Dr. Klaper talk this morning - have to pause it and take the dogs, they're bugging me, but so far lots of good info. A lot of validating stuff for me because we already do it (like my obsession with sauteing onions and garlic in to just about everything, apparently that's a good thing LOL), but also good info to share for why those whole plants make such a huge difference.


Glad you are enjoying it - I'm about 20 mins from the end now and have learnt quite a lot from it.


----------



## Rudydog

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Found another really quick and easy lunch - Tesco do a pack of 4 sachets of frozen kale, broccoli, sweet potato and beetroot, takes a few minutes in the microwave so I microwaved it then chucked it in a wok, threw in some black beans (from a tin) and a spoon of hot chilli sauce (could use anything or just have it plain) and served it on rice with a wholemeal pitta. It was lovely, quick and very nutritious


Oh that sounds right up my street!


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Glad you are enjoying it - I'm about 20 mins from the end now and have learnt quite a lot from it.


At the ketosis part, very interesting about kidney stones. 
Purely anecdotal of course, but there seem to be far more people with kidney stones these days, I wonder if there is a link between higher meat consumption and kidney stones? 
I've seen them blamed on our addiction to sodas, coke, diet coke, etc., and surely those can't be good either. But I don't imagine a diet so high in meat is good either.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Rudydog said:


> Oh that sounds right up my street!


We liked it so much we had it again today 



ouesi said:


> At the ketosis part, very interesting about kidney stones.
> Purely anecdotal of course, but there seem to be far more people with kidney stones these days, I wonder if there is a link between higher meat consumption and kidney stones?
> I've seen them blamed on our addiction to sodas, coke, diet coke, etc., and surely those can't be good either. But I don't imagine a diet so high in meat is good either.


Yes there is a link between meat/high animal protein consumption and kidney stones. In Garth Davis MD's book "Proteinaholic" he says

"Meat breaks down in the body to purines and uric acid. These substance cause gout which can be an extremely painful arthritic condition. Possibly even more painful are the kidney stones that can form from uric acid. If you switch to a plant based diet uric acid drops precipitously and kidney stones/gout can be avoided".

This is an interesting interview with him (not too long )






Have to say the Michael Klaper video is one of the best I've seen - so many light bulb moments


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Here is the schedule for the Plant Fit summit I mentioned earlier which starts on Friday 1st September - free to register and watch although as I mentioned they only give free access for 24 hrs so have a look and pick out any of interest/make a note of their date.

https://plantfitsummit.com/schedule-2017/

I've paid the fee so I can have life time access as I like to be able to go back and watch some of them again. The ones I'm really looking forward to are

*Friday 1st*
Neal Barnard MD - The single most addictive food.
Rip Esselstyn - 7 Pillars to rescue your health in 7 days (shout out to @noushka05 )

*Saturday 2nd*
Kim Williams (Cardiologist and past president of American College of Cardiology) The number one killer and one simple solution.

*Sunday 3rd*
Robert Cheeke From protein addict to healthy muscles (he gave a few lectures on my course).

*Monday 4th*
Shamiz & Shukul Kachwalla - The truth about carbs and digestion.
Derek & Marcella - The plant fit family.

*Tuesday 5th*
Silke Bender - Yoga for performance (so I can fantasise about being fitter )

*Wednesday 6th*
Anna Chisholm - Number one principle to easily adopt a healthy diet.

*Thursday 7th*
Anastasia Zinchenko - The psychology of healthy eating.

There isn't anyone I know or am particularly drawn to on Friday 8th and Saturday 9th although I will eventually get round to having a look at them.

*Sunday 10th*
Dr Alan Goldhamer - Caught in the hidden food trap.
Andrew "spud fit" Taylor - How one ordinary food can change your life.

*Feature weekend 16th - 17th September*

T Colin Campbell (China study) - Plant based health.
Lani Muelrath - Mind, movement, food, the trilogy of health.
Dr Michael Klaper - Solving the mystery of what we are meant to eat.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

If you've seen the headlines/hype about the possible new "wonder drug" for cutting heart disease risk by reducing inflammation

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-41071954

you might just be thinking great, easy answer, no need to worry about lifestyle anymore, just pop another pill. Have a listen to Dr Joel Kahn's (cardiologist) views on the subject - only a couple of minutes


----------



## catz4m8z

It is crazy how we take pills instead of just making simple lifestyle changes. I think it is lack of education alot of the time. Drs dont get enough training about the importance of things like diet, sleep, mental health, etc and then the big industries (pharmaceutical, dairy, beef, etc) shower us with propaganda about how we _need_ their products. No wonder we wind up at risk of poor health.

On another note can I just say I love my soup maker! Its like my instant compost machine. Just had a food delivery today with fresh veggies so wanted to empty out any rubbery, browning veg to make room. Used onion, potato, celery, sweet potato, red cabbage(Heidi also got rid of some. she loves cabbage!), cauliflower and a quarter tub of hummus that was just past its sell by date.
Made a really tasty (although weirdly pink) soup....had it with organic seeded oatcakes today.


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Here is the schedule for the Plant Fit summit I mentioned earlier which starts on Friday 1st September - free to register and watch although as I mentioned they only give free access for 24 hrs so have a look and pick out any of interest/make a note of their date.
> 
> https://plantfitsummit.com/schedule-2017/
> 
> I've paid the fee so I can have life time access as I like to be able to go back and watch some of them again. The ones I'm really looking forward to are
> 
> *Friday 1st*
> Neal Barnard MD - The single most addictive food.
> Rip Esselstyn - 7 Pillars to rescue your health in 7 days (shout out to @noushka05 )
> 
> *Saturday 2nd*
> Kim Williams (Cardiologist and past president of American College of Cardiology) The number one killer and one simple solution.
> 
> *Sunday 3rd*
> Robert Cheeke From protein addict to healthy muscles (he gave a few lectures on my course).
> 
> *Monday 4th*
> Shamiz & Shukul Kachwalla - The truth about carbs and digestion.
> Derek & Marcella - The plant fit family.
> 
> *Tuesday 5th*
> Silke Bender - Yoga for performance (so I can fantasise about being fitter )
> 
> *Wednesday 6th*
> Anna Chisholm - Number one principle to easily adopt a healthy diet.
> 
> *Thursday 7th*
> Anastasia Zinchenko - The psychology of healthy eating.
> 
> There isn't anyone I know or am particularly drawn to on Friday 8th and Saturday 9th although I will eventually get round to having a look at them.
> 
> *Sunday 10th*
> Dr Alan Goldhamer - Caught in the hidden food trap.
> Andrew "spud fit" Taylor - How one ordinary food can change your life.
> 
> *Feature weekend 16th - 17th September*
> 
> T Colin Campbell (China study) - Plant based health.
> Lani Muelrath - Mind, movement, food, the trilogy of health.
> Dr Michael Klaper - Solving the mystery of what we are meant to eat.


Signed up.

I'd love to be here to watch the feature weekend, but I'm on holiday, that weekend and doubt I'll get any decent WiFi signal.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

If anyone feels they can help with crowd funding a new vegan documentary/film please have a look at the link and the trailer for the film called "The Invisible Vegan" - it raises some issues I have to say I've never even thought about before. Without crowd funding "what the health" would not have been made/released so please share and/or help if you can.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-invisible-vegan-documentary-films-food#/

*The Invisible Vegan* is a 90-minute independent documentary that explores the problem of unhealthy dietary patterns in the African-American community, foregrounding the health and wellness possibilities enabled by plant-based vegan diets and lifestyle choices.


----------



## Elles

My current obsession is ( plant based) Greek style yogurt on seedless grapes. Grape dip.  Fortunately fake yogurt is quite rich, or I'd sit and eat grapes dipped in it all day and nothing else.

I'm now fully vegan. The choice of fake and exotic foods today is incredible. Back in the day it was a packet of peanuts, then some chunks you soaked in marmite water if you were lucky enough to find it. The only vegetarian choice when eating out was lasagne, then some rare establishments introduced nut roast. Usually very dry with a light smattering of a tomato based sauce. Vegan was nearly impossible. I remember the first vegetarian cafe in my area, called Poppy's, I had my wedding reception there. I was the only vegetarian, but it was my wedding, so tough. :Hilarious

Thanks to this thread dairy has also been no longer on my menu.

Thanks @rottiepointerhouse .


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Elles said:


> My current obsession is ( plant based) Greek style yogurt on seedless grapes. Grape dip.  Fortunately fake yogurt is quite rich, or I'd sit and eat grapes dipped in it all day and nothing else.
> 
> I'm now fully vegan. The choice of fake and exotic foods today is incredible. Back in the day it was a packet of peanuts, then some chunks you soaked in marmite water if you were lucky enough to find it. The only vegetarian choice when eating out was lasagne, then some rare establishments introduced nut roast. Usually very dry with a light smattering of a tomato based sauce. Vegan was nearly impossible. I remember the first vegetarian cafe in my area, called Poppy's, I had my wedding reception there. I was the only vegetarian, but it was my wedding, so tough. :Hilarious
> 
> Thanks to this thread dairy has also been no longer on my menu.
> 
> Thanks @rottiepointerhouse .


You've made my day Elles :Joyful:Joyful


----------



## Matrod

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I've decided to try out a few smoothie recipes - I'm not really one for smoothies as I prefer to eat the fruit as it comes and experience the individual taste/textures but I want to try getting some extra greens (kale & spinach) in to my day so I've been looking at some of Dr Fuhrman's smoothies and have just made his chocolate cherry smoothie - waiting for OH to come back to have it but had a taste and its really nice especially considering it has quite a lot of kale in it
> 
> 3 cups of kale (tough stems removed)
> Third cup of vanilla soy, hemp or almond milk
> Third cup of pomegranate juice (guess other juice would work fine)
> 1 cup frozen cherries
> 1 tablespoon cocoa power
> 
> The frozen cherries give it a really lovely cold and fresh taste.


Green juicing takes some getting used to, I find an apple or two in with it takes the edge off. I've been doing some juicing today, carrot, apple, celery, ginger & lime combined is my absolute favourite. I also bought a fermenting jar today, can't wait to have a go at that, I'm going to try making kimchi first. Fermented foods are supposed to contain ridiculous amounts of live friendly bacteria, way more than you'd get in a probiotic.


----------



## Guest

Matrod said:


> Green juicing takes some getting used to, I find an apple or two in with it takes the edge off. I've been doing some juicing today, carrot, apple, celery, ginger & lime combined is my absolute favourite. I also bought a fermenting jar today, can't wait to have a go at that, I'm going to try making kimchi first. Fermented foods are supposed to contain ridiculous amounts of live friendly bacteria, way more than you'd get in a probiotic.


I think the only fermented thing I'll go with is tempeh. 
I've never managed to like any fermented drinks, tried kombucha and :Vomit
I don't know how people drink the stuff and claim it tastes good. Tastes like feet!!


----------



## Magyarmum

@rottiepointerhouse. Thank you for starting this thread which although I haven't finished reading it all yet I'm finding extremely informative. And thank you also @ouesi for your interesting input all of which I found very helpful.

My son developed type 1 diabetes at 16 years old. He's now 50 and although he's always been able to keep the diabetes under control, his cholesterol level and blood pressure had started to go up and he was beginning to suffer with poor circulation in his legs. At the beginning of this month after reading some articles by Dr John McDougall he decided to give up eating meat and dairy products, but to continue eating fish in moderation.

When I spoke to him last Thursday, he was saying that in the short time he's been on the new diet his cholesterol and blood pressure are lower, and more importantly his blood sugar level no longer drops so rapidly. His consultant has now put him on a longer lasting insulin which my son's pleased about because he's put on weight with the one he's been on for the past few years which he's now hoping to lose. He tells me he feels better than he has done in years and even though he was a big meat and cheese eater so far he hasn't missed them.

I'm not a vegetarian myself, but am seriously thinking about it especially for when my son comes to stay in November, I only ever eat small amounts of meat and poultry and have never particularly liked eggs, cream or cheese so for the most part it wouldn't be too difficult to give them up. The main problem is that Hungary doesn't cater for non meat eaters and it's extremely difficult to find a good selection of grains for example. Tofu is unheard of and the Alpro range whilst you can buy it in the larger supermarkets such as Tesco is horribly expensive! I'll just have to see how it goes and try to be creative (or maybe compromise a little) with the ingredients I can obtain. Should be fun!


----------



## Magyarmum

ouesi said:


> I think the only fermented thing I'll go with is tempeh.
> I've never managed to like any fermented drinks, tried kombucha and :Vomit
> I don't know how people drink the stuff and claim it tastes good. Tastes like feet!!


Hungarians love their fermented vegetables which are called "csalamade". You can buy them from the chilled food counter in virtually any supermarket. My favourite is the mixed vegetable made with shredded cabbage, peppers, onions, carrot and cucumber .... yummy!

At the farm shop in my local town, when the cabbages are ready you can buy enormous plastic sacks of shredded cabbage ready to be made into sauerkraut!


----------



## LinznMilly

@rottiepointerhouse , you're converting the whole forum. 

I finished Proteinaholic. Going to start reading Blue Zones.


----------



## Matrod

ouesi said:


> I think the only fermented thing I'll go with is tempeh.
> I've never managed to like any fermented drinks, tried kombucha and :Vomit
> I don't know how people drink the stuff and claim it tastes good. Tastes like feet!!


With you on the kombucha, it's rank :Facepalm. I've never tried tempeh, what do you do with it?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Magyarmum said:


> @rottiepointerhouse. Thank you for starting this thread which although I haven't finished reading it all yet I'm finding extremely informative. And thank you also @ouesi for your interesting input all of which I found very helpful.
> 
> My son developed type 1 diabetes at 16 years old. He's now 50 and although he's always been able to keep the diabetes under control, his cholesterol level and blood pressure had started to go up and he was beginning to suffer with poor circulation in his legs. At the beginning of this month after reading some articles by Dr John McDougall he decided to give up eating meat and dairy products, but to continue eating fish in moderation.
> 
> When I spoke to him last Thursday, he was saying that in the short time he's been on the new diet his cholesterol and blood pressure are lower, and more importantly his blood sugar level no longer drops so rapidly. His consultant has now put him on a longer lasting insulin which my son's pleased about because he's put on weight with the one he's been on for the past few years which he's now hoping to lose. He tells me he feels better than he has done in years and even though he was a big meat and cheese eater so far he hasn't missed them.
> 
> I'm not a vegetarian myself, but am seriously thinking about it especially for when my son comes to stay in November, I only ever eat small amounts of meat and poultry and have never particularly liked eggs, cream or cheese so for the most part it wouldn't be too difficult to give them up. The main problem is that Hungary doesn't cater for non meat eaters and it's extremely difficult to find a good selection of grains for example. Tofu is unheard of and the Alpro range whilst you can buy it in the larger supermarkets such as Tesco is horribly expensive! I'll just have to see how it goes and try to be creative (or maybe compromise a little) with the ingredients I can obtain. Should be fun!


I love Dr McDougall, he keeps things so simple and doesn't beat around the bush. Wonderful to hear how well your son is doing since he started following the McDougall programme. There are quite a few of his videos on youtube including a couple about diabetes, Dr Neal Barnard also is very good on diabetes. Good luck with making some changes yourself too - shout if we can help.



LinznMilly said:


> @rottiepointerhouse , you're converting the whole forum.
> 
> I finished Proteinaholic. Going to start reading Blue Zones.


Not just me, everyone who is contributing to this thread is helping other people to see how easy it is and how it isn't about depriving yourself or boring  I'm so happy that so many people have joined in and watch some of the videos or read some of the books or contributed recipes etc.


----------



## Guest

Magyarmum said:


> Hungarians love their fermented vegetables which are called "csalamade". You can buy them from the chilled food counter in virtually any supermarket. My favourite is the mixed vegetable made with shredded cabbage, peppers, onions, carrot and cucumber .... yummy!
> 
> At the farm shop in my local town, when the cabbages are ready you can buy enormous plastic sacks of shredded cabbage ready to be made into sauerkraut!


Ugh, not a fan of sauerkraut either :Stop My best friend growing up was half German and her mom made it, and just no....
But then I don't even like pickles that much. I'll eat them if I have to, but give me a plain cucumber any day. 
I know fermented foods are supposed to be good for you, but I just can't seem to develop a taste for them!



Matrod said:


> With you on the kombucha, it's rank :Facepalm. I've never tried tempeh, what do you do with it?


Oh tempeh is awesome. Slice it up, fry it up, put it in your stir fries, top it on salad, make sandwiches with it. It's made from soy, but totally different from tofu. Has a different flavor and texture. It's really good


----------



## LinznMilly

What do people think about this being a sticky? I know I've already done it, but I can always move it back down again if you would all prefer?


----------



## Guest

LinznMilly said:


> What do people think about this being a sticky? I know I'be already done it, but I can always move it back down again if you would all prefer?


I think it's great! Thank you for doing that!


----------



## LinznMilly

ouesi said:


> I think it's great! Thank you for doing that!


_That_ was quick. :Jawdrop


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I've got mixed views. I worry that people won't notice it up here in the sticky section and therefore the only people who will read it are those already participating and getting alerts. Interestingly I always got alerts for new posts where it was before but not for the new ones since it moved up here but others might be different. I'm happy to go with what the majority of the thread users think though.


----------



## Guest

LinznMilly said:


> _That_ was quick. :Jawdrop


I type fast


----------



## SusieRainbow

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I've got mixed views. I worry that people won't notice it up here in the sticky section and therefore the only people who will read it are those already participating and getting alerts. Interestingly I always got alerts for new posts where it was before but not for the new ones since it moved up here but others might be different. I'm happy to go with what the majority of the thread users think though.


That's a very good point, it may well be better to keep it as a continuous thread to maintain interest.
I have a soup-maker which I use 2-3x a week to make my favourite. 
Red Peppers ,
Chopped tomatoes with chilli and Garlic.
Chopped red onion,
Carrots 
Veg Stock.
Squeeze of turmeric golden paste.
It is so yummy , I have it every day with a few cheesy croutons and feel so virtuous !
We'll see what others think about the sticky , if we leave it open it can be updated regularly with new evidence and ideas, and would then be visible in New Posts.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Interesting little read on how easy it is to cloud the issue with misleading studies such as this one showing high fibre diets don't protect against diverticulosis (it helps if you actually use a high fibre diet in the first place)

https://nutritionfacts.org/2017/08/...-24208457&mc_cid=c6b1e9c220&mc_eid=53363da263


----------



## catz4m8z

SusieRainbow said:


> I have a soup-maker which I use 2-3x a week to make my favourite.
> .


Another soup fan!:Woot Ive taken to making all my soups blended then I keep plenty of frozen veg (peas, sweetcorn, grated carrot, spinach, etc) that I can just throw in with each portion so I get a different soup every day. I try to make sure every meal has fruit/veg, starchy carbs and protein so I also add either brown rice, WW pasta, WM bread and some sort of bean or lentil as well.
Also have a really awesome creamy curry for tea as well made with butternut squash, sweet potato, chickpeas and coconut milk.
It really was easy to stop eating animal products too, I still dont feel like I missed anything. Although I did start off using the more processed vegan food and weaned myself onto whole foods!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Forks over Knives newsletter has an extract from Garth Davis's book Proteinaholic

https://www.forksoverknives.com/obe...p&utm_term=Obesity-Not-About-Carbs#gs.b1PCs04

and a very inspirational guy who turned his life around after a heart attack

https://www.forksoverknives.com/hea...utm_term=Doug-Schmidt-Heart-Attack#gs.EMhi6kA


----------



## Team_Trouble

It's nice that the thread is always easy to find now, but will people be less inclined to reply as most stickies don't get much activity? I don't know. But it's great that it's so visible.


----------



## noushka05

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Here is the schedule for the Plant Fit summit I mentioned earlier which starts on Friday 1st September - free to register and watch although as I mentioned they only give free access for 24 hrs so have a look and pick out any of interest/make a note of their date.
> 
> https://plantfitsummit.com/schedule-2017/
> 
> I've paid the fee so I can have life time access as I like to be able to go back and watch some of them again. The ones I'm really looking forward to are
> 
> *Friday 1st*
> Neal Barnard MD - The single most addictive food.
> Rip Esselstyn - 7 Pillars to rescue your health in 7 days (shout out to @noushka05 )
> 
> *Saturday 2nd*
> Kim Williams (Cardiologist and past president of American College of Cardiology) The number one killer and one simple solution.
> 
> *Sunday 3rd*
> Robert Cheeke From protein addict to healthy muscles (he gave a few lectures on my course).
> 
> *Monday 4th*
> Shamiz & Shukul Kachwalla - The truth about carbs and digestion.
> Derek & Marcella - The plant fit family.
> 
> *Tuesday 5th*
> Silke Bender - Yoga for performance (so I can fantasise about being fitter )
> 
> *Wednesday 6th*
> Anna Chisholm - Number one principle to easily adopt a healthy diet.
> 
> *Thursday 7th*
> Anastasia Zinchenko - The psychology of healthy eating.
> 
> There isn't anyone I know or am particularly drawn to on Friday 8th and Saturday 9th although I will eventually get round to having a look at them.
> 
> *Sunday 10th*
> Dr Alan Goldhamer - Caught in the hidden food trap.
> Andrew "spud fit" Taylor - How one ordinary food can change your life.
> 
> *Feature weekend 16th - 17th September*
> 
> T Colin Campbell (China study) - Plant based health.
> Lani Muelrath - Mind, movement, food, the trilogy of health.
> Dr Michael Klaper - Solving the mystery of what we are meant to eat.


All signed up Cheers for thinking of me RPH. I think this might already have been posted? Its the recipe section off the Engine2 website. http://engine2diet.com/blog/category/recipes/ I'm definitely going to give some of these a go but I wont be having that tortilla dish for my breakfast like Rip does


----------



## rona

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-08/mu-iss082517.php

*International study shows moderate consumption of fats and carbohydrates best for health*


----------



## LinznMilly

Today's lunch is lentil ragu turned kale salad (lentil ragu was yesterday's lunch, of which I did wayyyyyyy too much, so for today's lunch, I threw the leftovers in the slow cooker, and added a jugfull of kale).

To give you an idea of how much was leftover from yesterday (and s0at the risk of my SIL seeing this and calling me a hypocrite because I normally complain about those taking pics of their food....), this is my 2nd helping of today's salad:


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

rona said:


> https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-08/mu-iss082517.php
> 
> *International study shows moderate consumption of fats and carbohydrates best for health*


Thanks for dropping in to contribute to the thread Rona. What do you make of the above study? Here are some of the plant based doctors reactions so far

*John McDougall, MD*

This is a study comparing the health of people who eat junk food in the US and Europe. Studies done before 1980 - when many populations ate high starch diets (rice, corn, potatoes, etc.) as the source of carbohydrates (China, Peru, Rural Africa, Japan, etc.) there was no heart disease (obesity, type-2 diabetes, MS, RA, prostate, colon, or breast cancer, etc. in these populations - (except among the few rich people living there) - now the source of carbohydrates studied is cookies, candy, cakes, soda, etc., especially in this study of populations from two wealthy areas of the world (US and Europe) - and many of the other counties that now eat as we do).

"Moreover, North American and European populations consume a lower carbohydrate diet than populations elsewhere where most people consume very high carbohydrate diets mainly from refined sources".

"Moreover, in our study most participants from low-income and middle-income countries consumed a very high carbohydrate diet (at least 60% of energy), especially from refined sources (such as white rice and white bread), which have been shown to be associated with increased risk of total mortality and cardiovascular events.42 "

BTW: *Funding: *
unrestricted grants from several pharmaceutical companies (with major contributions from AstraZeneca [Canada], Sano -Aventis [France and Canada], Boehringer Ingelheim [Germany and Canada], Servier, and GlaxoSmithKline), and additional contributions from Novartis and King Pharma and from various national or local organisations in participating countries.

*Professor Jim Mann, director, Edgar Diabetes and Obesity Research, University of Otago*

This study presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress and published in The Lancet suggests that a high carbohydrate intake is associated with a higher risk of total mortality, whereas total fat and individual types of fat were related to lower total mortality.

This observation together with the findings that total fat and types of fat were not associated with cardiovascular disease and saturated fat was inversely associated with stroke lead the authors to suggest that 'removing current restrictions on fat intake but limiting carbohydrate intake (when high) might improve health'. They conclude that global dietary guidelines should be reconsidered in the light of their findings.

Given that their findings are based on observations made on over 135,000 people in 18 countries one might assume that such conclusions are definitive. *There are however major limitations to these conclusions some of which are acknowledged by the authors*. The limitations apply to countries like New Zealand as well as to countries which traditionally have a high carbohydrate intake such as China, which the authors suggest may particularly benefit from their recommendations.

It is important to consider this study in the context of a large body of evidence regarding nutrition and health, and not consider the results of this single study in isolation. Importantly the strengths and limitations of each study must be considered. Important strengths of this study are the large sample size, and inclusion of populations from a wide variety of countries and regions throughout the world. The pooling together of such diverse populations with diverse patterns of lifestyle and dietary patterns poses some challenges however with respect to interpretation of the results.
*
A key limitation is that there is no distinction between carbohydrates which have been repeatedly shown to be detrimental to health *(e.g. free sugars such as table sugar, refined grains) *and those which have been clearly shown to have health benefits *(e.g. fibre-rich wholegrains, legumes, vegetables and fruits).

Other very large cohort studies have shown that there are health benefits when saturated fat is replaced either by polyunsaturated fat or wholegrains but not when replaced by sugars or refined grains.

A major difficulty in interpretation results from the fact that the most striking effects were seen when comparing extreme levels of intake. For example, the risk of death was 28 per cent higher among those with diets high in carbohydrate than in those with the lowest intakes. However, those with the highest intake were obtaining 77 per cent of energy from carbohydrate and those with lowest intake 46 per cent energy from carbohydrate.

In New Zealand, current intakes are not appreciably different from those in the low intake category. The 'benefits' of fat are similarly mainly apparent when comparing extreme levels of intake.

Carbohydrate intakes are highest amongst the predominantly rice-eating countries including China and countries in South Asia (carbohydrates providing 65 to 68 per cent total calories) and it is these countries which the authors suggest might be particularly at risk from their high carbohydrate intakes.

*However, in the largest cities in China fat intake has increased appreciably at the expense of carbohydrate consumption and rates of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease have increased.* In China, this new dietary trend which appears to be compatible with the recommendations of the authors is also associated with increasing cholesterol levels. There would seem to be considerable risk associated with offering recommendations which are in conflict with traditional dietary patterns.
*
Japan was not represented in this study but it is noteworthy that in that country where rice is a staple food life expectancy is the greatest in the world.*

National and international dietary guidelines are increasingly emphasising diet quality and that a wide range of macronutrient intakes can contribute to a diet associated with positive health benefits. Recommending the optimal sources of carbohydrate and fat is more important than precise amounts.

Current guidelines which we endorse recommend that people continue to eat a diet that is rich in vegetables and fruit, legumes, pulses, nuts, wholegrains, and vegetable oils. Importantly, people should limit the amount of free sugars, salt and highly processed food. A range of dietary patterns, including Mediterranean, Asian style and other traditional dietary patterns can be consistent with this approach.
*
Dr Joel Kahn (cardiologist) *- short video response






130,000 people who filled out just one questionnaire about their diets in 10 years doesn't make for a very accurate scientific study.


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## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> *A key limitation is that there is no distinction between carbohydrates which have been repeatedly shown to be detrimental to health *(e.g. free sugars such as table sugar, refined grains) *and those which have been clearly shown to have health benefits *(e.g. fibre-rich wholegrains, legumes, vegetables and fruits).


This. 
You can't tell me that a bowl of refined table sugar is equal to a bowl of whole grain rice. Both mostly carbohydrate, but one completely different than the other.

Years ago a friend was on a diet program (weight watchers, Jenny Craig, one of those) and she wouldn't eat a fruit salad because it had "too much sugar." 
There has to be a distinction made between sugar in a whole fruit with all the fiber, vitamins, micronutrients, etc., and refined, processed sugar. That people think those are equal is a travesty


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> This.
> You can't tell me that a bowl of refined table sugar is equal to a bowl of whole grain rice. Both mostly carbohydrate, but one completely different than the other.
> 
> Years ago a friend was on a diet program (weight watchers, Jenny Craig, one of those) and she wouldn't eat a fruit salad because it had "too much sugar."
> There has to be a distinction made between sugar in a whole fruit with all the fiber, vitamins, micronutrients, etc., and refined, processed sugar. That people think those are equal is a travesty


Yes its like the article I linked to yesterday trying to prove that fibre doesn't help prevent diverticulosis - compare a lowish fibre diet to a really low fibre diet and come to the conclusion that fibre doesn't work but don't bother to study people who follow a high fibre diet. There are so many other examples like comparing one crap food to an even worse crap food to show the crap food is OK as there are worse foods.


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## Jonescat

Ha! found you! I thought you had all been very bad and got the thread closed down.


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## Guest

Jonescat said:


> Ha! found you! I thought you had all been very bad and got the thread closed down.


We're a feisty lot ya know! 
Fist fights over tofu  :Hilarious


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## LinznMilly

Jonescat said:


> Ha! found you! I thought you had all been very bad and got the thread closed down.


My fault. 

Do you prefer it up here, or in the main body of General? :Angelic


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## Jonescat

Don't mind now that I have found it


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## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...f30330b-192763785&ct=t(aug20thnewsletter_pbn)

*'Meat Loving' Reporter Goes Plant-Based For A Month: Find Out What Happened*
Plant Based News

*The reporter was inspired to take on the 'vegan challenge' after watching 'What the Health'*


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## Guest

I have lemon zucchini bread in the oven right now. Tweaked a recipe trying to make it more WFPB friendly, we'll see how it turns out. I'm still trying to figure out coconut flour and how to use it instead of wheat flour. It's very dense, and absorbs a LOT of moisture, so I have to figure out how much moisture to add in to recipes.

Anyway, this is the recipe:
http://www.lemontreedwelling.com/2017/03/lemon-zucchini-bread.html

What I changed:
No sugar glaze. Not a big icing fan anyway (makes my teeth sweat). 
More zucchini - mainly because I had two I needed to use up quickly, but also because it will add moisture that the coconut flour will sop up.
Plain apple sauce instead of oil.
Cane sugar instead of white sugar, used less (coconut flour has sweetness in it too). 
Used half white, half coconut flour. Not sure if that's the right mix yet. Waiting for it to come out of the oven still


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## Jonescat

Last nights supper was Caldo Verde, (bean, potato and cabbage stew) to celebrate the arrival of the cabbage season. Our food is vegetable based, and as much as possible, seasonal and home grown, picked same day if possible. Plums to follow.

And on the locally grown theme - locally grown lentils...well more local than they usually are
https://www.theguardian.com/busines...rcial-crop-of-lentils-to-go-on-sale-in-autumn


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## Rudydog

Jonescat said:


> home grown,


Very envious! I do grow some veggies but nowhere near enough for self sufficiency. Next year I am thinking of getting a polytunnel to try and increase the yield and growing season (I am up north).



Jonescat said:


> Plums to follow


I have 10kgs of plums to shift form our tree... so far I have made crumble, Jam, plums in syrup, plum gin and plum vodka which should be ready for Christmas  Any ideas for other recipes?

ETA: just decided I am going to make some chutney as well. I am not too keen personally but the bf will appreciate I am sure


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## Magyarmum

Rudydog said:


> Very envious! I do grow some veggies but nowhere near enough for self sufficiency. Next year I am thinking of getting a polytunnel to try and increase the yield and growing season (I am up north).
> 
> I have 10kgs of plums to shift form our tree... so far I have made crumble, Jam, plums in syrup, plum gin and plum vodka which should be ready for Christmas  Any ideas for other recipes?


My veggie patches haven't done so well this year because at the beginning of June we had a terrific hailstorm followed by torrential rain which ruined my fruit and washed away my carrots, parsnips, spinach, chard and damaged my tomatoes and pepper plants. Fortunately the tomatoes and peppers made a good recovery as did the peas and french beans.

The peas and beans are in the freezer and now I'm tackling the peppers, courgettes and tomatoes, At the moment I'm collecting around 3 kgs of tomatoes a day and probably will be doing for a couple of weeks more. By then the carrots will be ready and after them the spuds (hopefully about 30 kgs) and the butternuts .... so far I've counted 6 ginormous ones most of which will be cooked, frozen and mixed in with the dogs meals.


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## Rudydog

Magyarmum said:


> My veggie patches haven't done so well this year because at the beginning of June we had a terrific hailstorm followed by torrential rain which ruined my fruit and washed away my carrots, parsnips, spinach, chard and damaged my tomatoes and pepper plants. Fortunately the tomatoes and peppers made a good recovery as did the peas and french beans.
> 
> The peas and beans are in the freezer and now I'm tackling the peppers, courgettes and tomatoes, At the moment I'm collecting around 3 kgs of tomatoes a day and probably will be doing for a couple of weeks more. By then the carrots will be ready and after them the spuds (hopefully about 30 kgs) and the butternuts .... so far I've counted 6 ginormous ones most of which will be cooked, frozen and mixed in with the dogs meals.


Wow sounds like you have a lot going on there. Tomatoes have been my biggest disappointment sadly  I love home grown tomatoes but even in the green house they haven't done terribly well up north. I used to have an allotment when I lived south with a small plolytunnel type thing and they did much better there. What seems to grow well up here are: cabbages, potatoes, leaks, carrots, broad beans, beetroots. Even courgettes have been a bit hit and miss. Oh and various leaves also do very well (chard, spinach, rocket, lettuces etc....) even despite the slugs!!! I also grow herbs.


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## LinznMilly

Jonescat said:


> And on the locally grown theme - locally grown lentils...well more local than they usually are
> https://www.theguardian.com/busines...rcial-crop-of-lentils-to-go-on-sale-in-autumn


*does happy dance. Dunno why, but does happy dance anyway*.



Rudydog said:


> Wow sounds like you have a lot going on there. Tomatoes have been my biggest disappointment sadly  I love home grown tomatoes but even in the green house they haven't done terribly well up north. I used to have an allotment when I lived south with a small plolytunnel type thing and they did much better there. What seems to grow well up here are: cabbages, potatoes, leaks, carrots, broad beans, beetroots. Even courgettes have been a bit hit and miss. Oh and various leaves also do very well (chard, spinach, rocket, lettuces etc....) even despite the slugs!!! I also grow herbs.


Whereabouts "up North* are you? Just curious.


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I have lemon zucchini bread in the oven right now. Tweaked a recipe trying to make it more WFPB friendly, we'll see how it turns out. I'm still trying to figure out coconut flour and how to use it instead of wheat flour. It's very dense, and absorbs a LOT of moisture, so I have to figure out how much moisture to add in to recipes.
> 
> Anyway, this is the recipe:
> http://www.lemontreedwelling.com/2017/03/lemon-zucchini-bread.html
> 
> What I changed:
> No sugar glaze. Not a big icing fan anyway (makes my teeth sweat).
> More zucchini - mainly because I had two I needed to use up quickly, but also because it will add moisture that the coconut flour will sop up.
> Plain apple sauce instead of oil.
> Cane sugar instead of white sugar, used less (coconut flour has sweetness in it too).
> Used half white, half coconut flour. Not sure if that's the right mix yet. Waiting for it to come out of the oven still


How did it turn out?


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## Rudydog

LinznMilly said:


> Whereabouts "up North* are you? Just curious.


West Yorkshire, just outside Huddersfield


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## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> How did it turn out?


It's very dense, taste is nice, just not very bread/cake like. 
I think it would be better as scones/biscuits.

I've made chocolate chip cookies with coconut flour and they're amazing (therefore I can't make them often because no one in this house has any self control LOL).

I might mess around and turn them in to biscuits of some sort next time. Will definitely make again as like I said the flavor is really nice. The lemon and zucchini is a good combination, and you can taste the coconut too.

I also have almond flour, might try it with that.

I do love the almond and coconut flours. I love that they're simply ground almond/coconut, no other ingredients or processing and I would much rather we eat coconut flour than coconut oil. So will continue experimenting.

Buddhist chef has a falafel with coconut flour that I may try


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## LinznMilly

Rudydog said:


> West Yorkshire, just outside Huddersfield


Ha! That's South to me.


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## Rudydog

@LinznMilly Hahaha well I am originally from France, moved to Berkshire for 7 years and then lived in London for 8 years so definitively North for me 
My next move will be Northumberland or Scottish boarders I reckon but not for a good few years yet.

Whereabouts are you?


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## LinznMilly

South Tyneside, so when you move to Northumberland, you'll be able to laugh at me and say I'm down South to you. 

That is, unless I move to Scotland first (*day dreams about long, ambling walks in the Scottish countryside with the dogs*).


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## Rudydog

LinznMilly said:


> South Tyneside, so when you move to Northumberland, you'll be able to laugh at me and say I'm down South to you.
> 
> That is, unless I move to Scotland first (*day dreams about long, ambling walks in the Scottish countryside with the dogs*).


We're off to Scotland for a holiday in October I can't wait! 
I just love the north... my French family think I am slightly bonkers...


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## Jonescat

LinznMilly said:


> *does happy dance. Dunno why, but does happy dance anyway*.


Because food miles matter, and beans from this country reduce them. One of the issues with vegans in cold climates is where do they get protein from without mowing down the Amazon forest and flying their food around the globe before they eat it. Getting pulses grown here could be a game changer - so dance away!



Rudydog said:


> Any ideas for other recipes?


Looks a good list so far - I also make my own brown sauce, and chinese plum sauce,(both bottle and last for ages, but make sure it is a wide mouthed jar in case it sets too well and you can't get it out the bottle!) and all sorts of plum cake/pudding things. I also do spiced plums in rum for Christmas gifts.


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## Rudydog

Jonescat said:


> Looks a good list so far - I also make my own brown sauce, and chinese plum sauce,(both bottle and last for ages, but make sure it is a wide mouthed jar in case it sets too well and you can't get it out the bottle!) and all sorts of plum cake/pudding things. I also do spiced plums in rum for Christmas gifts.


Thanks! I don't do brown sauce personally but Chinese plum sauce sounds interesting. I'll have a scout for a recipe  my bd LOVES rum so that's a great idea!


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## Rudydog

This article is quite basic but may be useful for anyone thinking of changing their diet and links to some nice recipes as well.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/what-plant-based-diet

I think I mentioned before, I do eat some carefully selected meat and dairy. Of late I have been feeling increasingly guilty about the dairy part.... so this thread has inspired me to try and go vegan mon-fri (well almost vegan as I will continue to eat my own eggs - not going to waste my hen's hard labour...). I think I will struggle to give up cheese altogether but you never know. Small steps as they say.


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## LinznMilly

Rudydog said:


> This article is quite basic but may be useful for anyone thinking of changing their diet and links to some nice recipes as well.
> 
> https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/what-plant-based-diet
> .


OMG, how good does that top picture of the bowl of veggies, look? rool rool

Lunch today was bulgur wheat and brown rice with mixed veg, broccoli and chopped peppers and mushrooms. :Hungry


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## Rudydog

I know!!! I luuurve avocado! 

My lunch was chargrilled courgette, aubergine and tomatoes bake (no cheese... yay me!) with homemade bread


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## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> OMG, how good does that top picture of the bowl of veggies, look? rool rool
> 
> Lunch today was bulgur wheat and brown rice with mixed veg, broccoli and chopped peppers and mushrooms. :Hungry


So pleased to hear you say that about a bowl of veggies :Joyful

Second attempt at a green smoothie more successful although still a bit odd

2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 cup spinach
Half cup almond milk
10 oz frozen mango
I tablespoon ground flax seeds
water as required if too thick

It had a strong taste of lettuce and mango but was really refreshing and OH really liked it which is good as I'm trying to boost his immunity.


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## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> So pleased to hear you say that about a bowl of veggies :Joyful
> 
> Second attempt at a green smoothie more successful although still a bit odd
> 
> 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
> 1 cup spinach
> Half cup almond milk
> 10 oz frozen mango
> I tablespoon ground flax seeds
> water as required if too thick
> 
> It had a strong taste of lettuce and mango but was really refreshing and OH really liked it which is good as I'm trying to boost his immunity.


I know!!  I've shocked myself. :Jawdrop 

My blender's broken (it is insured though, so once my move my behind into gear, hopefully I can get it fixes/replaced), otherwise I'd be tempted to try that smoothie myself.


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## Jonescat

Magyarmum said:


> and the butternuts .... so far I've counted 6 ginormous ones most of which will be cooked, frozen and mixed in with the dogs meals.


Gosh - is that because you don't like them? I love the squash family but haven't managed to mature a butternut yet because they need a long season and I seem to have only grown them in short ones. This year I have Onion type orange squashes looking very good that I am really keen to get going with. I do freeze puree for muffins but I never realised they were good dog food.


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## Magyarmum

Rudydog said:


> Wow sounds like you have a lot going on there. Tomatoes have been my biggest disappointment sadly  I love home grown tomatoes but even in the green house they haven't done terribly well up north. I used to have an allotment when I lived south with a small plolytunnel type thing and they did much better there. What seems to grow well up here are: cabbages, potatoes, leaks, carrots, broad beans, beetroots. Even courgettes have been a bit hit and miss. Oh and various leaves also do very well (chard, spinach, rocket, lettuces etc....) even despite the slugs!!! I also grow herbs.


I live in North Eastern Hungary where we have extremes of temperature. In summer it can get up to nearly 40C and in winter as low as -15C. Tomatoes, courgettes, squash, potatoes, chard and french beans, do well on my soil, Peas, carrots and salad stuff can be rather "iffy" as we don't have much rain during the summer. I used to grow beetroot, kohlrabi, sweet corn and celeriac as well but decided I'd rather grow the veggies I eat most of.

I think I'm rather like you in that although I'm happy not to eat meat and have never liked eggs, cheese or cream, I do like milk (in tea and coffee), yoghourt and fish and those I find are very hard to give up. I've decided it's probably better to compromise and rather than cutting them out altogether I'm trying to reduce the amounts or number of times per week that I eat them. I'm not sure whether it's acceptable to the purists but at present that's the best I can do!



Jonescat said:


> Gosh - is that because you don't like them? I love the squash family but haven't managed to mature a butternut yet because they need a long season and I seem to have only grown them in short ones. This year I have Onion type orange squashes looking very good that I am really keen to get going with. I do freeze puree for muffins but I never realised they were good dog food.


I love butternut squash but I've got far more than I can eat on my own. So far I've found 6 but there could be more hiding under the leaves. One is a baby being only 7 inches long but will probably end up much larger. The other 5 are 14-15 inches long and 18 inches in diameter at the "fat" end. They probably weigh at least 3 kgs each x 5 is 15 kg .... far too much for one person on their own!

Mashed pumpkin or butternut squash is good for dogs particularly if they have a runny tummy or are constipated. I feed mainly "home cooked" to my two which is meat/poultry or fish mixed with a selection of lightly cooked veggies of which butternut is always one.


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## LinznMilly

Magyarmum said:


> I think I'm rather like you in that although I'm happy not to eat meat and have never liked eggs, cheese or cream, I do like milk (in tea and coffee), yoghourt and fish and those I find are very hard to give up. I've decided it's probably better to compromise and rather than cutting them out altogether I'm trying to reduce the amounts or number of times per week that I eat them.* I'm not sure whether it's acceptable to the purists but at present that's the best I can do*!
> .


Nobody else's business what you eat. If it works for you, then great. It annoys me that people think they have a right to comment or criticise what other people choose to eat. Not that I've seen that in this thread.

I haven't given up my morning coffee, and I have to have that with 2tsp of (brown) sugar. When I go out, if there's a vegan option, great, if not, I'll go wih a vegetarian option. The only dealbreaker to me, is meat, but I don't go criticising those who do eat meat, or I'd alienate literally everyone in my family!! Their health, their lives, their choice. No business of minel


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## rottiepointerhouse

Anybody watched any of the summit? I've only managed a couple so far, Dr Barnard who was brilliant as always, every time I listen to him I learn something new and this guy who was very inspirational and his story was quite emotional

Born in South Louisiana Josh grew up hunting, fishing, drinking, playing football, and getting fat. Ultimately he found himself tipping the scales at over 400 lbs in early 2011. Since then Josh has lost 200 lbs, developed a love for running and is exclusively plant-powered. He loves to share the why’s and how’s and is a great motivator.


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## LinznMilly

I watched all of Friday's presentations and Dr Kim's from yesterday. Looking at today's list, I'm personally not too bothered about any of them, so I may or may not watch them, but then, I'm more interested in health than fitness atm.


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## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> I watched all of Friday's presentations and Dr Kim's from yesterday. Looking at today's list, I'm personally not too bothered about any of them, so I may or may not watch them, but then, I'm more interested in health than fitness atm.


Was Rip good? He usually is. I'm going to watch Robert Cheeke - he did some lectures on my course and I was really interested in his views on the overuse of protein for bulking up/body building and how much muscle he gained more easily when he went plant based. I'd like my nephew to be able to see it too as he goes to the gym a lot and is in to protein shakes.


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## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Was Rip good? He usually is. I'm going to watch Robert Cheeke - he did some lectures on my course and I was really interested in his views on the overuse of protein for bulking up/body building and how much muscle he gained more easily when he went plant based. I'd like my nephew to be able to see it too as he goes to the gym a lot and is in to protein shakes.


Yes, he was good. I'm going to look into getting his new book once I'm back from my holiday, and since watching his presentation, I've started to cut down my caffeine intake to 1 coffee a day, (I wanted to see how long I could go without yesterday, and got to 5:00pm before the cravings kocked in, so today, I hsd thr coffee first thing) and drinking more water, but I don't want to spoil it for you, so .... :Muted

It's getting harder and harder to keep my mouth shut since read in Proteinaholic. I overheard a telephone conversation between my mum and her friend (it was on loudspeaker). Turned out her friend's daughter, "who is super fit - goes the gym, walks everywhere, likes running", suddenly felt unwell and by the time she got home, had pains in her chest - paramedics arrived and whisked her off to hospital with what turns out to be a second heart attack. I muttered "diet related" :Bag loudly enough for my mum to hear and take it off speakerphone, 

Mind, once she hung up, she did seems genuinely interested into why I said that, and we started talking about meat and protein and the health problems associated with them, so fingers crossed, the message might be getting through.

My skin seems a lot better and a lot less inflamed since cutting out dairy, although I still have a flair up at night.  For the last 2 days, I've been using Eumovate (Clobetasone) instead of Betamathasone, so while it's still early days, and every flare up makes me doubt if I am actually seeing any improvements, perhaps I'm seekng the trees instead of the wood. . .


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## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Yes, he was good. I'm going to look into getting his new book once I'm back from my holiday, and since watching his presentation, I've started to cut down my caffeine intake to 1 coffee a day, (I wanted to see how long I could go without yesterday, and got to 5:00pm before the cravings kocked in, so today, I hsd thr coffee first thing) and drinking more water, but I don't want to spoil it for you, so .... :Muted
> 
> It's getting harder and harder to keep my mouth shut since read in Proteinaholic. I overheard a telephone conversation between my mum and her friend (it was on loudspeaker). Turned out her friend's daughter, "who is super fit - goes the gym, walks everywhere, likes running", suddenly felt unwell and by the time she got him, had pains in her chest - paramedics arrived and whisked her off to hospital with what turns out to be a second heart attack. I muttered "diet related" :Bag loudly enough for my mum to hear and take it off speakerphone,
> 
> Mind, once she hung up, she did seems genuinely interested into why I said that, and we started talking about meat and protein and the health problems associated with them, so fingers crossed, the message might be getting through.
> 
> My skin seems a lot better and a lot less inflamed since cutting out dairy, although I still have a flair up at night.  For the last 2 days, I've been using Eumovate (Clobetasone) instead of Betamathasone, so while it's still early days, and every flare up makes me doubt if I am actually seeing any improvements, perhaps I'm seekng the trees instead of the wood. . .


So glad your skin is improving. Don't worry about spoiling it for me, I've got two of Rip's books and watched a couple of his talks (@noushka05 also has his latest book), its a shame you don't live near me as you could borrow any of my books with pleasure but I think it would probably cost more to post them back and forth than it costs to buy them on line especially if you can pick up a used copy. I still drink coffee but having said that I'm not a coffee or caffeine addict and can go without quite happily. Before I went vegan I never drank coffee only tea but I really don't like tea with any of the non dairy milks and love weak coffee with oat milk so I just have 2 sometimes 3 cups throughout the day but I only use a third of a teaspoon of instant so I am talking very weak which is really equal to one cup by most people's standards.

It is hard not to jump in and try to share everything you are learning, I thought Dr Barnard made a good point about books and how if you give someone a new book you will find it is rarely read but if you go through and add some sticky notes to certain pages/paragraphs and tell the person those bits really made you think of them they won't be able to resist reading. One thing that hadn't occurred to me before ( probably because I find this way of eating so easy and love it) is that some people really are prepared to die rather than make changes - on Dr McDougall's forum there is a brilliant dietitian who tells how some people come to their residential courses, spend a fortune, learn all the new knowledge and skills, see their health improve dramatically in that short space of time but still go home and go back to their old comfortable ways of eating. He told recently of a diabetic man who had gangrene in his toe, had it amputated and was offered help by a WFPB friend to change, didn't want to know, then had the whole foot amputated and still didn't want to know, then lost the leg and the friend now offered to pay to send him on the course and gave him books/DVDs but still he didn't want to know despite his friend turning his own diabetes around and coming off all meds. He died of complications of infection on his other leg just before they amputated. He said he couldn't bear the idea of not fitting in with all his friends and family which is so very sad


----------



## Guest

LinznMilly said:


> It's getting harder and harder to keep my mouth shut since read in Proteinaholic.


Oh I hear you!
Decades of being vegetarian has taught me to definitely keep my mouth shut about food choices, but knowing what I know about WFPB (which does not equal vegan/vegetarian) it's really hard not to say anything, especially when someone is suffering with a chronic condition that a PB diet could totally reverse. 
Was standing in line at the grocery store listening to a mother and her adult daughter talking about the getting ready for the mom to have some procedure/surgery done. The mom was morbidly obese, on several blood pressure medications (according to the conversation) and was angry that the doctors couldn't figure out the right dosage of meds to bring her blood pressure down. No mention of diet. And of course I'm looking at the foods they're buying thinking "yeah, diet related" not just meat, dairy & processed food heavy, gallons and gallons of sodas and pretend juice sugary drinks. It made me sad. And no, I didn't say anything, I figured I'm some random stranger listening in on a conversation, not my place. But still made me sad that this information about plant based eating is not more well-known.

On a brighter note, saw a long time friend who I haven't seen in months and she looks fantastic. Turns out she has discovered WFPB eating. Her husband is a cancer survivor and was having blood pressure and some other "age related" issues (not age related at all, diet related). He went WFPB firs, she saw what a change it made and jumped on board. We had a long chat about diet and she asked me all sorts of questions about foods - it's amazing the kinds of foods out there the general public just don't know about, so we talked rice varieties and different veggies, and how to prepare them. It was interesting as she is cooking for two retired adults, and I'm cooking for two adults but also two young, active teenagers who need the extra calories. Yet we can both make adjustments to suit our needs. It's not a restrictive diet at all!


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## rottiepointerhouse

Interesting response from Dr David Katz on the study released earlier this week

https://foodrevolution.org/blog/food-and-health/pure-study-reporting/


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## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Interesting response from Dr David Katz on the study released earlier this week
> 
> https://foodrevolution.org/blog/food-and-health/pure-study-reporting/


I find the reporting on the PURE study really worrisome. It's already showing up in my FB feed, and it worries me how easily sucked in people get. 
How people can't see the difference between a donut - high fat, high carb, and an avocado - also high fat, high carb just baffles me.


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> , I thought Dr Barnard made a good point about books and how if you give someone a new book you will find it is rarely read but if you go through and add some sticky notes to certain pages/paragraphs and tell the person those bits really made you think of them they won't be able to resist reading.


Yes, I made a note to do that to the 2 books I've got in for family members (namely a copy of _Proteinaholic _for my SIL, and_ The End of Heart Disease_ for my mum).


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## Guest

Made a delicious and super easy roast of potatoes with yellow potatoes, purple potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Yum! 

Also made an accidental discovery trying to make some chocolate treats for the kids. If you mix in pumpkin puree with peanut butter, add a dash of honey, and then use that as a dip for sliced apples, it's delicious!!!


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## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Yes, I made a note to do that to the 2 books I've got in for family members (namely a copy of _Proteinaholic _for my SIL, and_ The End of Heart Disease_ for my mum).


Is that the Joel Fuhrman one? If so make sure you read it first as it is excellent. So much stuff in there I was not taught when I was nursing.


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## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Is that the Joel Fuhrman one? If so make sure you read it first as it is excellent. So much stuff in there I was not taught when I was nursing.


Yes, it is, and I will.  I was toying with the idea anyway, just to make sure my mum will find it easy enough to read.


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## rottiepointerhouse

@LinznMilly I forgot all about this little summary of "The end of heart disease" its quite clever and would draw people in to read the book I'm sure. Only a few minutes long.


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## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> @LinznMilly I forgot all about this little summary of "The end of heart disease" its quite clever and would draw people in to read the book I'm sure


Thanks. I have been reading The Blue Zones, but I think i'll read this first, and go back to The Blue Zones.


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## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Thanks. I have been reading The Blue Zones, but I think i'll read this first, and go back to The Blue Zones.


 I did the same, read the first couple of pages of The Blue Zones and stopped because I wanted to read this first.

We are in Devon for a few days and there is a local free magazine which has a medical page. This issue there is a practice nurse talking about high blood pressure and I quote

"As high blood pressure cannot be cured, you will need to keep taking medication for life"

:Jawdrop:Jawdrop I am just going to have to write to her and tell her about the benefits of a plant based diet and refer her to some of the great work being done which proves her wrong.


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## catz4m8z

Im still enjoying the food...just wish it had more of the positive health effects people talk about! Im fed up hearing about how people lost a 100Ibs and had so much energy they went off to run marathons.:Shifty meanwhile I still weigh 16st and feel like I have less energy every day!
Probably a bad example of the benefits of WFPB eating!LOL:Hilarious


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## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> Im still enjoying the food...just wish it had more of the positive health effects people talk about! Im fed up hearing about how people lost a 100Ibs and had so much energy they went off to run marathons.:Shifty meanwhile I still weigh 16st and feel like I have less energy every day!
> Probably a bad example of the benefits of WFPB eating!LOL:Hilarious


Are you eating enough starches? Potatoes, rice, grains? Those are what will fill you up and give you energy


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## catz4m8z

ouesi said:


> Are you eating enough starches? Potatoes, rice, grains? Those are what will fill you up and give you energy


yup, I make sure to include a portion with every meal. Basically I make sure I have starchy carbs, protein and lots of fruit/veg with every meal but Im not losing any weight and I feel kinda wiped out all the time. Just bought some supplements though of things that I might be low on with a vegan diet to see if it makes a difference!


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## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> Im still enjoying the food...just wish it had more of the positive health effects people talk about! Im fed up hearing about how people lost a 100Ibs and had so much energy they went off to run marathons.:Shifty meanwhile I still weigh 16st and feel like I have less energy every day!
> Probably a bad example of the benefits of WFPB eating!LOL:Hilarious


If you are interested in a good book that explains what happens to people who have lost and regained weight then pm me your name and address and I will get a copy to you. My OH has never been overweight so has never dieted and when we first went plant based weight dropped off him, he has about 12% body fat, eats more than me and doesn't do anymore exercise :Grumpy I on the other hand have lost and regained a couple of stone several times over the years, last did the disgusting low carb diet and lost 3 stone in 2010 any regained about a stone. Although my BMI was just in normal but only just I am 35% fat :Vomit I didn't start to lose any weight for about 10 months and have now gradually lost half a stone so just another half to lose and I'm back to my best adult weight. If you have lost and regained weight your body is really trying to hold on to it. Have you watched the calorie density video I posted by Jeff Novik - if not have a look






also the video @ouesi and I both watched and were talking about a week or so ago by Michael Klaper - he talks a fair bit about why some people might not thrive initially on a plant based diet so try and watch what he says about it


----------



## Jonescat

I am going to have my first British grown dried beans tonight - they are Red Haricot, looks like a small red kidney bean, and as I said I think this could be game changing - as last an answer for "but Soya beans do just as much damage as cows" (from cow-eaters!) 

This is a marginally more healthy dessert - Raspberry vegan baked cheesecake - the base is ground walnuts, wholemeal flour and a tad of coconut oil, the middle is mostly yoghurt,with lime zest, agar agar and sugar, and the top is homegrown raspberries, a little sugar and agar agar.


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## LinznMilly

Jonescat said:


> I am going to have my first British grown dried beans tonight - they are Red Haricot, looks like a small red kidney bean, and as I said I think this could be game changing - as last an answer for "but Soya beans do just as much damage as cows" (from cow-eaters!)
> 
> This is a marginally more healthy dessert - Raspberry vegan baked cheesecake - the base is ground walnuts, wholemeal flour and a tad of coconut oil, the middle is mostly yoghurt,with lime zest, agar agar and sugar, and the top is homegrown raspberries, a little sugar and agar agar.
> 
> View attachment 323960


Looks absolutely gorgeous!!! Recipe?


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## Jonescat

It is mostly this one
http://www.seitanismymotor.com/2017/08/blackberry-cheesecake-with-a-buzz/

with raspberries, without whisky, without cream because we didn't have any and it tasted better the day afterwards as the lime flavour really came out. It cut better on day two as well


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## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> also the video @ouesi and I both watched and were talking about a week or so ago by Michael Klaper - he talks a fair bit about why some people might not thrive initially on a plant based diet so try and watch what he says about it


Definitely variety is your friend.

@catz4m8z It's normal to get in a rut of eating the same foods all the time (especially as you first start out, you find things you like, that are easy to make, and you stick to those). But the more variety you can put in your diet, the more likely you are to get all the different nutrients you need.

Another way to think about it is to look for color. The more colorful your diet, the better.
Also, make sure you're drinking enough water too


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## Guest

If you haven't already, stop what you're doing and try this:

Equal parts peanut butter (or your favorite nut butter) and pumpkin puree (cooked, mashed pumpkin). 
Sweeten with honey or maple syrup to taste
Add nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice to taste. 

It is delicious!!!
Use as a dip for apple or pear slices (this has been my lunch 3 days in a row now)
Spread on your favorite whole grain bread, top with banana slices and raisins for a delicious breakfast sandwich
Throw a dollop or two on your morning oatmeal

It's so good and really easy to make.


----------



## Magyarmum

Another one but savoury this time is Baba Ghanoush made with aubergine. I don't make it myself as our hypermarket sells it freshly made. I like it with warm flat bread.

https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/classic-baba-ghanoush/


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## rottiepointerhouse

Some worrying news from the US about an increase in the rate of strokes

https://consumer.healthday.com/card...stroke-deaths-sets-off-alarms-cdc-726298.html

"Our data shows an increasing number of middle-aged adults having strokes, which can cause lifelong disability," Merritt said during the news conference.

Yang pointed out that behavior changes can reduce the odds of stroke and stroke deaths at all ages.

"To bring the stroke rate down, we need to adopt a healthy lifestyle and control risk factors," he said.

This includes not smoking, and eating a healthy diet low in salt and added sugar, and rich in fruits and vegetables. Stroke-free living also means being physically active and maintaining a healthy weight, Yang said.


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## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Some worrying news from the US about an increase in the rate of strokes
> 
> https://consumer.healthday.com/card...stroke-deaths-sets-off-alarms-cdc-726298.html
> 
> "Our data shows an increasing number of middle-aged adults having strokes, which can cause lifelong disability," Merritt said during the news conference.
> 
> Yang pointed out that behavior changes can reduce the odds of stroke and stroke deaths at all ages.
> 
> "To bring the stroke rate down, we need to adopt a healthy lifestyle and control risk factors," he said.
> 
> This includes not smoking, and eating a healthy diet low in salt and added sugar, and rich in fruits and vegetables. Stroke-free living also means being physically active and maintaining a healthy weight, Yang said.


It seems to me that we're on a finely-balanced see-saw in terms of diet and health. On one side, the Paleo/standard Western diet, and on the other, the WFPB diet and a healthy lifestyle.

Sort of on-topic and off-topic at the same time, but I've worked out that I'm allergic to dairy (so no going back for me - not that I even gave it a second thought ). Just a small amount of milk in a single cup of coffee or tea is enough to leave me scratching for up to 24hrs - seeing as i don't have dairy at home, I can pinpoint it to 2 single cups of tea/coffee I had at mam's (1 cup, separate days). No wonder I've had no relief for years!!!! :Arghh Considering I'm covered from head to toe in eczema, this is nothing short of life-changing.

Just had the best kale salad I've ever had - mixed peppers, white onion (frozen, diced), and Morrison's fruit, nut and seeds snack pack. :Hungry Found out I like Goji berries. :Woot

Also bought a small jar of Marmite (I've never tried it ... until now). I like it, but wouldn't say I "love"it.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> It seems to me that we're on a finely-balanced see-saw in terms of diet and health. On one side, the Paleo/standard Western diet, and on the other, the WFPB diet and a healthy lifestyle.
> 
> Sort of on-topic and off-topic at the same time, but I've worked out that I'm allergic to dairy (so no going back for me - not that I even gave it a second thought ). Just a small amount of milk in a single cup of coffee or tea is enough to leave me scratching for up to 24hrs - seeing as i don't have dairy at home, I can pinpoint it to 2 single cups of tea/coffee I had at mam's (1 cup, separate days). No wonder I've had no relief for years!!!! :Arghh Considering I'm covered from head to toe in eczema, this is nothing short of life-changing.
> 
> Just had the best kale salad I've ever had - mixed peppers, white onion (frozen, diced), and Morrison's fruit, nut and seeds snack pack. :Hungry Found out I like Goji berries. :Woot
> 
> Also bought a small jar of Marmite (I've never tried it ... until now). I like it, but wouldn't say I "love"it.


I'm so pleased for you, to find some relief from your eczema after all these years must feel amazing. Probably just as well you don't love the marmite - I do and have to be strict with myself not to have it every day as its higher in salt than the WFPB diet recommends although it does have B12. I can tell the difference in my blood pressure if I've had too much of it  Have you sorted out a B12 supplement by the way?


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## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I'm so pleased for you, to find some relief from your eczema after all these years must feel amazing. Probably just as well you don't love the marmite - I do and have to be strict with myself not to have it every day as its higher in salt than the WFPB diet recommends although it does have B12. I can tell the difference in my blood pressure if I've had too much of it  Have you sorted out a B12 supplement by the way?


It's indescribable!!! I have zinc-paste bandages and the dry-wraps that go with them, on repeat prescription. I was on the highest doze of methotrexate injections (a social care trainer didn't believe that I was taking a cancer drug for eczema), and it wasn't touching it! This week, with the exception of those days/nights in which I had milk in my tea/coffee I've been using Eumovate/Clobetasone instead of Bethamethasone, and not had to have any anti-histamines .... that's _unheard_ of to me!!

Yes, I've sorted out my B-12 supplement, thanks 

I do see why people say that you either love it or hate Marmite. I just have to be awkward and buck the trend. :Hilarious


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## Guest

LinznMilly said:


> Sort of on-topic and off-topic at the same time, but I've worked out that I'm allergic to dairy (so no going back for me - not that I even gave it a second thought ). Just a small amount of milk in a single cup of coffee or tea is enough to leave me scratching for up to 24hrs - seeing as i don't have dairy at home, I can pinpoint it to 2 single cups of tea/coffee I had at mam's (1 cup, separate days). No wonder I've had no relief for years!!!! :Arghh Considering I'm covered from head to toe in eczema, this is nothing short of life-changing.


Wow! That is life changing!
I had heard that dairy can cause/worsen skin problems. So glad for you! 

Dinner tonight is a spinach pesto type thing that I'm adjusting from a Bosh recipe. If it's any good I'll share  Has peas, spinach and sun dried tomatoes. Can't mess that up too much right?


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## catz4m8z

ouesi said:


> Definitely variety is your friend.
> 
> @catz4m8z It's normal to get in a rut of eating the same foods all the time (especially as you first start out, you find things you like, that are easy to make, and you stick to those). But the more variety you can put in your diet, the more likely you are to get all the different nutrients you need.
> 
> Another way to think about it is to look for color. The more colorful your diet, the better.
> Also, make sure you're drinking enough water too


I think I get plenty of variety TBH. Today was oatmeal with raspberries and cinnamon, lunch of curried vegetable and lentil soup and a wholemeal flatbreadish thing (all home made) and tea was salad, wholemeal pasta and a veggie 'thing' (tomatoes, baby corn, courgettes, red onions, roasted sweet potato, kale, herbs and marinated tofu). Snacks of a banana, fruit juice and a couple of hot chocolate drinks. 
I even looked at what might be keeping me from losing weight and cut out nuts and seeds, rationed my fruit juice and bought hot chocolate that is low cal as made with fruit sugars. Frankly if I still dont lose any weight this month then Im done and will have to accept being fat with a healthy diet.....only so much you can cut out without making yourself miserable and Im at my limit!

@LinznMilly, sounds like its having an amazing effect on you! Brilliant.:Woot Bet you are kicking yourself you didnt work it out sooner!LOL


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## LinznMilly

ouesi said:


> Wow! That is life changing!
> I had heard that dairy can cause/worsen skin problems. So glad for you!
> 
> Dinner tonight is a spinach pesto type thing that I'm adjusting from a Bosh recipe. If it's any good I'll share  Has peas, spinach and sun dried tomatoes. Can't mess that up too much right?


How was dinner?

Yes, I believe it was a possibliliy when I was younger - it was a toss-up whether it was pets or dairy, and as a baby, I had goat's milk, instead of cow's milk. But somehow, at some time, cow's milk sneaked back into my diet and it was assumed it was pets I was allergic to. I grew up thinking that a pet hair in my eye, causing it to swell, was an allergic reaction. As such, we didn't have any "furry" pets until Max.



catz4m8z said:


> I think I get plenty of variety TBH. Today was oatmeal with raspberries and cinnamon, lunch of curried vegetable and lentil soup and a wholemeal flatbreadish thing (all home made) and tea was salad, wholemeal pasta and a veggie 'thing' (tomatoes, baby corn, courgettes, red onions, roasted sweet potato, kale, herbs and marinated tofu). Snacks of a banana, fruit juice and a couple of hot chocolate drinks.
> I even looked at what might be keeping me from losing weight and cut out nuts and seeds, rationed my fruit juice and bought hot chocolate that is low cal as made with fruit sugars. Frankly if I still dont lose any weight this month then Im done and will have to accept being fat with a healthy diet.....only so much you can cut out without making yourself miserable and Im at my limit!
> 
> @LinznMilly, sounds like its having an amazing effect on you! Brilliant.:Woot Bet you are kicking yourself you didnt work it out sooner!LOL


 It's one major breakthrough and my skin has drastically improved, but only time will tell whether it's the only one that I need to find. House dust mite is another potential suspect.


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## Guest

LinznMilly said:


> How was dinner?


It was really good!










Easy "peasy" spinach pesto:
(Sorry, not entirely sure of amounts)

Rough chop one onion and about 9 cloves of garlic, saute until onion is translucent.
Add in a lot of baby spinach leaves and wilt (was about 2 packs of spinach)

Throw spinach, onion, garlic and a bag of defrosted peas in food processor and blend until smooth. I wanted to add in pine nuts and sun dried tomatoes also but didn't have any and didn't want to go to the store today. 
At this point start tasting and seasoning. I added red pepper flakes as well.

In the onion/garlic pan, defrost another bag of peas. Add blended "pesto" to these peas, and then toss everything with your pasta.
OH thought it would be good with corn added in (not blended), really any veggie you want to add is good. The pesto sauce has a nice, fresh flavor that could go with anything.


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## catz4m8z

ooooh, that pesto looks really tasty!

Made some bread yesterday as Id rather make my own and avoid all the added salt, sugar and preservatives. Just wholemeal flour, yeast, water and herbs which was smooshed into something like a small chubby pita bread! Perfect size for having with soup or cut up into an open sandwich.... (with a mashed black beans and veggie topping. yum!).
Also discovered how some sweet potato in your tomatoey pasta sauce makes it taste very similar to shop bought. Will be mashing some to freeze into portion for future use later on.


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## rottiepointerhouse

I haven't watched much of the summit this year as I'm not so interested in the exercise/fitness/family stuff but will be watching this one today

*Dr. Alan Goldhamer*
For over 30 years Dr. Alan Goldhamer has been the director of the True North Health Center and the TrueNorth Health Foundation in Santa Rosa CA. TrueNorth Health is an integrative medical facility combining medicine, osteopathy, naturopathy, chiropractic and psychology as well as a research center on the application of fasting to the treatment of high blood pressure, diabetes, autoimmune disorders and lymphoma.

Dr. Goldhamer is the author of the Health Promoting Cookbook and co-author of The Pleasure Trap. He was the principal investigator in a number of studies that have appeared in the peer reviewed literature including 2 papers on the use of fasting in the treatment of high blood pressure and a recent report that appeared in the British Medical Journal on the treatment of Lymphoma cancer with fasting and an exclusively plant-based diet.

*This session is about:* Three common ingredients that make us addicted to food. The unknown human drive that sabotages your weight loss efforts and what to do about it. Plus: the truth about animal products.


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## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Three common ingredients that make us addicted to food..


Let me guess...are they cheese, ice cream and pizza!?:Hungry

Found a good food cupboard recipe today.
1 can chickpeas, 50g oats, 1 onion, herbs.
Chop and cook onion then blend chickpeas and onion in a food processor (Im not that 'fancy' so just mashed mine!). Then add oats and herbs, recipe called for cumin and coriander but Im abit fed up of those so used smoked paprika and ketchup instead. Then form into balls and cook for about 20 mins in the oven.
Made about 12 and was really easy and tasty.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> Let me guess...are they cheese, ice cream and pizza!?:Hungry
> 
> Found a good food cupboard recipe today.
> 1 can chickpeas, 50g oats, 1 onion, herbs.
> Chop and cook onion then blend chickpeas and onion in a food processor (Im not that 'fancy' so just mashed mine!). Then add oats and herbs, recipe called for cumin and coriander but Im abit fed up of those so used smoked paprika and ketchup instead. Then form into balls and cook for about 20 mins in the oven.
> Made about 12 and was really easy and tasty.


I haven't watched it yet but I would imagine its Sugar, Oil and Salt or SOS which are of course in cheese, ice cream and pizza  Your chickpea recipe sounds a bit like the burgers I make - 1 can chickpeas, 100 g oats, half a red onion chopped finely and half a courgette grated. Blitz or mash chickpeas add veggies plus some garlic and cumin powder, tomato ketchup and peanut butter. Divide into 6 patties and shape like burgers.


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## Guest

With this kind of pseudoscience floating around it's no wonder people are so confused about nutrition  :Banghead
https://www.powerofpositivity.com/signs-of-protein-deficiency/


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> With this kind of pseudoscience floating around it's no wonder people are so confused about nutrition  :Banghead
> https://www.powerofpositivity.com/signs-of-protein-deficiency/


:Jawdrop:Jawdrop

Funny since going plant based my protein intake is only around 12 - 15% of my calorie intake. The ridges I previously had in my nails have pretty much gone, my cholesterol has gone down, my intestinal problems (which incidentally were caused by doing a low carb high protein diet for over a year) have gone, I've built up more muscle and I sleep very well whereas on low carbing I used to wake frequently and often couldn't get back to sleep and I've lost half a stone whilst eating more.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> :Jawdrop:Jawdrop
> 
> Funny since going plant based my protein intake is only around 12 - 15% of my calorie intake. The ridges I previously had in my nails have pretty much gone, my cholesterol has gone down, my intestinal problems (which incidentally were caused by doing a low carb high protein diet for over a year) have gone, I've built up more muscle and I sleep very well whereas on low carbing I used to wake frequently and often couldn't get back to sleep and I've lost half a stone whilst eating more.


I have ridges in one nail - my right thumb. All other nails are smooth. It's also my "granny" thumb, that looks completely different than all my other fingers, my paternal grandmother had two thumbs like that, I'm the only descendant who has one. *shrug*
I'm pretty sure nail ridges have zero to do with protein intake.

I have no idea what my protein intake is. I don't measure it or worry about it. 
I have more energy than most people half my age, and feel great. 
Protein deficiency just doesn't happen. I love Rip Esselstyn's quote where he asks how many people you know who were hospitalized for protein deficiency, and then asks how many people you know who were hospitalized for cancer, heart disease, diabetes....


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I have ridges in one nail - my right thumb. All other nails are smooth. It's also my "granny" thumb, that looks completely different than all my other fingers, my paternal grandmother had two thumbs like that, I'm the only descendant who has one. *shrug*
> I'm pretty sure nail ridges have zero to do with protein intake.
> 
> I have no idea what my protein intake is. I don't measure it or worry about it.
> I have more energy than most people half my age, and feel great.
> Protein deficiency just doesn't happen. I love Rip Esselstyn's quote where he asks how many people you know who were hospitalized for protein deficiency, and then asks how many people you know who were hospitalized for cancer, heart disease, diabetes....


I've got odd thumbs too  not to mention webbed toes. I don't check what I'm eating on a regular basis, just did it a few times on Cronometer to check I was getting more or less enough of everything. For instance I've been having terrible problems with my plantar fasciitis recently, I've had it since 2004 so well before I went vegan, my last podiatrist tried to say my current problems were down to a lack of calcium because I'm not eating dairy so it was good to be able to put him straight on how much calcium I get and where from. I've since changed podiatrists and the new guy who knew about my diet (from the patient history form I completed) didn't suggest any such thing so at the end of the appointment I thanked him for not doing so and he said anyone could see my problems are structural but I was reassured going in to the appointment that I could explain how I get my nutrients if I had to.


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## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Your chickpea recipe sounds a bit like the burgers I make - 1 can chickpeas, 100 g oats, half a red onion chopped finely and half a courgette grated. Blitz or mash chickpeas add veggies plus some garlic and cumin powder, tomato ketchup and peanut butter. Divide into 6 patties and shape like burgers.


It does sound similar! Sounds like the kind of recipe where you could substitute beans for chickpeas or carrot for courgette, etc. Ive been looking for easy 'freezer food' recipes. Much as I love curries/stews/one pot dishes sometimes you just fancy something with potatoes/chips and veggies!



rottiepointerhouse said:


> my last podiatrist tried to say my current problems were down to a lack of calcium because I'm not eating dairy


oh dear!, sounds like he needs to go back to podiatrist school! I get plantar fasciitis too and it really does suck...never heard it being linked to low calcium before though.:Bored Mine is coz I walk wonky (I think Im abit lopsided in general TBH) so I wear supports in my shoes.
Although it is funny how often you hear of medical 'professionals' jumping on veganism as the cause of all ills!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> It does sound similar! Sounds like the kind of recipe where you could substitute beans for chickpeas or carrot for courgette, etc. Ive been looking for easy 'freezer food' recipes. Much as I love curries/stews/one pot dishes sometimes you just fancy something with potatoes/chips and veggies!
> 
> oh dear!, sounds like he needs to go back to podiatrist school! I get plantar fasciitis too and it really does suck...never heard it being linked to low calcium before though.:Bored Mine is coz I walk wonky (I think Im abit lopsided in general TBH) so I wear supports in my shoes.
> Although it is funny how often you hear of medical 'professionals' jumping on veganism as the cause of all ills!


The chickpea burgers freeze pretty well, the recipe makes 6 so I use two and freeze the rest for a quick meal with spicy potato wedges and salad.

Yes I'm afraid doctors/practitioners are very quick to blame any illness on the vegan diet even when you make clear if is WFPB and not a junk vegan diet, strange how they are so reluctant to give appropriate dietary advice to standard diet eaters such as asking them where they get their fibre from or where they get their vitamin C from. I'm lopsided too, one leg shorter than the other so my orthotics are built up on the left but this new podiatrist also had me on a treadmill to assess my gait amongst many other tests and tells me my ankles are hypermobile so when I walk they let my feet turn in which also makes my knees turn in (so I walk knock kneed). I'm collecting my new orthotics from him next week and he has given me some exercises to do plus I have to try and walk with my knees apart which is fun when I'm being dragged along by Arthur :Joyful I must look like John Wayne.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I've got odd thumbs too  not to mention webbed toes. I don't check what I'm eating on a regular basis, just did it a few times on Cronometer to check I was getting more or less enough of everything. For instance I've been having terrible problems with my plantar fasciitis recently, I've had it since 2004 so well before I went vegan, my last podiatrist tried to say my current problems were down to a lack of calcium because I'm not eating dairy so it was good to be able to put him straight on how much calcium I get and where from. I've since changed podiatrists and the new guy who knew about my diet (from the patient history form I completed) didn't suggest any such thing so at the end of the appointment I thanked him for not doing so and he said anyone could see my problems are structural but I was reassured going in to the appointment that I could explain how I get my nutrients if I had to.


I get PF too  Mine is probably due to me being on my feet 90% of the day, and I over pronate or whatever it is when my feet fall inward. I've discovered Vionic and Chaccos are the best shoes for me (though of course super expensive ). Funnily enough, my foot never hurts while running - and I'm talking half marathons. Doesn't bother the foot at all, but stand all day and I'm hurting. I haven't been to a podiatrist yet, trying to home treat. Oh, if you can get Traumeel it's a godsend! Just a cream you rub on to the area twice a day, makes a big difference for me.

Doctors sure are funny about blaming diet if you have an unconventional diet, but have no issue not blaming diet if you eat the standard western mess of a diet we're all familiar with. Go figure. 
Fortunately more and more doctors are coming on board. Back when I was pregnant, my Indian doctor had no issue with me being vegetarian (not WFPB at that time) and even had his wife prepare me some lovely vegetarian dishes  
My ENT who took out my thyroid loves seeing me every year - he says I make him look good. Most people without a thyroid struggle with weight issues and the meds not working, but I haven't, and healed up so nicely you can barely see my scar on my neck. 
(And no, thyroid issues were not related to diet, related to using iodine tablets in water as a kid because we lived in areas without clean drinking water. Probably a genetic predisposition also.)


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Yes I'm afraid doctors/practitioners are very quick to blame any illness on the vegan diet even when you make clear if is WFPB and not a junk vegan diet, strange how they are so reluctant to give appropriate dietary advice to standard diet eaters such as asking them where they get their fibre from or where they get their vitamin C from. .


Doctors do seem to be woefully ignorant in this country, either that or they have just given up.
I was talking to my mother the other day about how much dietary and lifestyle advice she was given after being diagnosed as diabetic. As she is also overweight with hypertension I thought she would of gotten some kind of information but it turns out the Dr has never even spoken to her about diet and exercise! Just thrown pills at her and when she asked if there was any way to reduce the amount of pills she takes told her 'no, you have to keep taking all of them long term'.:Rage
So frustrating that the right advice is out there but isnt being given to the people who need it most.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> Doctors do seem to be woefully ignorant in this country, either that or they have just given up.
> I was talking to my mother the other day about how much dietary and lifestyle advice she was given after being diagnosed as diabetic. As she is also overweight with hypertension I thought she would of gotten some kind of information but it turns out the Dr has never even spoken to her about diet and exercise! Just thrown pills at her and when she asked if there was any way to reduce the amount of pills she takes told her 'no, you have to keep taking all of them long term'.:Rage
> So frustrating that the right advice is out there but isnt being given to the people who need it most.


Hopefully we will start to get some plant based doctors over here soon as there are so many in the US I would have thought their influence has to spread here soon especially as they are now openly challenging misinformation - like Dr Ornish and Kim Williams here

https://www.medpagetoday.com/cardiology/dyslipidemia/67785

This bit alone is so powerful yet I doubt many doctors over here even know of their work

"As an example of how powerful intensive changes in diet and lifestyle can be, several patients with ischemic cardiomyopathies who, while waiting for a heart transplant, went through the Ornish intensive cardiac rehabilitation program (now covered by Medicare after many years of scientific review). They showed so much improvement in their ejection fraction, angina, and shortness of breath that they no longer needed heart transplants. While these reports are anecdotal, these improvements were so dramatic that it's highly unlikely due to chance.

In a demonstration project of 333 patients from four academic medical centers and four community hospitals who were eligible for revascularization, almost 80% were able to safely avoid surgery by making these comprehensive lifestyle changes.

These diet and lifestyle changes can often dramatically improve patients' quality of life and reverse the progression of their underlying coronary heart disease. We have seen many patients with heart disease so severe that they can't walk across the street or work or play with their kids or make love or do much of anything without getting severe angina and they usually become pain-free after only a few weeks of making these diet and lifestyle changes."

Would your Mum read a book about diabetes? If so Dr Neal Barnard has a good book or a video on youtube

http://www.pcrm.org/media/experts/neal-barnard-diabetes-book


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Hopefully we will start to get some plant based doctors over here soon as there are so many in the US I would have thought their influence has to spread here soon especially as they are now openly challenging misinformation - like Dr Ornish and Kim Williams here
> 
> https://www.medpagetoday.com/cardiology/dyslipidemia/67785
> 
> This bit alone is so powerful yet I doubt many doctors over here even know of their work
> 
> "As an example of how powerful intensive changes in diet and lifestyle can be, several patients with ischemic cardiomyopathies who, while waiting for a heart transplant, went through the Ornish intensive cardiac rehabilitation program (now covered by Medicare after many years of scientific review). They showed so much improvement in their ejection fraction, angina, and shortness of breath that they no longer needed heart transplants. While these reports are anecdotal, these improvements were so dramatic that it's highly unlikely due to chance.
> 
> In a demonstration project of 333 patients from four academic medical centers and four community hospitals who were eligible for revascularization, almost 80% were able to safely avoid surgery by making these comprehensive lifestyle changes.
> 
> These diet and lifestyle changes can often dramatically improve patients' quality of life and reverse the progression of their underlying coronary heart disease. We have seen many patients with heart disease so severe that they can't walk across the street or work or play with their kids or make love or do much of anything without getting severe angina and they usually become pain-free after only a few weeks of making these diet and lifestyle changes."
> 
> Would your Mum read a book about diabetes? If so Dr Neal Barnard has a good book or a video on youtube
> 
> http://www.pcrm.org/media/experts/neal-barnard-diabetes-book


Unfortunately, even with all the forward movement with WFPB diets, it's still not that well known, and still considered "extreme." Which is of course the premise of Forks over Knives, that we do extreme open heart surgeries and gastric bypass routinely, but don't think to do an "extreme" change in diet.

A lot of people still consider health issues genetic. Every time I go in for a routine anything and they measure my BP and resting heart rate I get weird looks, and if any discussion ensues the nurse or tech always mentions I must have good genes. Well, yes and no. There are longevity genes on my maternal grandmother's side (over 100) but these are also the people eating a mostly Mediterranean diet - fruits and veggies. But both my grandfathers dropped dead in their 60's of massive heart attacks.

Any time we discuss food/diet with friends, I often get dismissed as the odd ball, I'm weird about so many other things they just dismiss what I do with diet as another one of my weird things and not anything that is realistic or achievable. Which is frustrating. Clearly it is realistic, last I checked I live in the same real world they do, and have the same real kids they do - their kids eat just fine at my house and they themselves eat the food I bring to pot lucks, so they know it's good...

And of course the marketing for meat and dairy in this country is insane. People are so strongly indoctrinated in to eating meat and dairy that it's very hard to make them see otherwise. I saw this video on FB and thought how apt...


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Would your Mum read a book about diabetes? If so Dr Neal Barnard has a good book or a video on youtube
> http://www.pcrm.org/media/experts/neal-barnard-diabetes-book


Unfortunately I think she still sees this kind of diet change as faddy or 'a phase'. Although I can maybe see that book sneaking into her christmas presents this year!LOL


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Unfortunately, even with all the forward movement with WFPB diets, it's still not that well known, and still considered "extreme." Which is of course the premise of Forks over Knives, that we do extreme open heart surgeries and gastric bypass routinely, but don't think to do an "extreme" change in diet.
> 
> A lot of people still consider health issues genetic. Every time I go in for a routine anything and they measure my BP and resting heart rate I get weird looks, and if any discussion ensues the nurse or tech always mentions I must have good genes. Well, yes and no. There are longevity genes on my maternal grandmother's side (over 100) but these are also the people eating a mostly Mediterranean diet - fruits and veggies. But both my grandfathers dropped dead in their 60's of massive heart attacks.
> 
> Any time we discuss food/diet with friends, I often get dismissed as the odd ball, I'm weird about so many other things they just dismiss what I do with diet as another one of my weird things and not anything that is realistic or achievable. Which is frustrating. Clearly it is realistic, last I checked I live in the same real world they do, and have the same real kids they do - their kids eat just fine at my house and they themselves eat the food I bring to pot lucks, so they know it's good...
> 
> And of course the marketing for meat and dairy in this country is insane. People are so strongly indoctrinated in to eating meat and dairy that it's very hard to make them see otherwise. I saw this video on FB and thought how apt...


Excellent quick video - we had a lot of lectures on my course about the check off programme, I don't think we have anything like that over here but I suspect there is still an awful lot of lobbying goes on by big food/pharma.

Dr Fuhrman answers a question in his book about ending heart disease from someone asking what he says to people who think this is too radical/restrictive and would rather die young and enjoy life. He says "I hope you live close to a good hospital because you'll need it" then says seriously though those comments reflect a personal ignorance about the relationship between food preferences and pleasure. The first thing to keep in mind is that eating healthfully does not result in reduced pleasure in life or even in reduced pleasure from eating. That is a complete myth spoken by someone whose eating behaviour is likely driven by food addiction. He goes on to explain that preferences are not fixed, they can and do change. It always annoys me when people say they couldn't eat plant based as they enjoy their food too much, my answer is always so do I, I'm greedy and I love eating but whereas they might crave and enjoy eating cake I crave and enjoy eating fruit and vegetables and rice and beans.



catz4m8z said:


> Unfortunately I think she still sees this kind of diet change as faddy or 'a phase'. Although I can maybe see that book sneaking into her christmas presents this year!LOL


If you do remember Dr Barnard's trick of marking some pages with stickies and saying those bits really made me think of you which will hopefully tempt her to read them.


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## rottiepointerhouse

@catz4m8z I saw this on another forum about people not losing weight or hitting a plateau and thought you might be interested

http://www.pcrm.org/sites/default/files/Anthony-Lim-MD-Helping-Patients.pdf


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## Guest

Don't know if anyone's seen this yet, (or if it's already been posted on this thread), but I really like this guy, great presentation!


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Don't know if anyone's seen this yet, (or if it's already been posted on this thread), but I really like this guy, great presentation!


Michael Greger and his book "how not to die" are to blame for me going vegan and my poor OH had to listen to me reading out great chunks of it then couldn't ignore it either and joined me  If you subscribe to his NutritionFacts.org you get a daily article or short video, some of them are a bit wacky but there are loads of interesting ones. I love his presentation style

here is a more recent presentation he gave at one of the McDougall study weekends

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/how-not-to-die/


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## catz4m8z

Think I might have a problem. I seem to have swapped my salt, sugar and fat addiction for a ......black bean addiction!:Woot
I just love them. Today I had them in my home made soup, with a huge salad for tea and packed lunch is a home made wholemeal pitta stufffed with veggies and mashed black beans.
So nice when you realiese something so filling, low calorie and good for you has become one of your favourite things to eat!


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## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> Think I might have a problem. I seem to have swapped my salt, sugar and fat addiction for a ......black bean addiction!:Woot
> I just love them. Today I had them in my home made soup, with a huge salad for tea and packed lunch is a home made wholemeal pitta stufffed with veggies and mashed black beans.
> So nice when you realiese something so filling, low calorie and good for you has become one of your favourite things to eat!


LOL we eat black beans all the time here too  
I grew up on beans and rice - black beans, and it was a cheap meal when I was a poor student also.

A really great, super easy, quick meal is quinoa cooked in a jar of salsa instead of water, add in black beans, done. Throw over a bed of salad if you want, top with tomatoes and avocados, add some corn... All sorts of variations. Either way it's protein packed and yummy! 

The combination of avocado, beans, and a grain works really well for me. The fat in the avocado and the fiber of the beans and grain keeps you sated, the protein and the starch keeps you energized.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Not sure if anyone else is familiar with the work of Doug Lisle who co wrote "The Pleasure Trap" .

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/205000.The_Pleasure_Trap

I found it a fascinating read but as he is so funny I also love to watch his talks - this one is about losing weight without losing your mind

http://esteemdynamics.org/video/losing-weight-without-losing-your-mind/


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## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Not sure if anyone else is familiar with the work of Doug Lisle who co wrote "The Pleasure Trap" .
> 
> https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/205000.The_Pleasure_Trap
> 
> I found it a fascinating read but as he is so funny I also love to watch his talks - this one is about losing weight without losing your mind
> 
> http://esteemdynamics.org/video/losing-weight-without-losing-your-mind/


I've not read that book, but I have read some blurbs here and there about the pleasure trap and how big food business knows this and uses it to trap us in to eating what they're selling.

I'm on the fence really. I can't say any of it rings true for me. I have always found it easy to say no to store bought sweets and snacks, fast food and processed stuff in general. Don't get me wrong, I do love a good cake or savory snack, but given the choice between a homemade cake and a store-bought overly sweet one, I always prefer the homemade one.

I do think a lot of food preferences get set early in childhood. I did not grow up on processed food so it's not something I've learned to crave. My own kids have had much more exposure to processed food than I ever did, but still to a much lesser extent than their peers, and I notice their food preferences are markedly different than their friends'.


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## Magyarmum

ouesi said:


> LOL we eat black beans all the time here too
> I grew up on beans and rice - black beans, and it was a cheap meal when I was a poor student also.
> 
> A really great, super easy, quick meal is quinoa cooked in a jar of salsa instead of water, add in black beans, done. Throw over a bed of salad if you want, top with tomatoes and avocados, add some corn... All sorts of variations. Either way it's protein packed and yummy!
> 
> The combination of avocado, beans, and a grain works really well for me. The fat in the avocado and the fiber of the beans and grain keeps you sated, the protein and the starch keeps you energized.


I haven't been able to find black beans in Hungary and the only vegetarian online store in the country doesn't have them either. Chickpeas, borlotti beans, lentils and red kidney beans you can buy either dried, canned or frozen. Other things like quinoa, millet and bulgar you have to search the whole of the supermarket to find ... if you're lucky. Avocados and aubergine are extremely expensive and I was really surprised the other day when I found curly kale in Tesco. I don't think though that I'll be buying it again because even when I cooked it well it was very chewy. Next year I'll plant plenty of chard which I know grows well in my veggie patch.

And to have a tiny brag .... this is one of my "baby" butternut squash ripening in my veggie patch. I've got 6 ginormous ones plus 7th much smaller one! I think the dogs and I are going to be eating rather a lot of butternut this winter!


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## Jonescat

Gorgeous looking squash. 
Put a few kales in next year. When it is young and fresh it is a completely different beast to a supermarket leaf.

I have a copy of small laminated version of this chart on the wall for easy reminders of where to get each vitamin - it was free with a magazine and just today I have read the small print and realised that you can buy it, and there is a book too. 
https://www.lizcookcharts.co.uk/nutrition-chart.html


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## rottiepointerhouse

Jonescat said:


> Gorgeous looking squash.
> Put a few kales in next year. When it is young and fresh it is a completely different beast to a supermarket leaf.
> 
> I have a copy of small laminated version of this chart on the wall for easy reminders of where to get each vitamin - it was free with a magazine and just today I have read the small print and realised that you can buy it, and there is a book too.
> https://www.lizcookcharts.co.uk/nutrition-chart.html


I've got a couple of versions of that, I think one came free from Viva or The Vegan Society when I joined (its a wider chart like 2 pieces of paper sideways on) and one I bought although I can't remember where from. I love curly kale, I steam it for about 6 mins and add balsamic vinegar when I serve.


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I've not read that book, but I have read some blurbs here and there about the pleasure trap and how big food business knows this and uses it to trap us in to eating what they're selling.
> 
> I'm on the fence really. I can't say any of it rings true for me. I have always found it easy to say no to store bought sweets and snacks, fast food and processed stuff in general. Don't get me wrong, I do love a good cake or savory snack, but given the choice between a homemade cake and a store-bought overly sweet one, I always prefer the homemade one.
> 
> I do think a lot of food preferences get set early in childhood. I did not grow up on processed food so it's not something I've learned to crave. My own kids have had much more exposure to processed food than I ever did, but still to a much lesser extent than their peers, and I notice their food preferences are markedly different than their friends'.


Its a really interesting read for all sorts of reasons, it was where I first read about the Milgram Experiment so it looks at all sorts of issues that drive us. Some bits really made me think like how nowadays we always want to add things rather than take them away so a pill or medicine for all ills rather than allowing nature to heal when it can or adding supplements to the diet rather than just eating properly in the first place. I'm not an addictive eater nor a comfort eater, never have been. I seem to remember he talks about some people having less dopamine receptors so being less susceptible to addictions so I assume I must be one of those people although I do develop habits quite quickly which can be a bad thing if its not a good thing to be doing but equally can be good as I quickly get into the habit of eating my daily beans/greens/legumes/fruit/veggies/nut/ seeds and wholegrains so just don't have room for any junk. .


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## Magyarmum

Jonescat said:


> Gorgeous looking squash.
> Put a few kales in next year. When it is young and fresh it is a completely different beast to a supermarket leaf.
> 
> I have a copy of small laminated version of this chart on the wall for easy reminders of where to get each vitamin - it was free with a magazine and just today I have read the small print and realised that you can buy it, and there is a book too.
> https://www.lizcookcharts.co.uk/nutrition-chart.html


Thank you/ I'm very proud of my butternut squash this year. Living in Hungary I very often can't find the vegetable seeds you can get in the UK and I don't think I've ever seen kale seed. I planted Swiss Chard as well as spinach this year but unfortunately along with my parsnips they were all washed away by the torrential rain we had soon after I'd sown them.

It's been pouring with rain most of today so I decided to do some cooking. Made a batch of courgette, tomato and onion empanados to go in the freezer and with the pastry left over my own version of piperade tart. As the weather's suddenly got colder I made some soup with onions, parsnips, celery, potatoes, lentils and the curly kale that was left. Lovely hearty comfort food and perfect for tomorrow's lunch after the dog's have been walked!

One thing I'm finding having only recently given up eating meat (I still have a limited amount of dairy) is how exciting and what a pleasure cooking has suddenly become. And I don't miss meat at all and any craving I had for sweet food is rapidly disappearing. The only things I think I would find extremely difficult to give up entirely are my tea and coffee because I've never liked fizzy drinks, squashes or water and it takes me forever to drink a small glass of 100% fruit juice.

@rottipointerhouse I can't thank you enough for starting this thread - and for @ouesi too for her invaluable contributions.


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## Guest

Magyarmum said:


> The only things I think I would find extremely difficult to give up entirely are my tea and coffee


I won't give those up either! 
A friend of mine was telling me about a diet she was on where she had to give up coffee, I was like "nope." 
I only drink one cup a day, but I do enjoy that one cup


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## Jonescat

Magyarmum said:


> Thank you/ I'm very proud of my butternut squash this year. Living in Hungary I very often can't find the vegetable seeds you can get in the UK and I don't think I've ever seen kale seed. I planted Swiss Chard as well as spinach this year but unfortunately along with my parsnips they were all washed away by the torrential rain we had soon after I'd sown them.


I'd be very happy to send you some - just PM me your address 

The Swiss Chard might well turn up somewhere else in your plot next year or the year after, it seems to be quite a persistent seed, but I have not managed to grow parsnips from seed - my soil is too heavy for them I think. I have just spent the day planting out my winter salads and chanting anti-slug magic in the hope that my babies will get big and strong before the slugs find them.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Very interesting article about prevention of alzheimers disease - so much so that I wasn't sure whether to post in the main part of general chat or here

https://bluezones.com/2017/09/resea...199095005&mc_cid=572fc4de11&mc_eid=97f9300fe5

*What foods do you recommend for preventing Alzheimer's disease?*
AS: The best diet for brain health is full of whole foods like greens, legumes, berries, and whole grains and is very low in animal fats, saturated fats, and salt.

We have a spectrum in the book because nothing is technically off-limits. But the things you'd want to eat every day and the majority of the time are whole plant foods.


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## catz4m8z

Magyarmum said:


> The only things I think I would find extremely difficult to give up entirely are my tea and coffee because I've never liked fizzy drinks, squashes or water and it takes me forever to drink a small glass of 100% fruit juice.
> .


yuk to tea and coffee! I did used to be a fizzy drink fanatic though and would easily drink 2ls of diet coke a day, took me decades but I did finally kick the habit and dont touch fizzy drinks now. Mainly I stick to water with lemon or lime slices in during the day.
Iwill drink coffee at work purely for medicinal purposes! Keeps me awake on a nightshift...even if I pull some funny faces whilst drinking it!:Shy
What I like as a hot drink is cocoa with soya milk, its chocolately but bitter so kinda like coffee for coffee haters!


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## catz4m8z

Made some forays this week into reducing the dogs meat intake, just to see if they could be happy with less. We tried vegan dog kibble (they inhaled it just as quickly as the regular, although the pieces were abit bigger). Then I made them some dog food with lentils, millet, sweet potato, mixed veg and peanut butter which they went nuts for!...and I already know they like home made veggie dog biscuits.
I know its not a popular move but if they are just as happy and healthy and I can reduce animal suffering and help the environment then give it a go I say!:Wacky


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## Elles

I see you can get vegan meal replacements, nutritious, healthy, plant based. Apparently. Called Soylent.
Recalled, because somehow it had ended up with milk in it and milk isn't vegan. Duh. That's the fourth recall, we won't mention the algae, diarrhoea and mould.

Only in America would they make replacement food, call it Soylent and say it's vegan when it isn't. 

Soylent Green is made from people. Of course it isn't vegan. :Hilarious

Do you think they hadn't read the book, or seen the Charlton Heston film when they named it? I was looking for a meal replacement to take with me when I'm out and about for the weekend. Think I'll give this one a miss.


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## catz4m8z

Elles said:


> Soylent Green is made from people. Of course it isn't vegan. :Hilarious
> .


well, you know from an environmental point of view it does kinda make se.........nooooo, not going there!LOL
:Hungry:Hungover


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## rottiepointerhouse

Elles said:


> I see you can get vegan meal replacements, nutritious, healthy, plant based. Apparently. Called Soylent.
> Recalled, because somehow it had ended up with milk in it and milk isn't vegan. Duh. That's the fourth recall, we won't mention the algae, diarrhoea and mould.
> 
> Only in America would they make replacement food, call it Soylent and say it's vegan when it isn't.
> 
> Soylent Green is made from people. Of course it isn't vegan. :Hilarious
> 
> Do you think they hadn't read the book, or seen the Charlton Heston film when they named it? I was looking for a meal replacement to take with me when I'm out and about for the weekend. Think I'll give this one a miss.


What sort of meal replacement are you looking for?


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## Elles

rottiepointerhouse said:


> What sort of meal replacement are you looking for?


Something easy to carry about. I have the packets of graze. So some kind of drink really, either ready mixed or to put in water. To save messing about. Any suggestions welcome. I'm doing a horsey thing.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Elles said:


> Something easy to carry about. I have the packets of graze. So some kind of drink really, either ready mixed or to put in water. To save messing about. Any suggestions welcome. I'm doing a horsey thing.


How about a smoothie? Will you have access to anything for heating up a soup or could you take a flask of soup?


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## Elles

Good news from M&S

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...as-mss-2017-festive-menu-contains-vegetarian/


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## rottiepointerhouse

Elles said:


> Good news from M&S
> 
> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...as-mss-2017-festive-menu-contains-vegetarian/


Interesting. I like the quote from the farmers union guy too. There is a M & S food shop opening near us soon so I will be checking out what they have.

Talking about the dreaded C word - anyone else getting grief already about their "strange food" :Hilarious:Hilarious My Mum is already making noises, its funny really as I don't get what is strange about porridge and berries for breakfast, baked potato (OK they are usually purple when I can get them) and salad, peanut butter sandwiches, stir frys, curries, stews & soups anyone would think I wanted to eat a lump of dead flesh or something


----------



## rona

Jonescat said:


> I'd be very happy to send you some - just PM me your address


Not sure you should do that
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/plant-health-controls


----------



## Jonescat

Gosh - I am not sure either after reading that. I think I could but I might have to read it a few more times. It would be in the EU and not for sale, and not endangered etc, and I had it in mind that you were allowed 5 packets of seeds for indivdual use within Europe but perhaps not.


----------



## Magyarmum

Jonescat said:


> I'd be very happy to send you some - just PM me your address
> 
> The Swiss Chard might well turn up somewhere else in your plot next year or the year after, it seems to be quite a persistent seed, but I have not managed to grow parsnips from seed - my soil is too heavy for them I think. I have just spent the day planting out my winter salads and chanting anti-slug magic in the hope that my babies will get big and strong before the slugs find them.[/QUOTE
> 
> Thank you, it's very kind of you to offer to post me some Kale seeds. My son is coming over in November so I'm going to ask him to bring me some as well as Kidney Beans which are totally unknown over here.
> 
> Good luck with your winter salads. It gets too cold here in winter to grow anything as the ground is frozen and the temperature's around -10C. And the soil's not warm enough to plant anything until mid-April.
> 
> 
> 
> rona said:
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure you should do that
> https://www.gov.uk/guidance/plant-health-controls
> 
> 
> 
> According to both Sutton and Marshall Seed Merchants there is no restriction on sending seeds to countries within the EU This is from Marshall's delivery information.
> 
> *European Union (including Republic of Ireland) - *We are only able to send Seeds to the EU. The delivery charge for seed only orders is* £4.95*.
Click to expand...


----------



## catz4m8z

Why is the message that 'animal products are bad for you' still not getting through? Parents were sent a bowel testing kit from their GP the other day to check for bowel cancer. When I asked what information they got with it about prevention guess what?
yup! No information about how to reduce your risk of developing this disease!:Banghead Is it any wonder hospitals are filled with patients with preventable illnesses when people arent being given any information on how to help themselves.:Rage
Just makes me livid!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I've nearly finished reading "Comfortably Unaware" by Dr Richard Oppenlander - not my usual sort of book but have really enjoyed it. Short clip about it - I want his farm 

@noushka05 have you read it?


----------



## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> Why is the message that 'animal products are bad for you' still not getting through? Parents were sent a bowel testing kit from their GP the other day to check for bowel cancer. When I asked what information they got with it about prevention guess what?
> yup! No information about how to reduce your risk of developing this disease!:Banghead Is it any wonder hospitals are filled with patients with preventable illnesses when people arent being given any information on how to help themselves.:Rage
> Just makes me livid!


I ponder this all the time.
I think there are multiple reasons why a WFPB diet is still on the fringe but there are definitely some main ones:

1) Culture.
Food is so tightly attached to our cultural indoctrination (I don't mean that in a bad way, just that it is unconscious learning) that we simply can't conceive of "real" meals without meat or dairy. 
Think about it, we think of meat and dairy as staples, essential parts of a healthy, balanced diet.

2) The meat and dairy industry is huge and powerful and is working hard to make sure our perceptions of meat and dairy don't change.

3) Lack of familiarity with non-meat meals. 
AKA "You don't eat meat? What do you EAT?"
Related to the above is the idea that meal planning without relying on a meat base is difficult and time consuming. Which is and isn't true. I think if you're used to relying heavily on convenience foods and rarely cook from scratch, doing so might indeed feel difficult and time consuming. But it would be with or without the meat. 
If you're already someone who doesn't mind waiting for a pot of water to boil, then cooking WFPB is probably easier than cooking with meat. There sure isn't any worry about under cooking and poisoning the whole family! 
And it's just as convenient to throw an apple in your purse as it is to throw in any other hold you over snack. And with the apple I don't have to worry about it getting too hot and spoiling. Mealy apples might not taste as nice but they're not going to make you sick like hot lunchmeat might :Yuck


----------



## Guest

Anyone make their own hummus?

It's ridiculously easy (less expensive) and yesterday I discovered that even if you don't have tahini you can still make excellent hummus. I started making hummus, already had the garbanzos pureed and realized I was out of tahini. 
I just made it anyway, and it was delicious.


----------



## Magyarmum

ouesi said:


> Anyone make their own hummus?
> 
> It's ridiculously easy (less expensive) and yesterday I discovered that even if you don't have tahini you can still make excellent hummus. I started making hummus, already had the garbanzos pureed and realized I was out of tahini.
> I just made it anyway, and it was delicious.


I've made it with or without tahini. If you've got sesame seeds though and olive oil you can make your own tahini. It only takes a few minutes in a food processor.

Here's a recipe :https://www.daringgourmet.com/how-to-make-homemade-tahini-paste/

And whilst I'm on here a piccie of my dinner last night. I made a vegetable stew with onions, peppers, carrots, celery, potatoes, kale, spinach and haricot beans all cooked in a paprika flavoured tomato sauce. I enjoyed it but I'd forgotten when I added the paprika, my son had bought the last lot and instead of buying sweet he'd bought hot paprika and boy was it hhhhhot!


----------



## LinznMilly

If I'm honest, I've struggled to get back into my routine post-holiday,  but I'm slowly getting there. For one thing, I'm having muesli for breakfast, and I'm thrilled now that I've found a dried fruit mix to add to it in the morning (thought I had frozen fruit in the freezer last week when I got back from my hols, but I must have used them before I went away :Banghead :Shifty)

Yesterday, I tried my hand at lentil lasagne with red and greem lentils, sweetcorn, chopped onion, mushroom and yellow pepper. I was going to top with mash potato, but ended up having it with just another layer of the ragu mix. Not bad for my first ever attempt at a lasagne though, so I'm still calling it a success.

Today I went back to my old favourite - veggie pasta bol, with wholewheat pasta, turmeric, passata, veggie mince ( letting the side down slightly, but it had to be used up :Shy ) onions and a yellow pepper (I'd used the red one earlier in the week ... HOW did I live without peppers in my life for so long?!?!? Slightly frustrated because I hoped to add more veggies.

However, tea/dinner/supper  was a salad with dried fruit/cherries, green pepper and mixed salad "greens", and for dessert, pineapple. :Woot


----------



## LinznMilly

ouesi said:


> Anyone make their own hummus?
> 
> It's ridiculously easy (less expensive) and yesterday I discovered that even if you don't have tahini you can still make excellent hummus. I started making hummus, already had the garbanzos pureed and realized I was out of tahini.
> I just made it anyway, and it was delicious.


Tried making my own hummus? I haven't tried hummus at all!!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Anyone make their own hummus?
> 
> It's ridiculously easy (less expensive) and yesterday I discovered that even if you don't have tahini you can still make excellent hummus. I started making hummus, already had the garbanzos pureed and realized I was out of tahini.
> I just made it anyway, and it was delicious.


 I've not tried making my own yet, partly because we have to go to a health food shop to get tahini. What else did you put in it?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Magyarmum said:


> I've made it with or without tahini. If you've got sesame seeds though and olive oil you can make your own tahini. It only takes a few minutes in a food processor.
> 
> Here's a recipe :https://www.daringgourmet.com/how-to-make-homemade-tahini-paste/
> 
> And whilst I'm on here a piccie of my dinner last night. I made a vegetable stew with onions, peppers, carrots, celery, potatoes, kale, spinach and haricot beans all cooked in a paprika flavoured tomato sauce. I enjoyed it but I'd forgotten when I added the paprika, my son had bought the last lot and instead of buying sweet he'd bought hot paprika and boy was it hhhhhot!
> 
> View attachment 326511


Sorry I hadn't seen this when I asked what goes in it if you have no tahini. I knew there was a reason I don't eat hummus (my OH does though) - too much fat for me especially now I'm back on the quest to shift some more weight. Your dinner looks lovely -paprika is my favourite spice, I use loads of it, love it with caraway seeds to make a goulash type stew.


----------



## Jonescat

I make hummus - lots of it. I don't put olive oil in it any more but do use lemon juice, herbs, raw garlic and tahini. Lemon juice means you don't need salt, but I do thing it benefits from tahini. Also, play with the consistency, sometimes a little water makes all the difference. The consistency from a commercial blend relies on water, oil and whipping in air, so add a bit if you want it. I use my stick blender. 

Once you have confidence, you can vary it with all the things you get in the supermarket ones, and also change the beans. Butter beans make a beautifully smooth one, kidney beans, tomato puee and cajun mix is also good.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Sorry I hadn't seen this when I asked what goes in it if you have no tahini. I knew there was a reason I don't eat hummus (my OH does though) - too much fat for me especially now I'm back on the quest to shift some more weight. Your dinner looks lovely -paprika is my favourite spice, I use loads of it, love it with caraway seeds to make a goulash type stew.


You can make it without olive oil.

Throw a drained can of garbanzos in the food processor, add half an onion, as much garlic as you like (I like a lot), and process until it's a puree consistency. Add in lemon juice as it's pureeing to get the consistency you like. From there add salt, spices, anything you like really. Cumin is good in hummus, you can also make it with roasted red peppers, adds a lovely flavor.
I do add olive oil and tahini because the teens need to fat (TBH now that I'm running more I need the fat too). But making your own you control the amount of olive oil which is nice.

You can also make 'hummus' with black beans, white beans, any bean really. It's not traditional hummus that way, but you're still making a healthy, flavorful spread.


----------



## Matrod

ouesi said:


> Anyone make their own hummus?
> 
> It's ridiculously easy (less expensive) and yesterday I discovered that even if you don't have tahini you can still make excellent hummus. I started making hummus, already had the garbanzos pureed and realized I was out of tahini.
> I just made it anyway, and it was delicious.


I've tried several times & it always turns out a bit gross  I don't think I've put tahini in it though so maybe that's where I'm going wrong. I just love tahini, I can just sit & eat it out of the jar .


----------



## catz4m8z

ouesi said:


> You can also make 'hummus' with black beans, white beans, any bean really. It's not traditional hummus that way, but you're still making a healthy, flavorful spread.


I love making bean spreads. Dont have a food processor though so all mine are mashed by hand....makes it abit chunky but still really tasty!



Matrod said:


> I just love tahini, I can just sit & eat it out of the jar .


I cant stand it TBH! I brought some to try and couldnt believe how gross it tastes (esp as I love hummus and sesame seeds).

Im really stuffed after my tea tonight. Made a huge side salad to go with home made pizza. Wholemeal pizza base (from scratch) then I cheated with a jar of pasta sauce and topped with spinach, red onion, apple and pear and abit of nutritional yeast as faux cheese! The fruit is surprisingly yummy on pizza and makes you feel like you are eating a posh artisan pizza.
(had enough dough for 2 so Ive frozen the other half for when I fancy pizza later but am too lazy to make it! and as I had the oven on, and hate just putting one thing in, I also made banana, oat, peanut butter dog biscuits too!).:Smug


----------



## LinznMilly

ouesi said:


> You can also make 'hummus' with black beans, white beans, any bean really


I have pinto beans I'm trying to persevere with. So far, every dish I've added them to hasn't turns out right, so this could be a last gasp attempt.

Otherwise, I can always try other beans.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> I have pinto beans I'm trying to persevere with. So far, every dish I've added them to hasn't turns out right, so this could be a last gasp attempt.
> 
> Otherwise, I can always try other beans.


I haven't tried pinto beans yet, think I've only got the dried ones that need soaking and cooking for ages which is probably why I haven't tried them, plus I love chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans and all lentils so much that I rarely get round to using others apart from dried soya beans which I make a gorgeous goulash with.


----------



## Jonescat

Have you all got pressure cookers for your beans? It speeds the whole thing up a lot!


----------



## Guest

LinznMilly said:


> I have pinto beans I'm trying to persevere with. So far, every dish I've added them to hasn't turns out right, so this could be a last gasp attempt.
> 
> Otherwise, I can always try other beans.


I've never had pinto bean hummus, but in Mexico they make refried beans out of pinto beans (I grew up on black beans for refried beans). These days most recipes call for lard which is gross and I don't care what anyone says, not the original/traditional way to make them.

http://www.isabeleats.com/authentic-mexican-refried-beans/
This is a decent recipe, you can skip the oil if you don't want it and the jalapeños. And I would season with cumin not oregano, but that's really up to you  
The way I make them, you then literally "fry" the bean mush on a hot cast iron skillet, moving it all about almost like you would scrambled eggs. I like the texture of real refried beans like this, but if you like them right out of the pot they're yummy that way too.

Serve as a dip or spoon on to a bowl of rice and top with chopped veggies.


----------



## picaresque

I spotted this earlier and thought it might interest some of you - the Kindle edition of Diet For a Small Planet is currently 99p on Amazon. Even got myself a copy :Nailbiting


----------



## Magyarmum

Jonescat said:


> I make hummus - lots of it. I don't put olive oil in it any more but do use lemon juice, herbs, raw garlic and tahini. Lemon juice means you don't need salt, but I do thing it benefits from tahini. Also, play with the consistency, sometimes a little water makes all the difference. The consistency from a commercial blend relies on water, oil and whipping in air, so add a bit if you want it. I use my stick blender.
> 
> Once you have confidence, you can vary it with all the things you get in the supermarket ones, and also change the beans. Butter beans make a beautifully smooth one, kidney beans, tomato puee and cajun mix is also good.


I found this on google ... Dr Axe - 29 Healthy Hummus Recipe Ideas. https://draxe.com/hummus-recipe-ideas/

None of the shops in my local market town sell hummus and it's a 50 mile drive to Tesco which is the only place I can be sure to find it, so it's good to have recipes to fall back on - and the necessary ingredients of course!


----------



## catz4m8z

Magyarmum said:


> I found this on google ... Dr Axe - 29 Healthy Hummus Recipe Ideas. https://draxe.com/hummus-recipe-ideas/


some of those look soooo tasty!rool

Just started giving the dogs their first home made vegan dog food. Big success...they are all fans! In fact I watched Adam push his very expensive tinned meat out of the way so he could eat the vegan stuff first! (I had a suspicion that he would really like it).
I tried it and TBH it actually tastes quite nice!:Shy
.edit- second meal and just watched Heidi pick up her chunk of lovely meaty Wolf of the Wilderness tinned food and move it over coz it was sitting on top of the home made she was trying to eat first!
My human cooking may not be up to much but apparently I rock at making vegan dog food!LOL:Hilarious


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

This looks like a nice recipe for a mushroom lasagna. I will just use ordinary lasagna sheets as I don't need gluten free.

http://nutritionstudies.org/recipes/meal/gluten-free-creamy-mushroom-lasagna/


----------



## catz4m8z

Apparently vegans can be vit B12 deficient...how is that possible? havent they heard of nutritional yeast!? I bl**dy love that stuff!, so tasty. Just had a black bean ratatouille with new potatoes, green beans, baby corn and broccoli, the whole thing sprinkled with nutritional yeast. nomrool

Also tried out a new sandwich filling. Peas, broad beans and edamame beans blitzed up with some garden mint. Had it in a wholemeal home made pitta with some salad and vegan mayo. Really nice and very filling.

Have said all that Im using a nutritional tracker at the mo and I always seem to come up short on iron.How do other planty people get their iron?


----------



## LinznMilly

catz4m8z said:


> Apparently vegans can be vit B12 deficient...how is that possible? havent they heard of nutritional yeast!? I bl**dy love that stuff!, so tasty. Just had a black bean ratatouille with new potatoes, green beans, baby corn and broccoli, the whole thing sprinkled with nutritional yeast. nomrool


Plus it's added to Alpro soya milk and fortified cereals (which, if I'm honest, is how I get most of my B12) Allegedly it's also in Spirulina (sp?) although, according to some sources, that might be the pseudovitamin B (12).

Spirulina powder is available at Aldi, in case anyone else is struggling to find it, but I feel it's only fair to point out that theirs do come from China, which raises more ethical and/or sustainability questions....


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> Apparently vegans can be vit B12 deficient...how is that possible? havent they heard of nutritional yeast!? I bl**dy love that stuff!, so tasty. Just had a black bean ratatouille with new potatoes, green beans, baby corn and broccoli, the whole thing sprinkled with nutritional yeast. nomrool
> 
> Also tried out a new sandwich filling. Peas, broad beans and edamame beans blitzed up with some garden mint. Had it in a wholemeal home made pitta with some salad and vegan mayo. Really nice and very filling.
> 
> Have said all that Im using a nutritional tracker at the mo and I always seem to come up short on iron.How do other planty people get their iron?


I love it too but then I adore marmite too 

*Sources of iron*
Pulses including chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans and tofu. Sprouted beans and seeds such as aduki beans, alfafa and sunflower seeds. Cereals and products such as breakfast cereals and bread. Green leafy vegetables including spinach, kale and cabbage and also broccoli. Nuts, in particular almonds and cashews. Dried fruit especially apricots, dates and raisins. Date syrup and molasses are good sources of iron. Vitamin C which helps with absorption of iron is present in citrus fruit and juices as well as salad items like sweet peppers, lambs lettuce and tomatoes as well as broccoli and leafy greens.


----------



## Jonescat

Dark chocolate is a source of iron too.


----------



## Magyarmum

@catz4m8z .... Nutritional yeast is fine for those that can buy it and is an easy way of getting sufficient B12, but here in Hungary it's unknown and even the one and only online vegan shop doesn't sell it and neither does the "herberia" in the city. Unfortunately. soya beans and in particular soya milk a good source of B12 upset my stomach so I avoid them whenever possible. Having said that I've bought some tofu which depending whether I can summon up the courage, I might or might not try!

One of the reasons I decided to adopt a vegetarian rather than vegan diet was the worry about getting enough B12. ..... and the fact that I do like my milk, yoghourt, and cheese in moderation although I'm not fond of eggs and only manage about one a month!

One thing I do like that's rich in B12 is Kefir which is cheap and you can buy everywhere in Hungary or you can make it yourself. You can use it for smoothies, in salad dressings and cooking and my dogs love it as well! For anyone interested here are some ideas http://gnowfglins.com/2009/08/07/seven-yummy-ways-to-eat-kefir/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Where B12 is concerned I don't think its worth taking the risk of getting enough from fortified foods so I take a supplement which is really something that all vegans should do. However we do have about 3 years worth stored so there is no rush but its not something I'm prepared to mess with so I take mine. Can you get Marmite @Magyarmum?


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> *Sources of iron*
> Pulses including chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans and tofu. Sprouted beans and seeds such as aduki beans, alfafa and sunflower seeds. Cereals and products such as breakfast cereals and bread. Green leafy vegetables including spinach, kale and cabbage and also broccoli. Nuts, in particular almonds and cashews. Dried fruit especially apricots, dates and raisins. Date syrup and molasses are good sources of iron. Vitamin C which helps with absorption of iron is present in citrus fruit and juices as well as salad items like sweet peppers, lambs lettuce and tomatoes as well as broccoli and leafy greens.





Jonescat said:


> Dark chocolate is a source of iron too.


Unfortunately most of that is either very healthy, but you would have to eat tons to get enough or is quite high in calories which doesnt work if you are trying to lose weight. I think I might take a supplement a couple of times a week, just until I can eat more calories again!
Even so Im pretty sure this is the healthiest Ive ever eaten in my life!



Magyarmum said:


> @catz4m8z .... Nutritional yeast is fine for those that can buy it and is an easy way of getting sufficient B12, but here in Hungary it's unknown and even the one and only online vegan shop doesn't sell it and neither does the "herberia" in the city. Unfortunately. soya beans and in particular soya milk a good source of B12 upset my stomach so I avoid them whenever possible. Having said that I've bought some tofu which depending whether I can summon up the courage, I might or might not try!
> 
> One of the reasons I decided to adopt a vegetarian rather than vegan diet was the worry about getting enough B12. ..... and the fact that I do like my milk, yoghourt, and cheese in moderation although I'm not fond of eggs and only manage about one a month!


Must be difficult in some countries where you dont get the range you do here (even in the UK though I still drool over some of the products they get in the US!LOL).

Not in the mood to be healthy today however.:Shy Having a rare junk food day! Just eaten a family sized bag of tortilla chips and Im having quarterpounders in buns and chips for tea. what!!? you cant be good all the time!LOL:Bag:Woot


----------



## LinznMilly

Went round to mam's yesterday (she's trying to teach me to knit, so I thought I'd try and teach her something about nutrition :Smug), and put on the _Eating You Alive _documentary. Only got about half way through it before my nieces and nephew arrived as they sleep at my mam's on a Friday night, but at least it's a start.

The only comment she made was about the fella talking about taking his son to Florida and not being able to accompany him on the ride because of his weight, and she said, "yeah, but he's overeating - I'm not" (she said, with 2 Drifter bar wrappers lying beside her). Spectacular way to miss the point :Facepalm :Banghead

I found that to be a really good documentary tbh, because it didn't just talk about the Standard Western diet, but also discussed the unhealthy vegan diets, too. :Shamefullyembarrased


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Went round to mam's yesterday (she's trying to teach me to knit, so I thought I'd try and teach her something about nutrition :Smug), and put on the _Eating You Alive _documentary. Only got about half way through it before my nieces and nephew arrived as they sleep at my mam's on a Friday night, but at least it's a start.
> 
> The only comment she made was about the fella talking about taking his son to Florida and not being able to accompany him on the ride because of his weight, and she said, "yeah, but he's overeating - I'm not" (she said, with 2 Drifter bar wrappers lying beside her). Spectacular way to miss the point :Facepalm :Banghead
> 
> I found that to be a really good documentary tbh, because it didn't just talk about the Standard Western diet, but also discussed the unhealthy vegan diets, too. :Shamefullyembarrased


Be warned there are some fairly brutal animal scenes about 3 quarters of the way through  Have you seen Forks over Knives? If by some miracle I was able to get my Mum to watch one of the films I would probably choose that one.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I love Autumn


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Be warned there are some fairly brutal animal scenes about 3 quarters of the way through  Have you seen Forks over Knives? If by some miracle I was able to get my Mum to watch one of the films I would probably choose that one.


I watched the rest of it at home last night, so I know.  Chances are, she won't watch the rest of it.

Yes, I've watched _Forks over Knives _- 1 and a half times in fact (fell asleep half way through the second watching  . In my defence, it was about 10:30pm anyway). And _What the Health _and_ Cowspiracy.  _Oh, and _Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead 1._


----------



## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Where B12 is concerned I don't think its worth taking the risk of getting enough from fortified foods so I take a supplement which is really something that all vegans should do. However we do have about 3 years worth stored so there is no rush but its not something I'm prepared to mess with so I take mine. *Can you get Marmite @Magyarmum?*



You can sometimes buy it from Tesco but it costs twice as much as buying it in the UK. After struggling for the past two days to find an online grocery store that a) delivers to Hungary and b) accepts my debit card which has a 3D chip that many UK shops have no facility to accept, I finally managed to order it from Real Foods in Edinburgh along with some nutritional yeast, egg replacer, black beans, Puy Lentils and Walnut Oil which I love! They've a great selection and I'll order from them again!

I'm just recovering from one "silly season" having been nearly swamped under with tomatoes and as we had our first frost last night, decided I'd better make a start on the potato patch and another "silly season"! I'm going to have a bumper crop of spuds (50 + kgs) and carrots so together with 7 enormous butternuts which are ripening nicely, the tomatoes, beans and peas already in the freezer, I don't think I'll starve for several months!


----------



## Magyarmum

OMG .... look what my next door neighbour's just given me!










Beetroot, Patty Pans, Marrow and yellow Zucchini - the potatoes and carrots are some I dug up this afternoon from my own garden. All the vegetables are organically grown

What a pity you all don't live nearer otherwise I'd invite you over to help me eat them!


----------



## LinznMilly

Magyarmum said:


> OMG .... look what my next door neighbour's just given me!
> 
> View attachment 327179
> 
> 
> Beetroot, Patty Pans, Marrow and yellow Zucchini - the potatoes and carrots are some I dug up this afternoon from my own garden. All the vegetables are organically grown
> 
> What a pity you all don't live nearer otherwise I'd invite you over to help me eat them!


Nice neighbour.


----------



## Elles

I bought myself a vegan cocoa orange bar as a treat. Guilt free and delicious, simply yummy, it says. It's probably the most gross thing I've ever tried. no one actually likes these things? Should be done under trade description. :Hilarious


----------



## Magyarmum

Elles said:


> I bought myself a vegan cocoa orange bar as a treat. Guilt free and delicious, simply yummy, it says. It's probably the most gross thing I've ever tried. no one actually likes these things? Should be done under trade description. :Hilarious


I know! I bought some Tesco Hot Dog type sausages made from wheat or something. Absolutely tasteless and a total waste of money!


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Be warned there are some fairly brutal animal scenes about 3 quarters of the way through  Have you seen Forks over Knives? If by some miracle I was able to get my Mum to watch one of the films I would probably choose that one.


I agree, I think Forks over Knives is probably one of the more persuasive films, it's not preachy or shock TV, it's simply good, convincing science. It was what finally got OH to go meat free and now he's mostly dairy free too.

It has been a crazy busy week and I've been surviving off of apples & pumpkin peanut butter, quinoa and beans and quick salads. 
Last night I finally had a chance to actually cook something so I unloaded a bunch of frozen veggies in to some garlic and onion, wilted in some spinach, and threw the whole mess in the food processor. Turned that in to a sauce over top of some pasta and it was soooo good! Everyone loved it. Sadly it was one of those throw things in a pot meals that I'll probably never be able to duplicate again :Hilarious


----------



## Jonescat

Gorgeous produce pictures there. Squashes are the most amazing things. Yesterday I roasted a medium sized one and had half as soup (with tarragon and onion) and made a quarter into muffins. The other quarter is in the freezer and will probably be muffins one day. I love that you can get both savoury and sweet from them.


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## rottiepointerhouse

We had one of the small ones from my box with our mushroom soup for lunch, I just cut it into wedges (left the skin on) and roasted it then sprinkled with some black pepper. It was yummy.


----------



## catz4m8z

Elles said:


> I bought myself a vegan cocoa orange bar as a treat. Guilt free and delicious, simply yummy, it says. It's probably the most gross thing I've ever tried. no one actually likes these things? Should be done under trade description. :Hilarious


I hope it wasnt a Nakd bar? I love those!! Its one of my packed lunch staples.
Tonight I added nutritional yeast to my mashed potato.....def a successful experiment, would add again!


----------



## Elles

catz4m8z said:


> I hope it wasnt a Nakd bar? I love those!! Its one of my packed lunch staples.


Oops. :Hilarious


----------



## Guest

I have a friend who might be right on the cusp of trying the WFPB route. She was actually interested in what I eat every day and was asking all sorts of questions. 
I forget how much is just second nature to me, like making sure every meal has something substancial in some way, beans, starch, fats etc. 
It's so pervasive, this notion that eating vegan means eating nothing but salads. I was telling her some of my go-to meals and she was really surprised at how "high carb" (her words, not mine) the diet is. I really do feel bad for this low carb lie we've been fed (oh, I made a pun) all these years. She is a good 100/150 pounds overweight and genuinely trying to eat what she perceives as healthy, yet the weight won't shift. Her kids are overweight too. She can't believe my kids eat what they do, hers won't touch a vegetable


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I have a friend who might be right on the cusp of trying the WFPB route. She was actually interested in what I eat every day and was asking all sorts of questions.
> I forget how much is just second nature to me, like making sure every meal has something substancial in some way, beans, starch, fats etc.
> It's so pervasive, this notion that eating vegan means eating nothing but salads. I was telling her some of my go-to meals and she was really surprised at how "high carb" (her words, not mine) the diet is. I really do feel bad for this low carb lie we've been fed (oh, I made a pun) all these years. She is a good 100/150 pounds overweight and genuinely trying to eat what she perceives as healthy, yet the weight won't shift. Her kids are overweight too. She can't believe my kids eat what they do, hers won't touch a vegetable


Garth Davis's book "Proteinaholic" is excellent at dispelling the high protein/low carb myth.

Dr. Garth Davis is the medical director of the Davis Clinic at the Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, and starred on the hit TLC show _Big Medicine_.

In addition to _Proteinaholic_, Dr. Davis is author of _The Expert's Guide to Weight Loss Surgery_. Dr. Davis graduated from the UT in Austin where he was the Student Government President. Dr. Davis completed his surgical residency at the prestigious University of Michigan. While there, Dr. Davis underwent extensive training in general surgical disciplines, specializing in laparoscopic procedures.

Dr. Davis has been named a Texas Monthly "Super Doc" several times, most recently in 2015. Dr. Davis is a recognized expert in initial bariatric procedures as well as revisional bariatric surgery, and frequently lectures on the importance of a plant-based diet. He is dedicated to helping people discover the foods and adopt the behaviors that can lead to a healthy and happy life.

http://proteinaholic.com

Free chapter

http://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/1/a/1/1a1...06853431&hwt=ab95e31b891152ac8061e81932141ae4


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## rottiepointerhouse

Look at this amazing little boy - there is hope for the future


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## Guest

Dinner tonight:
Sweet potato mash with garlic and cumin, quinoa cooked in tomato salsa, veggie medley with butter beans, summer squash and red bell pepper. 
Made huge portions so I'll have leftovers and quick meals. The quinoa will go with beans for some quick lunches. Sweet potato I can put in burritos with corn, tomato, and avocado. And the veggie medley will go well over rice or pasta. Can also wilt in some fresh spinach I have for some extra greens.


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## LinznMilly

ouesi said:


> Dinner tonight:
> Sweet potato mash with garlic and cumin, quinoa cooked in tomato salsa, veggie medley with butter beans, summer squash and red bell pepper.
> Made huge portions so I'll have leftovers and quick meals. The quinoa will go with beans for some quick lunches. Sweet potato I can put in burritos with corn, tomato, and avocado. And the veggie medley will go well over rice or pasta. Can also wilt in some fresh spinach I have for some extra greens.


Looks lovely, @ouesi. 

According to Cron-o-meter (which I first came across thanks to this thread ) I'm consistently not getting enough calcium, so I looked online for calcium rich foods. Now, I'm eating plenty of kale and broccoli (I throw about 2 handfuls of kale into pretty much everything I cook from scratch - and if not kale, then some other dark leafy veg) and I'm getting more than enough vitamin K ... so, I'm stumped. I sometimes have almonds with salads or cereal, but not often.

Most of the time, I'm getting enough of everything else, including B12.


----------



## Guest

LinznMilly said:


> Looks lovely, @ouesi.
> 
> According to Cron-o-meter (which I first came across thanks to this thread ) I'm consistently not getting enough calcium, so I looked online for calcium rich foods. Now, I'm eating plenty of kale and broccoli (I throw about 2 handfuls of kale into pretty much everything I cook from scratch - and if not kale, then some other dark leafy veg) and I'm getting more than enough vitamin K ... so, I'm stumped. I sometimes have almonds with salads or cereal, but not often.
> 
> Most of the time, I'm getting enough of everything else, including B12.


I don't know how cron-o-meter works, but you may be underestimating your intake? IDK...

Honestly, I don't put a lot of thought in to individual nutrients. I just try to eat "colorful". Lots of different color fruits and veggies and a good base of starch in some form, and I usually do pretty well.
The more your body stabilizes and balances out, the more it will tell you what you need. You'll feel like eating what your body needs.

I posted an easy spinach based pesto recipe further up that would give you a ton of greens in one sitting.

I think quinoa is a good source of calcium too, have to go look that up, not sure.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Looks lovely, @ouesi.
> 
> According to Cron-o-meter (which I first came across thanks to this thread ) I'm consistently not getting enough calcium, so I looked online for calcium rich foods. Now, I'm eating plenty of kale and broccoli (I throw about 2 handfuls of kale into pretty much everything I cook from scratch - and if not kale, then some other dark leafy veg) and I'm getting more than enough vitamin K ... so, I'm stumped. I sometimes have almonds with salads or cereal, but not often.
> 
> Most of the time, I'm getting enough of everything else, including B12.


The dietitian on Dr McDougall's site did explain it to me once but I can't find it, something to do with meat/dairy eaters needing a higher level of calcium intake than vegans - I think but could be wrong it was to do with the acid load of meat/dairy which means they lose more calcium from their bones to neutralise the acid than we do (thus have higher calcium levels in their pee). Cron-o-meter will have its value ranges for the general meat/dairy eating population rather than for vegans. I will try to find what he told me but in the meantime here is his list of calcium rich greens - Arugula is known as rocket over here - I try to have rocket and watercress most days. Spinach is not a particularly good source of calcium although it has lots of other goodies, again I seem to think there is something in Spinach that stops the calcium being absorbed. Also plant based milks mostly have the same calcium content as dairy milk.

Calcium Per 100 Calories

Water Cress 1102
Bok Choy 774
Turnip greens 685
Arugula 640
Collared Greens 583
Parsley 534
Mustard Greens 493
Chinese Broccoli 453
Beet Greens 422
Broccoli Raab 357
Chives 309
Kale 257
Green Leaf 241
Romaine 194
Cooked Broccoli 114

Here is an excellent article by Dr Thomas Campbell that explains it pretty well

http://nutritionstudies.org/how-to-get-calcium-without-dairy/


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## LinznMilly

ouesi said:


> I don't know how cron-o-meter works, but you may be underestimating your intake? IDK...
> 
> Honestly, I don't put a lot of thought in to individual nutrients. I just try to eat "colorful". Lots of different color fruits and veggies and a good base of starch in some form, and I usually do pretty well.
> The more your body stabilizes and balances out, the more it will tell you what you need. You'll feel like eating what your body needs.
> 
> I posted an easy spinach based pesto recipe further up that would give you a ton of greens in one sitting.
> 
> I think quinoa is a good source of calcium too, have to go look that up, not sure.


Thanks, ouesi.  I'll have a look. I do go for colour when preparing meals. Usually add blueberries to cereal/muesli for breakfast, lunch or dinner usually includes kale, peppers, onions, mushrooms, and various other veg, depending on what it is I'm making, and I'm trying to get into the habit of adding lentils or other pulses, too.

@rottiepointerhouse thanks for that info, and the link. I use Alpro soya milk for muesli and/or cereal, and oat milk in coffee. I'll check the calcium content of them too.


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## Jonescat

Tofu is a pretty good source if it is set with calcium/gypsum like Cauldron or Mori-Nu.


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## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Water Cress 1102
> Bok Choy 774
> Turnip greens 685
> Arugula 640
> Collared Greens 583
> Parsley 534
> Mustard Greens 493
> Chinese Broccoli 453
> Beet Greens 422
> Broccoli Raab 357
> Chives 309
> Kale 257
> Green Leaf 241
> Romaine 194
> Cooked Broccoli 114


Thank god for fortified plant milk....I pretty much hate most of those!LOL:Shy

Tea tonight was black bean quinoa burgers, mashed swede and carrot and brussels with broccoli. With a sweet potato sauce drizzled over it (cheat-saved some of my soup from lunch, it was thick enough to be a sauce so...).
Quite proud of myself as the burgers retained their shape after cooking, usually my burgers, fritters, etc tend to fall apart into a splodge!


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## Jonescat

Another reason for cutting down on meat - interesting article in the Guardian about the need to feed protein to animals and the effect that has on the planet
https://www.theguardian.com/environ...nimal-feed-crops-meat-needs-destroying-planet


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## catz4m8z

Jonescat said:


> https://www.theguardian.com/environ...nimal-feed-crops-meat-needs-destroying-planet


So sad what we are doing to our planet. The comments are interesting though...its amazing the kind of weak justifications and excuses people come up with so they wont have to change.
I really dont get it though. Just watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead documentary and one thing that stood out to me was a guy paying $500 a month for medication. Given that alot of americans dont have private healthcare it seems they would rather bankrupt themselves then eat a bean!

Vegan junk food today. Black bean quinoa burgers in wholemeal pitta, big salad, home made chips(no oil just some salt and smoked paprika) and corn on the cob.rool


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> So sad what we are doing to our planet. The comments are interesting though...its amazing the kind of weak justifications and excuses people come up with so they wont have to change.
> I really dont get it though. Just watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead documentary and one thing that stood out to me was a guy paying $500 a month for medication. Given that alot of americans dont have private healthcare it seems they would rather bankrupt themselves then eat a bean!
> 
> Vegan junk food today. Black bean quinoa burgers in wholemeal pitta, big salad, home made chips(no oil just some salt and smoked paprika) and corn on the cob.rool


That isn't vegan junk food that is mighty fine sounding plant based food - we eat that sort of stuff pretty regularly.


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## rottiepointerhouse

# 5 in the series of short videos about why doctors don't recommend veganism with Dr Pam Popper and Dr Michael Klaper






You can find the previous 4 in the series on the Plant Based News youtube


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## rottiepointerhouse

Pam Popper is so inspiring, she gets straight to the point, I love the bit where she talks about informed consent.

@noushka05 do you know anything about this conference?


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## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> So sad what we are doing to our planet. The comments are interesting though...its amazing the kind of weak justifications and excuses people come up with so they wont have to change.
> I really dont get it though. Just watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead documentary and one thing that stood out to me was a guy paying $500 a month for medication. Given that alot of americans dont have private healthcare it seems they would rather bankrupt themselves then eat a bean!
> 
> Vegan junk food today. Black bean quinoa burgers in wholemeal pitta, big salad, home made chips(no oil just some salt and smoked paprika) and corn on the cob.rool


Sounds good! Last night for my dinner I had roasted veggies - onion, celery, red and green peppers, courgette, summer squash, aubergine and cherry tomatoes. Also boiled, baby new potatoes from my garden and lentils and kale cooked in a creamy mushroom sauce, made with Alpro flavoured almond drink.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Magyarmum said:


> Sounds good! Last night for my dinner I had roasted veggies - onion, celery, red and green peppers, courgette, summer squash, aubergine and cherry tomatoes. Also boiled, baby new potatoes from my garden and lentils and kale cooked in a creamy mushroom sauce, made with Alpro flavoured almond drink.
> 
> View attachment 328165


That looks delicious rool

I made a big old stew in my ancient slow cooker with squash, carrots, parsnips, leaks, onions, garlic, mushrooms, haricot beans, tin tomatoes, mixed herbs and paprika and a naughty small glass of red wine, served with jacket potatoes ( I only eat the skins) and steamed broccoli/kale. Have enough left over to freeze some and for dinner tonight as we will be late.


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## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


> That looks delicious rool
> 
> I made a big old stew in my ancient slow cooker with squash, carrots, parsnips, leaks, onions, garlic, mushrooms, haricot beans, tin tomatoes, mixed herbs and paprika and a naughty small glass of red wine, served with jacket potatoes ( I only eat the skins) and steamed broccoli/kale. Have enough left over to freeze some and for dinner tonight as we will be late.


Thank you kindly!

I don't have a slow cooker but do have a rather nice cooking pot which I can either use on top of the stove or in the oven. I love stews and tend to make two kinds. One with winter root vegetables like carrots, parsnips, turnips, lentils or red kidney beans. celeriac and a slurp of red wine which I often make into a veggie shepherds pie - I do like my potatoes! The other I'll make with peppers, tomatoes, courgettes, celery, and white beans like haricot or broad beans and white wine and have it with either pasta or some form of grain like quinoa or rice.

Tonight I'm having pasta with a tomato, veggie sauce which I'll probably have for my meal on Saturday night as well. Sunday I plan to make one of my favourite dishes Aloo Gobi which if you like curry is a must try! http://www.cookingcarnival.com/aloo-gobi-with-coconut-milk/ I'll make some Roti to go with it. Yummy!

Just realised reading this it sounds as though I don't eat many green veggies which I actually do. I love my green bean, broccoli and spinach but not so fond of cabbage or kale. I very often pop some green veggies in with whatever I'm cooking.


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## catz4m8z

That all sounds really tasty...everybody's! I do like the look of that lentil and kale concoction though @Magyarmum 

Tonight Ive got black beans, green lentils, quinoa, sweet potato, mixed veg and spinach with a big dollop of peanut butter....oh wait! Thats the dogs!LOL:Happy
_Ive_ got the last of my black bean quinoa burgers, a huge jacket potato, roast red onion and cabbage.


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## Jonescat

This is mine
Broccoli, saffron potatoes and ful medames (spicy tomato-y beans) made with British Fava beans.


----------



## Guest

I've been reading excerpts of The Starch Solution and Proteinaholic and I definitely need to incorporate more start. I tend to be fruit and veggie heavy in my diet, mainly because that's what I like. But I see the benefits of incorporating more starchy whole foods. 

Tonight was more quinoa (I'm on a big quinoa phase lately, I really like the texture of it) with a bunch of "clean out the fridge" veggies. Basically whatever I found in the fridge that needed to be eaten up quickly. 

I saw a gross recipe for chocolate peanut butter balls with tons of powdered sugar and butter, but I got to thinking, I bet I could make those with pumpkin peanut butter, honey, and some coconut flour. 

Time to do some experimenting in the kitchen


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I've been reading excerpts of The Starch Solution and Proteinaholic and I definitely need to incorporate more start. I tend to be fruit and veggie heavy in my diet, mainly because that's what I like. But I see the benefits of incorporating more starchy whole foods.
> 
> Tonight was more quinoa (I'm on a big quinoa phase lately, I really like the texture of it) with a bunch of "clean out the fridge" veggies. Basically whatever I found in the fridge that needed to be eaten up quickly.
> 
> I saw a gross recipe for chocolate peanut butter balls with tons of powdered sugar and butter, but I got to thinking, I bet I could make those with pumpkin peanut butter, honey, and some coconut flour.
> 
> Time to do some experimenting in the kitchen


Both excellent books, Dr McDougall and The Starch Solution have a huge following, he has a very informative website with loads of free downloads and lecture videos etc. He believes in keeping it really simple, pick your starch and just add some veggies and fruit every day and away you go. This is a free download of one of his short books

https://www.drmcdougall.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Dr-McDougalls-Color-Picture-Book1.pdf

Your way of eating sounds more in tune with Dr Fuhrman's "Nutritarian" ideas. He believes you should eat the most nutritious foods which are the lowest calories so very heavily fruit and veg based with the carbs coming from the least refined grains/bean pasta etc. I've read most of his books, "Eat to Live" was a real eye opener for me and his most recent book "The end of heart disease" is brilliant, I've linked this short little clip about it before, only a few minutes and well worth watching






similar couple of minutes about his new book "Fast Food Genocide" which isn't out yet, not sure on the date for release






This is a longer lecture of his once you get past the first couple of minutes about his getaways. I love his sense of humour but he isn't everyone's cup of tea


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Your way of eating sounds more in tune with Dr Fuhrman's "Nutritarian" ideas.


I'm just a "vegaholic" LOL
I really do love my fruits and veggies, not many I won't eat (thought I don't get the kale obsession, I'll eat it if it's there, but it's not my favorite). Plus I live in a part of the world where we do get tremendous diversity and a long growing season, so I have a lot of fun eating all sorts of wonderful local, seasonal veggies and fruits.

So I looked up Nutritarian diet because I had not heard that term before, and good old Web MD has a write up on it. Their take - though it works, it's very restrictive, hard to follow, and a lot of work to cut up and prepare all those fruits and veggies. *sigh* 
Since when was chopping up a few veggies and throwing them in a pan "a lot of work"?! I came home yesterday, threw on a pot of quinoa and salsa, chopped up some veggies, and had a meal ready in 20 minutes. You can't cook a hamburger in 20 minutes (or can you? IDK I've never made a hamburger LOL). But that doesn't seem like "a lot of work" to me. Clean up was a breeze too. I don't even use soap on the knife and cutting board, just a quick rinse and they're good to go. I'm just chopping veggies after all.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I'm just a "vegaholic" LOL
> I really do love my fruits and veggies, not many I won't eat (thought I don't get the kale obsession, I'll eat it if it's there, but it's not my favorite). Plus I live in a part of the world where we do get tremendous diversity and a long growing season, so I have a lot of fun eating all sorts of wonderful local, seasonal veggies and fruits.
> 
> So I looked up Nutritarian diet because I had not heard that term before, and good old Web MD has a write up on it. Their take - though it works, it's very restrictive, hard to follow, and a lot of work to cut up and prepare all those fruits and veggies. *sigh*
> Since when was chopping up a few veggies and throwing them in a pan "a lot of work"?! I came home yesterday, threw on a pot of quinoa and salsa, chopped up some veggies, and had a meal ready in 20 minutes. You can't cook a hamburger in 20 minutes (or can you? IDK I've never made a hamburger LOL). But that doesn't seem like "a lot of work" to me. Clean up was a breeze too. I don't even use soap on the knife and cutting board, just a quick rinse and they're good to go. I'm just chopping veggies after all.


It really isn't hard to follow and no more work than any other way of eating that isn't based on processed/packet/junk foods. It always makes me laugh as what is quicker that grabbing some fruit and a handful of nuts or chucking a potato in the oven to bake or just throwing together a big salad? My favourite lunch at the moment is a baked purple potato with a huge pile of rocket & watercress and raw red onion with balsamic vinegar.

I love that my knives and chopping boards don't have to keep being put through the dishwasher. This week I was due my annual professional oven clean, I've been having it done for years, last year it didn't really need doing but I forgot to cancel it. This time I went and looked and there were literally no fat splashes anywhere so I just gave the bottom a wipe over to get rid of spillage bits and cancelled the clean.

Dr Fuhrman also talks a lot about "Toxic hunger" which I'd never heard of before. He says that the standard western diet is so addictive that people feel sick (headaches, dizziness, grumbling tummy, tired, irritable "hypoglycemic" like) whenever their digestive system is empty, instead of giving themselves chance to detox and let the body get rid of the toxic breakdown of foods they mistake the symptoms for hunger and keep on eating to relieve the symptoms and so the cycle goes on. We need to let our digestive systems be empty for a while so that the body can detoxify and replenish the digestive enzymes etc. He says few people in the western world ever experience what true hunger feels like. I've noticed this with my OH - he used to eat constantly all day long, would get clammy, headaches, go pale and weak etc if he went long without food, I used to have to carry a back pack just for his food :Hilarious but now he sometimes goes all day without eating. Yesterday he came home at 7 pm with the lunch I'd made for him still untouched as he said he was a) too busy to stop and eat and b) didn't feel hungry or even notice he hadn't eaten for so long.

Not sure if you have seen his website, some of it is for members only but a lot of it is free access

https://www.drfuhrman.com/learn/the-nutritarian-diet


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Dr Fuhrman also talks a lot about "Toxic hunger" which I'd never heard of before. He says that the standard western diet is so addictive that people feel sick (headaches, dizziness, grumbling tummy, tired, irritable "hypoglycemic" like) whenever their digestive system is empty, instead of giving themselves chance to detox and let the body get rid of the toxic breakdown of foods they mistake the symptoms for hunger and keep on eating to relieve the symptoms and so the cycle goes on.


huh, I used to get that too. In fact I still do! Only difference Ive noticed TBH is that whereas before I used to get warning about being hungry with a grumbling tummy now I seem to go straight to the dizzy, weak stage which is annoying. Although I have lost 10Ibs in the last 3 weeks so I probably am genuinely hungry some of the time, even if I dont feel it!:Shy
On the whole I think WFPB diets are better for everyone but they dont cure all ills. I still have digestive problems (randomly got an upset tummy from salad the other night) but I do feel tons healthier then I used too.

Going the CBA route for tea tonight. Cooking up a big pot of quinoa, black beans, black eyed beans and mixed veggies. That will go in the fridge and last me at least 4 days and I'll mix it up with extra veg, dressings and side salads.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Dr Fuhrman also talks a lot about "Toxic hunger" which I'd never heard of before. He says that the standard western diet is so addictive that people feel sick (headaches, dizziness, grumbling tummy, tired, irritable "hypoglycemic" like) whenever their digestive system is empty, instead of giving themselves chance to detox and let the body get rid of the toxic breakdown of foods they mistake the symptoms for hunger and keep on eating to relieve the symptoms and so the cycle goes on. We need to let our digestive systems be empty for a while so that the body can detoxify and replenish the digestive enzymes etc. He says few people in the western world ever experience what true hunger feels like.


I notice a huge difference in how I'm hungry when I'm eating well vs. when I'm eating junk. 
It's 1pm here. Today I've had a cup of coffee and some wheat grass powder in my water, neither has significant calories (if any). I've also gone for a 4 mile run, ran errands and did light housework. I often skip breakfast just because I get busy and don't bother to stop for it. 
Right now I'm hungry, yes, but I'm not miserable. I just feel hungry. I don't feel tired, I don't feel faint, I don't *need* to eat. 
OH and I have a lunch date, so I won't be eating until about 2, 2:30pm, and I'll be fine until then 

(I don't normally go that long without eating BTW, just an example of it being okay to feel hungry if your body is being properly nourished otherwise.)


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## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> huh, I used to get that too. In fact I still do! Only difference Ive noticed TBH is that whereas before I used to get warning about being hungry with a grumbling tummy now I seem to go straight to the dizzy, weak stage which is annoying. Although I have lost 10Ibs in the last 3 weeks so I probably am genuinely hungry some of the time, even if I dont feel it!:Shy
> On the whole I think WFPB diets are better for everyone but they dont cure all ills. I still have digestive problems (randomly got an upset tummy from salad the other night) but I do feel tons healthier then I used too.
> 
> Going the CBA route for tea tonight. Cooking up a big pot of quinoa, black beans, black eyed beans and mixed veggies. That will go in the fridge and last me at least 4 days and I'll mix it up with extra veg, dressings and side salads.


No its not meant to be a "cure all ills" but all the scientific evidence shows it makes one hell of a difference to all the main chronic illnesses along with some cancers and autoimmune diseases. If you get a chance try to get hold of a copy of Dr McDougall's "Digestive tune up" as that might help with your digestive problems. With regards to the toxic hunger thing if you still eat sugar or sugar substitutes like maple syrup or honey then you will probably still get those issues. As you know there is a world of difference between being vegan and being WFPB and Nutritarianism takes it to another level too. Dr Fuhrman wants you to ignore macronutrients and only focus on getting as wide a variety of micronutrients as you can. That way you crowd out the less healthy foods too. He also insists you only eat when you are hungry.

Well done on the weight loss, I think I said to you before that I was slow to lose any weight too, I think because I have lost and gained, lost and gained over the years and also messed up my metabolism and my guts with doing a ketogenic diet for over a year. 18 months into eating this way I'm more or less back to normal but not quite. I got a reality check though when asking Dr Fuhrman a question about my feet on his forum, I mentioned I was 5 ft 6 and 147 pounds (10st 7) which gives me a "normal" BMI and he told me in no uncertain terms to lose another 30 pounds :Jawdrop:Jawdrop, he is right though, I am carrying far too much fat around my middle - my body fat percentage is 34% and its nearly all on my middle which is not healthy so I'm making a few more tweaks to my diet to try and shift a bit more and being strict about not sitting for longer than an hour without getting up and doing something active for 10 - 15 mins and I'm doing more pilates too.


----------



## catz4m8z

I do agree that however you feel then eating like this will make you feel ten times better! I dont eat sugar substitutes but I think Im just one of those people who needs to eat regularly (I dont really believe the whole fasting thing TBH).
Ive really upped my dog walking lately which has helped (and pleased the dogs immensely!LOL). Decent nutrition, exercise and fresh air does you the world of good!
Felt sorry for my friend today though who is doing one of the more well known slimming clubs....only allowed a piece of fruit as a snack, and then you cant eat half of the different types coz its too high in sugar. And there's me snacking on apple, kiwi, grapes _and_ mandarin!
(oh, and just realiesed that if I took out the soya sauce and mashed it then I basically made myself 'dog food' for tea! clearly Ive been subconciously eyeing it and thinking it looked good!:Shy).


----------



## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> Felt sorry for my friend today though who is doing one of the more well known slimming clubs....only allowed a piece of fruit as a snack, and then you cant eat half of the different types coz its too high in sugar. And there's me snacking on apple, kiwi, grapes _and_ mandarin!


Oh this sort of thing drives me crazy!
Since when did we become concerned about fruit intake?! 
I was joking with some coworkers the other day about my 14 year old child eating an entire bunch of grapes. I set the bowl down with the cleaned grapes, loaded the dishwasher, looked over, and the bowl was nearly empty!  
I told it as a funny anecdote trying to keep teenagers full, and one of my coworkers commented "don't you worry about all that sugar though?" Uh... no. I kind of brushed her off, but I really wanted to say that I'd be far more worried about my kid eating eggs and bacon or sugary cereal and milk for breakfast every day than the 3 bartlett pears he downed the other morning as a pre-breakfast snack.

We do eat an obscene amount of fruit in this house, 20 apples will not last the week for 4 people, and 3 bunches of bananas is nothing for us. That's in addition to all the other "snack" fruit I get like mandarin oranges, grapes, melons, pineapple, pears, peaches, and berries of all kinds. I get it home, clean it, and it sits in a bowl in the fridge or out on the counter and the kids just grab fruit all day long. But I'd far rather my kids be filling up on fruit than processed junk. And honestly, I still end up spending less on groceries than other moms with teenagers.

On another note, OH and I went to a grocery store in a different town today (out running errands) and I noticed the cashier was setting aside a lot of the produce. Finally I realized she didn't know what it was to punch in the code on the register. And I'm not talking exotic stuff. Things like garlic and zucchini. And then I got to thinking the poor kid probably doesn't have someone at home cooking regularly to learn what these foods are. We really are in a crisis with our western lifestyle if a teenager old enough to be working doesn't know what a bulb of garlic is


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## rottiepointerhouse

I think its in Proteinaholic that Garth Davis says he hasn't come across anyone who got overweight from eating plums, peaches and pears, given he is a bariatric surgeon he is pretty experienced in discussing with obese people what they have been eating. Even he says that at social gatherings he has had friends ask him if he is worried about his young daughters "eating that stuff" - meaning not eating animal/processed foods and how hard it is not to say anything when looking at the same friend's children tucking into burger/hotdogs/fries etc.

Anyone interested in taking part in a study? Its open to non US residents too although there is one questionnaire we won't get.

http://hnrca.tufts.edu/adapt/


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## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I think its in Proteinaholic that Garth Davis says he hasn't come across anyone who got overweight from eating plums, peaches and pears, given he is a bariatric surgeon he is pretty experienced in discussing with obese people what they have been eating. Even he says that at social gatherings he has had friends ask him if he is worried about his young daughters "eating that stuff" - meaning not eating animal/processed foods and how hard it is not to say anything when looking at the same friend's children tucking into burger/hotdogs/fries etc.
> 
> Anyone interested in taking part in a study? Its open to non US residents too although there is one questionnaire we won't get.
> 
> http://hnrca.tufts.edu/adapt/


Thanks  
I just signed up for the survey


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## catz4m8z

Just made the most awesome soup.
Just potato, sweet potato, cauliflower and spring onions seasoned with garlic, ginger and a cube of coconut milk (I freeze mine in ice cube trays). Blended together.
wow! Tastes so rich and creamy I cant believe its not bad for me!rool

Now going to spend the rest of the afternoon making bread. Generally I make about 16-18 wholemeal pittas at a time and they easily last me 2 months as I only use bread for work lunches. Then maybe make the dogs some sweet potato and red pepper dog biscuits.


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## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> Just made the most awesome soup.
> Just potato, sweet potato, cauliflower and spring onions seasoned with garlic, ginger and a cube of coconut milk (I freeze mine in ice cube trays). Blended together.


Yum! I have a batch of potatoes and sweet potatoes I was going to roast, but this sounds good too! May go the soup route


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## rottiepointerhouse

Don't think I'll be tempted in but I guess every little bits helps towards reducing animal product intake.


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## Guest

Okay I went the soup route. 
Had some leftover sweet potatoes cooked in garlic in onion (because what else would I use to cook anything with right? :Hilarious)
Threw in a can of black beans, some frozen corn, half a jar of tomato salsa, leftover sweet potatoes, and about a 5oz container of fresh spinach. 
Just had a giant bowl of it and it is ridiculously delicious. 









I also played with peanut butter and pumpkin yesterday and made these balls. The chocolate doesn't exactly fall under the WFPB plan, but the balls are just pumpkin, peanut butter, coconut flour, honey and spices. And pretty yummy too. I bet I could throw some walnuts, figs, and/or dates in the food processor and roll them in that instead of chocolate, and make it more WFPB friendly. And I bet that would be delicious too.


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## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Don't think I'll be tempted in but I guess every little bits helps towards reducing animal product intake.


I'm glad to hear that "vegan" is the fastest growing segment of the food industry, but I still don't know what "vegan" means. 
If we're still talking highly processed foods that take a toll on our health and environment, we're not doing much more than jumping from the frying pan in to the fire IMHO. But the awareness in any form is a good thing I guess


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## rottiepointerhouse

Wow those peanut/pumpkin balls look very professional @ouesi - bet they didn't last long.

As far as the McDonalds vegan burger goes I would hazard a guess it just doesn't contain animal products but contains lot of other things that wouldn't fit with a WFPB diet but I haven't seen a list of ingredients or the cooking method. I suppose it is at least cutting down on the demand for animal food and creating a demand for alternatives which if the demand is there may improve over time. On the other hand they are not a company I would want to give my money to so I really doubt I would try it. Will be interested to see if they trial it elsewhere after this initial trial in Finland and how it does in other countries.


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## Magyarmum

ouesi said:


> Thanks
> I just signed up for the survey


I signed up and also completed the first questionnaire. I was going great guns until it got to the bit where you're asked about your income, where you shop and the amount you spend. Fine if you live in the US, shop there and pay in $Dollars, but impossible to fill in if you live in another country.



ouesi said:


> Okay I went the soup route.
> Had some leftover sweet potatoes cooked in garlic in onion (because what else would I use to cook anything with right? :Hilarious)
> Threw in a can of black beans, some frozen corn, half a jar of tomato salsa, leftover sweet potatoes, and about a 5oz container of fresh spinach.
> Just had a giant bowl of it and it is ridiculously delicious.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also played with peanut butter and pumpkin yesterday and made these balls. The chocolate doesn't exactly fall under the WFPB plan, but the balls are just pumpkin, peanut butter, coconut flour, honey and spices. And pretty yummy too. I bet I could throw some walnuts, figs, and/or dates in the food processor and roll them in that instead of chocolate, and make it more WFPB friendly. And I bet that would be delicious too.


That looks good and the sweeties look yummy. Last night I had rice/quinoa risotto with peas, sweetcorn and spinach as well as green beans, carrots and spicy oven baked potato wedges. Tonight having some of the risotto left over I added bean sprouts, mushrooms, leek and red pepper and spiced it up with soya sauce, And I had some bought cauliflower "rantott", which is cauliflower in breadcrumbs ... very tasty and saves the effort of making!


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## LinznMilly

Everyone's dishes look really tasty. 

Tonight, I just threw together some mixed veg (green beans, peas, sweetcorn, carrots) broccoli/cauliflower florets, mushrooms and onions with some mixed seeds and rice and red lentil medley. Rice/lentil medley was a bit dry, until I drizzled some balsamic vinegar over it. :Hungry


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## noushka05

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Pam Popper is so inspiring, she gets straight to the point, I love the bit where she talks about informed consent.
> 
> @noushka05 do you know anything about this conference?


Hiya RPH, I believe she's speaking about the extinction 17 conference which took place a few days ago. It was a CIWF event about the devastating impact livestock farming is having on the natural world. More information here - http://www.extinctionconference.com...summary-4fb97cae0f154b88837d534eefb7a171.aspx

I would have loved to have been able to go. Me & my hubby are going to see George Monbiot on Wednesday - I suspect he'll have a lot to say on the subject.

Good graphic from the conference.


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## rottiepointerhouse

I feel so sad/worried and mad all at the same time with my Mum. She has had high blood pressure for years now, been on anti hypertensives for years too, she currently takes 4 yes I said 4 different drugs to control her blood pressure but its gradually creeping higher and higher again, systolic was 195 last week and today 220 :Jawdrop:Jawdrop She had a scare earlier this year with visual disturbances - a stroke was suspected but ruled out by a scan. She suffers with side effects from the drugs, they make her feel ill but now they are going to double her dose as GP is really worried she will have a stroke. I've tried and tried to get her to try a plant based diet, the most I achieved was getting her to include some ground flaxseeds but she only uses about a teaspoon a day instead to the tablespoon she needs. I could seriously bang her head against a wall. She lives alone 3.5 hours drive from us, how does she think she/we will manage if she has a stroke. I just don't understand this giving up all responsibility for your own health and popping more and more pills when the answer is so simple. Last time I raised the subject she told me she likes salt and always has. No shit sherlock


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I feel so sad/worried and mad all at the same time with my Mum. She has had high blood pressure for years now, been on anti hypertensives for years too, she currently takes 4 yes I said 4 different drugs to control her blood pressure but its gradually creeping higher and higher again, systolic was 195 last week and today 220 :Jawdrop:Jawdrop She had a scare earlier this year with visual disturbances - a stroke was suspected but ruled out by a scan. She suffers with side effects from the drugs, they make her feel ill but now they are going to double her dose as GP is really worried she will have a stroke. I've tried and tried to get her to try a plant based diet, the most I achieved was getting her to include some ground flaxseeds but she only uses about a teaspoon a day instead to the tablespoon she needs. I could seriously bang her head against a wall. She lives alone 3.5 hours drive from us, how does she think she/we will manage if she has a stroke. I just don't understand this giving up all responsibility for your own health and popping more and more pills when the answer is so simple. Last time I raised the subject she told me she likes salt and always has. No shit sherlock


I know only too well where you're coming from, because I have the same problem with my own mum.  ((hugs))


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## rottiepointerhouse

Just heard that poor Dr McDougall and two other members of his family have lost their homes and all their possessions in the wild fires in California, thankfully they are all safe.


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## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I feel so sad/worried and mad all at the same time with my Mum. She has had high blood pressure for years now, been on anti hypertensives for years too, she currently takes 4 yes I said 4 different drugs to control her blood pressure but its gradually creeping higher and higher again, systolic was 195 last week and today 220 :Jawdrop:Jawdrop She had a scare earlier this year with visual disturbances - a stroke was suspected but ruled out by a scan. She suffers with side effects from the drugs, they make her feel ill but now they are going to double her dose as GP is really worried she will have a stroke. I've tried and tried to get her to try a plant based diet, the most I achieved was getting her to include some ground flaxseeds but she only uses about a teaspoon a day instead to the tablespoon she needs. I could seriously bang her head against a wall. She lives alone 3.5 hours drive from us, how does she think she/we will manage if she has a stroke. I just don't understand this giving up all responsibility for your own health and popping more and more pills when the answer is so simple. Last time I raised the subject she told me she likes salt and always has. No shit sherlock


I'm so sorry RPH, that has to be incredibly frustrating. 
I have a couple friends who I see suffering so much with weight and their overall health and that's hard enough to try to address, I can't imagine when it's someone like your mom who you not only care so much about, but will be responsible for if something were to happen.

I was thinking today about one of them, who has always been fat. I wonder how much harder it must be when you've *never* felt good. I have enjoyed good health, lots of energy, feeling great. And I know that I feel better when I eat better. But if you've felt sick and tired most of your life, where is the motivation to feel good when you don't really know what feeling good feels like?


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I'm so sorry RPH, that has to be incredibly frustrating.
> I have a couple friends who I see suffering so much with weight and their overall health and that's hard enough to try to address, I can't imagine when it's someone like your mom who you not only care so much about, but will be responsible for if something were to happen.
> 
> I was thinking today about one of them, who has always been fat. I wonder how much harder it must be when you've *never* felt good. I have enjoyed good health, lots of energy, feeling great. And I know that I feel better when I eat better. But if you've felt sick and tired most of your life, where is the motivation to feel good when you don't really know what feeling good feels like?


Thats a very good point, I hadn't really thought about that. In my Mum's case she has tolerated side effects of numerous drugs for years, the whole going to the doctors, going to the pharmacy, talking about her medication and how it makes her feel is so ingrained in her life and routine, I doubt she even remembers what it was like not to have all that and in some respects I think people want to hang on to what they know as changing is challenging even when it is for the better. I don't tolerate medication at all well, I rarely even taken paracetamol for headaches and will try everything else first - for me a lavender wheat bag heated in the microwave relieves most tension headaches but if I have to take something I try to do it before going to bed so I can sleep through how it makes me feel which is generally nauseated and spaced out. Therefore I just know all those meds for high blood pressure, high cholesterol etc etc would make me feel so bad that I will do everything I possibly can to avoid having to take them.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Interesting short video about childhood illnesses and dairy products


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## rottiepointerhouse

How wonderful to have doctors like these - can only hope yet again that we will get them in the UK one day  - love that they have a rescue GSD to greet the patients too 

http://doctordulaney.com/about/meet-dr-dulaney/

you can listen to podcasts from the link - I particularly like "Excusitarian" as a description of the excuses people have.


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## catz4m8z

ouesi said:


> I was thinking today about one of them, who has always been fat. I wonder how much harder it must be when you've *never* felt good.


Ive pretty much been fat all my life so I dont really know what it feels like to be a normal weight!LOL Im assuming its much better then?
(70Ibs left to lose, hopefully all the WFPB food and dog walking will help!).


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## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> Ive pretty much been fat all my life so I dont really know what it feels like to be a normal weight!LOL Im assuming its much better then?
> (70Ibs left to lose, hopefully all the WFPB food and dog walking will help!).


Oh man! You will feel so much better just not lugging around all that extra weight  
I remember when I was pregnant, and how uncomfortable I was all the time. Little things like not be able to cross my legs or bring my knees up to my stomach, were so annoying! And then I got to thinking about obese people who have enough stomach that they can't do that ever. It's so nice just to have full range of movement in your body 

And yes, the WFPB will not only help the weight, but also your body's inflammatory response, and you feel so much better! That's the one I notice a lot, if I eat junk (and processed stuff with lots of salt) I get swollen and uncomfortable. When I eat well, I feel like a well-oiled machine LOL


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## Magyarmum

Just wondering! Has anyone tried Pumpkin Seed Oil?

I bought some the other day and it has a DELICIOUS nutty flavour ideal for salad dressings.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2000/nov/11/weekend.joannablythman

The biggest producers of the oil is Austria, but it's also made in Hungary.and quite expensive to buy - I paid about £8 for 250 ml from Spar, but having said that because it has such a strong flavour, you only need a teaspoonful for your salad so economical to use!

http://www.bitchinfrommelanieskitch...n-style-pumpkin-seed-oil-salad-dressing-.html


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## Guest

Magyarmum said:


> Just wondering! Has anyone tried Pumpkin Seed Oil?


I haven't, but that sounds lovely 

Thanks to McDougall though, I'm trying to make sure most of our oils come in whole food form. I've discovered that throwing a whole avocado in the blender and adding my favorite seasonings makes a delicious creamy salad dressing 

I can't bring myself to give up olive oil though. Makes me empathize with meat eaters who can't give up the meat and dairy. The thought of never using olive oil quite literally upsets me. I don't mind cutting back, but it's such a deeply entrenched cultural thing. I *have* to cook at least some meals with lots of garlic sauteed in olive oil! 
Thank gawd garlic is okay! LOL!


----------



## Guest

Oh and @rottiepointerhouse I need some help. 
A friend has asked me for help eating more plants and less meat. I directed her to McDougall and the Starch Solution. 
She has now gone one week on what she calls plant based (I don't know what she's eating exactly, I know she made a veggie chili and black bean burgers that she really liked. 
Problem: major bloating and gas. I don't know how to advise her as this is not an issue I ever have (other than mildly with dairy - yet another reason to avoid it and I did mention that dairy can be a culprit. She has not given up dairy that I know of). I remember you posting something about how to handle the belly issues with more fiber but don't quite remember? 
Any suggestions for her?


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Oh and @rottiepointerhouse I need some help.
> A friend has asked me for help eating more plants and less meat. I directed her to McDougall and the Starch Solution.
> She has now gone one week on what she calls plant based (I don't know what she's eating exactly, I know she made a veggie chili and black bean burgers that she really liked.
> Problem: major bloating and gas. I don't know how to advise her as this is not an issue I ever have (other than mildly with dairy - yet another reason to avoid it and I did mention that dairy can be a culprit. She has not given up dairy that I know of). I remember you posting something about how to handle the belly issues with more fiber but don't quite remember?
> Any suggestions for her?


This might help

http://nutritionstudies.org/avoid-gas-bloating-plant-based-diet/

I think Dr Fuhrman recommends introducing beans slowly if they cause gas and bloating to give the gut bacteria time to adjust to the change, he says a tablespoon at a time.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> This might help
> 
> http://nutritionstudies.org/avoid-gas-bloating-plant-based-diet/
> 
> I think Dr Fuhrman recommends introducing beans slowly if they cause gas and bloating to give the gut bacteria time to adjust to the change, he says a tablespoon at a time.


Thank you!
Passing it on


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## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I think Dr Fuhrman recommends introducing beans slowly if they cause gas and bloating to give the gut bacteria time to adjust to the change, he says a tablespoon at a time.


 yup, I can remember being quite windy after introducing beans and lentils to my diet (Id really never eaten them at all before). Its all good now though!

Having a junk food day today Im afraid coz I havent slept in 2 days. So oven chips, corn on the cob and Linda McCartney sausage rolls. 
Still, thats good though.....before I would 'fall off the wagon' with family sized portions of Dominos, cartons of ice cream, etc and consider any dieting progress completely lost. Now I feel like Im having naughty treat and it is still much healthier then my previous diet!
It makes me encouraged for my first vegan xmas. If WFPB is normal then eating some more processed vegan foods will still be something special to celebrate with!


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## Guest

Dinner tonight was a pesto-ish sauce with (what else) onion, garlic, one red bell pepper, peas and a ton of fresh spinach. I cooked the onion, garlic, bell pepper and peas, then threw the whole mess in the food processor and added in handfulls of spinach. Took the mush and added it to more peas and sweet corn. Salt and pepper to taste. Turned out lovely. Had some rough chopped potatoes dry roasting in the oven, took those out and poured the "pesto" over those. Was very good  I'm very full!


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## Magyarmum

ouesi said:


> Dinner tonight was a pesto-ish sauce with (what else) onion, garlic, one red bell pepper, peas and a ton of fresh spinach. I cooked the onion, garlic, bell pepper and peas, then threw the whole mess in the food processor and added in handfulls of spinach. Took the mush and added it to more peas and sweet corn. Salt and pepper to taste. Turned out lovely. Had some rough chopped potatoes dry roasting in the oven, took those out and poured the "pesto" over those. Was very good  I'm very full!


Sounds yummy! I love my potatoes and am always looking for new ways of serving them. I've found this website which has some great ideas: https://www.lovepotatoes.co.uk/recipe-categories/vegetarian/ Tonight I'll either make a potato and lentil curry or a potato and vegetable bake.

Last night had a barley risotto cooked in a little white wine and veggie stock with leeks, celery and broccoli florets. Plus a side salad of grated celeriac and carrot in a lemon/honey dressing. Delicious!


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## catz4m8z

Magyarmum said:


> Last night had a barley risotto cooked in a little white wine and veggie stock with leeks, celery and broccoli florets. Plus a side salad of grated celeriac and carrot in a lemon/honey dressing. Delicious!


well, that sounds awfully posh!LOL

Got the soup maker and the slow cooker out today! So veggie soup for lunch and 3 bean chilli for tea. (and now I dont have to think about lunch or tea for the next 4 days!).


----------



## Royoyo

I am now trying to live on a plant based diet but obviously looking at it less as a diet and more of a lifestyle change. I had been looking into it for a while and looking at changing the way I eat due to being underweight. I had also watched ''What The Health'' on Netflix and it shocked me to be honest. This thread also inspired me. It's been around a month and although I feel better for it and don't miss meat at all. I really miss cheese, HUGELY! Sometimes I feel like a strung out drug addict when I think about the cheese 

I have also found I've been sort of laughed at by family members when they ask about my diet. We were recently discussing Christmas dinner and I was the brunt of the jokes. I also smoke cigarettes which I know is hugely bad for my health and am trying to cut down/quit but it's really difficult for me for some reason. But as you can imagine I also get a lecture about that too as to how I won't eat meat but will smoke a cigarette....Which is true but wow I think I've heard it about a million times now.

I have no idea why but I feel like there's a huge peer pressure from people around me, almost like they're dying for me to eat some meat more than I am. I don't understand it :Finger


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Royoyo said:


> I am now trying to live on a plant based diet but obviously looking at it less as a diet and more of a lifestyle change. I had been looking into it for a while and looking at changing the way I eat due to being underweight. I had also watched ''What The Health'' on Netflix and it shocked me to be honest. This thread also inspired me. It's been around a month and although I feel better for it and don't miss meat at all. I really miss cheese, HUGELY! Sometimes I feel like a strung out drug addict when I think about the cheese
> 
> I have also found I've been sort of laughed at by family members when they ask about my diet. We were recently discussing Christmas dinner and I was the brunt of the jokes. I also smoke cigarettes which I know is hugely bad for my health and am trying to cut down/quit but it's really difficult for me for some reason. But as you can imagine I also get a lecture about that too as to how I won't eat meat but will smoke a cigarette....Which is true but wow I think I've heard it about a million times now.
> 
> I have no idea why but I feel like there's a huge peer pressure from people around me, almost like they're dying for me to eat some meat more than I am. I don't understand it :Finger


Well done for making the changes. Some people can jump straight in and change everything all at once and others need to take one thing at a time and work in stages, as long as you get there in the end it doesn't really matter which way you choose to do it. I'm afraid you will feel people feel very threatened when you make changes yourself, its like they think you think you are better than them or you make them feel guilty for not bothering to try. Doug Lisle (author of the Pleasure Trap) suggests one way of dealing with this is just to say "I'm trying this out and I will see how I get on but for the moment I am enjoying it and feeling better so I'm going to carry on and see how I go".


----------



## Royoyo

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Well done for making the changes. Some people can jump straight in and change everything all at once and others need to take one thing at a time and work in stages, as long as you get there in the end it doesn't really matter which way you choose to do it. I'm afraid you will feel people feel very threatened when you make changes yourself, its like they think you think you are better than them or you make them feel guilty for not bothering to try. Doug Lisle (author of the Pleasure Trap) suggests one way of dealing with this is just to say "I'm trying this out and I will see how I get on but for the moment I am enjoying it and feeling better so I'm going to carry on and see how I go".


Thank you rottiepointerhouse

They sort of make me feel a bit embarrassed about it and I don't know why. That probably sounds hugely ridiculous. I will remember that quote for the next time someone tries lol.


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## LinznMilly

Royoyo said:


> Thank you rottiepointerhouse
> 
> They sort of make me feel a bit embarrassed about it and I don't know why. That probably sounds hugely ridiculous. I will remember that quote for the next time someone tries lol.


Well done for making the changes.  Changing yourself for the better does seem to worry people and you do get some weird responses.

Just remember that it's not about them. It's about you.  It's a shame that they can't be more supportive of you, but that's where this thread can be a huge life saver. My family are "supportive" in that my mum keeps meat analogues in the freezer for me, but doesn't understand the whole foods plant based diet, which makes keeping the meat analogues/processed foods to a minimum, complicated.


----------



## Guest

Royoyo said:


> I am now trying to live on a plant based diet but obviously looking at it less as a diet and more of a lifestyle change. I had been looking into it for a while and looking at changing the way I eat due to being underweight. I had also watched ''What The Health'' on Netflix and it shocked me to be honest. This thread also inspired me. It's been around a month and although I feel better for it and don't miss meat at all. I really miss cheese, HUGELY! Sometimes I feel like a strung out drug addict when I think about the cheese
> 
> I have also found I've been sort of laughed at by family members when they ask about my diet. We were recently discussing Christmas dinner and I was the brunt of the jokes. I also smoke cigarettes which I know is hugely bad for my health and am trying to cut down/quit but it's really difficult for me for some reason. But as you can imagine I also get a lecture about that too as to how I won't eat meat but will smoke a cigarette....Which is true but wow I think I've heard it about a million times now.
> 
> I have no idea why but I feel like there's a huge peer pressure from people around me, almost like they're dying for me to eat some meat more than I am. I don't understand it :Finger


Good for you! Huge kudos to you for making positive changes. 
I don't know why but yes, it is weird how unsupportive people can be. But you're doing great, and you may find as you start feeling better and better, it will be easier to cut back and hopefully cut out the cigarettes entirely. Great work


----------



## Elles

I’d put on a few pounds over the years, but not enough to worry about. I just weighed myself and I’ve lost 9lbs without trying lol. I thought my jeans were getting a bit looser. :Hilarious:Mooning


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## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> well, that sounds awfully posh!LOL
> 
> Got the soup maker and the slow cooker out today! So veggie soup for lunch and 3 bean chilli for tea. (and now I dont have to think about lunch or tea for the next 4 days!).


Posh? Not really especially if you're talking about adding wine to the cooking pot  Wine's dirt cheap in Hungary because it's a wine producing country. I pay around 79p for a bottle of either white or red wine so at that price can afford to slosh it into whatever without feeling I'm beinng extravagant!


----------



## Magyarmum

Royoyo said:


> I am now trying to live on a plant based diet but obviously looking at it less as a diet and more of a lifestyle change. I had been looking into it for a while and looking at changing the way I eat due to being underweight. I had also watched ''What The Health'' on Netflix and it shocked me to be honest. This thread also inspired me. It's been around a month and although I feel better for it and don't miss meat at all. I really miss cheese, HUGELY! Sometimes I feel like a strung out drug addict when I think about the cheese
> 
> I have also found I've been sort of laughed at by family members when they ask about my diet. We were recently discussing Christmas dinner and I was the brunt of the jokes. I also smoke cigarettes which I know is hugely bad for my health and am trying to cut down/quit but it's really difficult for me for some reason. But as you can imagine I also get a lecture about that too as to how I won't eat meat but will smoke a cigarette....Which is true but wow I think I've heard it about a million times now.
> 
> I have no idea why but I feel like there's a huge peer pressure from people around me, almost like they're dying for me to eat some meat more than I am. I don't understand it :Finger


Well done! Don't let anyone put you off - it's your life, your body and your choice.

When I first gave up meat for some reason I had a craving to eat fish, not any fish but tinned Tuna All very odd because before I gave up meat I only ate Tuna maybe three or four times a year. After about a month though the craving stopped and I haven't felt like eating Tuna since.

I don't know whether you know that if you're really determined to give up smoking you can get treatment under the NHS. After several attempts to give up smoking, a friend of mine who'd been a heavy smoker for most of her life, went to her GP to ask for advice. He prescribed a course of Varenicline tablets and to cut a long story short, she hasn't smoked for over two years.

Here are the treatments available .... http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Smoking-(quitting)/Pages/Treatment.aspx


----------



## catz4m8z

Got more 3 bean chilli tonight (which if Im honest is abit too hot for me, in future Im going to just use mild chilli powder). having it with broccoli and cauliflower, which I could happily eat everyday and chips. Its weird coz I was never that big a fan of oven chips and would usually wind up throwing half away but home made chips baked with the skin on and seasoned with salt and smoked paprika are just amazing! Im a chip convert!LOL


----------



## Guest

I figured the readers of this thread would get a kick out of this. Sundays are my day to cook up staples for the week. On the stove right now I have a giant pot with 5 pounds of red potatoes boiling, another giant pot of rice going, another pot of quinoa, and in the oven I have 8 sweet potatoes baking. 

Throughout the week I'll throw veggies, beans, etc. on top of the starches I have already made based on whatever we feel like that day. Veggies cook fast (or can be eaten raw) so it's nice to have the carbs ready to go for quick meals. 

But granted, I have teens, so yeah, this will probably last 'till Wednesday LOL


----------



## MilleD

ouesi said:


> I figured the readers of this thread would get a kick out of this. Sundays are my day to cook up staples for the week. On the stove right now I have a giant pot with 5 pounds of red potatoes boiling, another giant pot of rice going, another pot of quinoa, and in the oven I have 8 sweet potatoes baking.
> 
> Throughout the week I'll throw veggies, beans, etc. on top of the starches I have already made based on whatever we feel like that day. Veggies cook fast (or can be eaten raw) so it's nice to have the carbs ready to go for quick meals.
> 
> But granted, I have teens, so yeah, this will probably last 'till Wednesday LOL


Tut tut, reheating rice or do you eat it cold?

Just kidding, apparently it's the cardinal sin in food hygiene...

Do you just reheat things like potatoes as they are? Or mash and add etc? Seems a very efficient way of cooking.


----------



## Guest

MilleD said:


> Tut tut, reheating rice or do you eat it cold?
> 
> Just kidding, apparently it's the cardinal sin in food hygiene...
> 
> Do you just reheat things like potatoes as they are? Or mash and add etc? Seems a very efficient way of cooking.


I generally don't eat rice LOL I'm not a huge fan, I'm more of a pasta girl myself  But yes, the kids and OH reheat the rice. Can't say I've ever heard of reheating rice being an issue? 
Potatoes I'll throw in the microwave. The boiled ones I'll mash and put in to soups and stews to thicken, the kids will eat them as is or topped with whatever veggies I've made, or beans and salsa. Speaking of beans and salsa, baked sweet potatoes topped with seasoned black beans, corn, and tomato salsa is a favorite meal in this house.


----------



## catz4m8z

ouesi said:


> Can't say I've ever heard of reheating rice being an issue?


Something to do with bacteria if it cools down the wrong way I think....cant really remember TBH, I just know that Ive never gotten ill from reheating rice!

Batch cooking def does make life easier. I live alone so make most things up to serve 4 so it lasts me 4 days. When I do my veggie soups I always blend them smooth then if I fancy a change I can add extra veg, beans, rice/pasta, etc. 
I often cook double of things then stick them in the fridge for later (extra roasted sweet potato for instance goes lovely in a salad the next day).


----------



## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> Something to do with bacteria if it cools down the wrong way I think....cant really remember TBH, I just know that Ive never gotten ill from reheating rice!


Huh. Never heard of that *shrug*
I grew up on re-heated rice, that's all we ate. Rice and beans, and later on paella, which is basically rice. Reheated it all the time, both on the stove adding water and later in the microwave (I'm old enough to remember a time before microwaves ) Never gotten sick from rice, reheated or otherwise.


----------



## Guest

Was just re-reading some of this thread from the beginning (mid June) and realized how drastically we (I) have cut out dairy since then. It wasn't really intentional but looking back, I can't remember the last time I had cheese, we don't eat butter or drink milk, and the kids are happy eating cashew ice cream. Now, we have gone out and had dairy ice cream, though the last time we did I found I didn't want any, so didn't partake. 

In hindsight I do feel better for it too. I've upped my running and despite being apparently "old" for running long distances (I'll be 46 in January) I'm having less muscle soreness after longer runs than I did 3 years ago, the last time I prepped for a half marathon, I'm recovering far quicker and easier, and don't have any niggling joint pain. I do have pesky plantar fasciitis, but it hasn't gotten worse with longer runs, it's just *there*. 

At some point during this thread I got turned on to "The Starch Solution" and so much of it makes so much sense. OH is reading it now, and is happy to hear he can have as much rice, potatoes, and pasta as he wants. He was trying low carb (while vegetarian) and it wasn't working for him at all. This does. Go figure.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@ouesi - have a look at this about reheating rice

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/can-reheating-rice-cause-food-poisoning.aspx?CategoryID=51


ideally, serve rice as soon as it has been cooked
if that isn't possible, cool the rice as quickly as possible (ideally within one hour)
keep rice in the fridge for no more than one day until reheating
when you reheat any rice, always check the dish is steaming hot all the way through
do not reheat rice more than once

I sometimes cook a curry with the rice already added in the oven but I get it cooled and in the fridge ASAP and only reheat it once the next day.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Was just re-reading some of this thread from the beginning (mid June) and realized how drastically we (I) have cut out dairy since then. It wasn't really intentional but looking back, I can't remember the last time I had cheese, we don't eat butter or drink milk, and the kids are happy eating cashew ice cream. Now, we have gone out and had dairy ice cream, though the last time we did I found I didn't want any, so didn't partake.
> 
> In hindsight I do feel better for it too. I've upped my running and despite being apparently "old" for running long distances (I'll be 46 in January) I'm having less muscle soreness after longer runs than I did 3 years ago, the last time I prepped for a half marathon, I'm recovering far quicker and easier, and don't have any niggling joint pain. I do have pesky plantar fasciitis, but it hasn't gotten worse with longer runs, it's just *there*.
> 
> At some point during this thread I got turned on to "The Starch Solution" and so much of it makes so much sense. OH is reading it now, and is happy to hear he can have as much rice, potatoes, and pasta as he wants. He was trying low carb (while vegetarian) and it wasn't working for him at all. This does. Go figure.


Dr McDougall is brilliant because he keeps things so simple and "doable", I'm sure that is part of the reason his followers have achieved such long term success. Some of the other plant based doctors make it more complicated and are into low glycaemic index carbs but I'm sure they don't get the same long term success as he does because eventually people get hungry. I have my Mum visiting with my sister from the US in about 10 days time, I will be feeding them for a couple of days which my Mum is already getting anxious about because she is convinced beans and a lot of greens upset her stomach so not quite sure what I will be giving her yet but I think I will keep in mind Dr McDougall's simple suggestions of a starch plus some veggies.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> @ouesi - have a look at this about reheating rice
> 
> http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/can-reheating-rice-cause-food-poisoning.aspx?CategoryID=51
> 
> 
> ideally, serve rice as soon as it has been cooked
> if that isn't possible, cool the rice as quickly as possible (ideally within one hour)
> keep rice in the fridge for no more than one day until reheating
> when you reheat any rice, always check the dish is steaming hot all the way through
> do not reheat rice more than once
> 
> I sometimes cook a curry with the rice already added in the oven but I get it cooled and in the fridge ASAP and only reheat it once the next day.


Well I have officially learned something today. Never heard of this before today!
And I definitely do not practice food safety with rice. Hell when we were kids, mom used to leave the rice out on the back of the stove, and we would just add a tiny bit of water and reheat it right there.


----------



## catz4m8z

ouesi said:


> Hell when we were kids, mom used to leave the rice out on the back of the stove, and we would just add a tiny bit of water and reheat it right there.


My god! Its amazing you are still alive!!:Wideyed

:Hilarious


----------



## Catharinem

Check out this world war 2 chocolate cake. https://cookpad.com/us/recipes/329242-wwii-ration-chocolate-cake

Made it this evening for little one's topic homework, to take into school tomorrow. Doubled up ingredients for bigger tin, and just enough over for separate small tin for tonight's pudding. Uses oil instead of butter, and no eggs, so vegan by accident due to rationing. 
But, it tastes really good, and so easy- literally one bowl, mix dry, add wet, stir and tip into baking tin. 9 year old did it, with _zero _mess! So easy, and actually tasted pretty good. A nice custard or some poached pears would be perfect. Note: I used wholemeal plain flour as what would be authentic for the war, slightly chewy, but delicious, and doesn't taste "brown". 2 happy kids ate everything in their bowl. :Hungry


----------



## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> My god! Its amazing you are still alive!!:Wideyed
> 
> :Hilarious


I seriously wonder about this every day :Hilarious


----------



## catz4m8z

Can you drink too much soya milk?? Im seriously addicted to my soya milk hot chocolates at the moment.

So what is the average day like for the WFPB people (yes, Im nosey and pretty food obsessed when dieting!LOL).
for me it was;
breakfast- oatmeal with soya milk, mixed seeds, raspberries and cocoa powder coz mmmmm, chocolate porridge!
lunch- homemade veggie soup with organic oatcakes
tea- 3 bean chilli, baked potato, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts sprinkled with nutritional yeast.
Snacks- hot chocolate (of course!:Shy), beetroot and spinach salad.
Id normally have a few pieces of fruit too but Im just not feelin' fruity today!


----------



## Elles

I’ve had a little bag of mango so far today.  Just thinking what to have.


----------



## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> So what is the average day like for the WFPB people (yes, Im nosey and pretty food obsessed when dieting!LOL).


I've been thinking about this lately because I have two friends trying to go more WFPB and they want to know what/how much I eat, I don't really think about it, but am giving it a conscious thought these days 

Today:
I rarely eat breakfast, just not a breakfast person. So breakfast is usually coffee - black or with a splash of almond milk and stevia.
Around 10-ish I had an apple.

Lunch: mixed types of quinoa & rice with tomato salsa (tomato base with onions, bell peppers and spices). Another apple.
Small individual pumpkin pie a coworker made.

Dinner (haven't had it yet) but will probably be something with sweet potatoes, beans, and spinach or broccoli (or both) since I know what's in the fridge. Oh that reminds me there is also some zucchini in there I need to cook up. Might be sweet potato and zucchini for dinner.
There are a bunch of grapes in the fridge that I might get a handful of if I get to them before the kids.

I eat a lot. I'll end up eating probably one and a half sweet potatoes for dinner as well as all the veggies I want. I basically eat until I'm full


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I eat a lot too, I'm quite greedy 

Coffee very weak with oat milk at 8:00

Oatmeal with cinnamon and flax seed, a lot of berries (frozen/defrosted overnight - raspberries/blackberries/black currents/blueberries) followed by one slice of toast & jam.

Lunch was a picnic as we were out walking on Dartmoor so two slices wholemeal bread, a very small bit of vegan cheese (only time I ever use it so rare) beetroot, rocket & watercress and red onion in a sandwich. Flask of more weak coffee with oat milk. Apple.

Dinner is a curry - onion, sweet potato, green pepper, green beans, mushrooms, spinach, chickpeas, lots of spices and some coconut milk to make the sauce served with brown rice and wholemeal pitta bread. Will be followed by a couple of oranges or some kiwi and melon.


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I eat a lot too, I'm quite greedy


That is one of the happy side effects of this kind of eating....you can really stuff your face!:Shy Im def not one of those people who can go all day on just a salad. When I go to work I usually have my 'lunch' just after midnight of home made bread, salad, bean dip/spread, fruit and popcorn but then I have to save a carton of fruit juice and a Nakd bar for around 6am coz I'll be feeling shaky and wobbly. I need my 3 meals and plenty of snacks!


----------



## Magyarmum

I don't eat a lot! A children's portion is quite enough for me.

6 am - Get up to let the dogs out and make myself a cup of tea, (half of which usually ends up being poured down the sink) and sit and watch the news like a zombie. Around 7 am when I've finally come round I'll make myself a "real" coffee not instant, which I have with skimmed milk. Soya milk upsets my stomach

For breakfast I'll have either a slice of wholemeal toast with marmalade, or oatmeal with chia, flax, sunflower and sesame seeds, bananas and plain yoghourt, or homemade muesli with bananas and apples/

Lunch sometimes depends on what I had for dinner the night before. Last night I had a Chinese stir fry with carrot, celery, spring onions, bean sprouts and bok choi with noodles. I have some left over which I'll pop in the microwave and have for my lunch. Other days I'll have a wholemeal roll or pitta with hummus and a salad - .lettuce, tomato, cucumber, avocado plus whatever other salad stuff is in the fridge. In winter though lunch is usually homemade soup. My one weakness is that for "afters" I'll have a piece of chocolate.

I always have fresh fruit in the house so if I'm hungry in the afternoon I'll eat an apple/pear or whatever's in season

Dinner is around 6.30 pm. Because I'm not a big eater, I try to have something different every evening to give myself the variety I feel I need. Tonight I'm planning on having Jamaican Black Bean Pot with Butternut squash and brown rice/quinoa. For pudding I'll probably have some fruit and around 9 pm my last cup of tea before we all go to bed.

Oh and forgot to say I always have a glass of 100% fruit juice - pear or peach are my favourites -- which lasts me all evening.


----------



## Royoyo

LinznMilly said:


> Well done for making the changes.  Changing yourself for the better does seem to worry people and you do get some weird responses.
> 
> Just remember that it's not about them. It's about you.  It's a shame that they can't be more supportive of you, but that's where this thread can be a huge life saver. My family are "supportive" in that my mum keeps meat analogues in the freezer for me, but doesn't understand the whole foods plant based diet, which makes keeping the meat analogues/processed foods to a minimum, complicated.





ouesi said:


> Good for you! Huge kudos to you for making positive changes.
> I don't know why but yes, it is weird how unsupportive people can be. But you're doing great, and you may find as you start feeling better and better, it will be easier to cut back and hopefully cut out the cigarettes entirely. Great work





Magyarmum said:


> Well done! Don't let anyone put you off - it's your life, your body and your choice.
> 
> When I first gave up meat for some reason I had a craving to eat fish, not any fish but tinned Tuna All very odd because before I gave up meat I only ate Tuna maybe three or four times a year. After about a month though the craving stopped and I haven't felt like eating Tuna since.
> 
> I don't know whether you know that if you're really determined to give up smoking you can get treatment under the NHS. After several attempts to give up smoking, a friend of mine who'd been a heavy smoker for most of her life, went to her GP to ask for advice. He prescribed a course of Varenicline tablets and to cut a long story short, she hasn't smoked for over two years.
> 
> Here are the treatments available .... http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Smoking-(quitting)/Pages/Treatment.aspx


Thank you so much for your supportive posts! And apologies for not replying sooner. I've been so busy with work!

@Magyarmum Thank you for the advice on the smoking. Unfortunately I asked my stop smoking nurse about these when I went to see her a few months ago and she explained to me that she wouldn't advise me to take Varenicline as I have struggled with an anxiety disorder/depression in my teens and some of my adult life, so apparently that's not an option for me. I'm not too sure why.

I wanted to say also that since changing my eating habits I don't think I have ever felt more calmer/content than I do at the moment. I know I am not long into it and I can't quite put my finger on why but I just feel extremely happy and different....... It's weird as I would have thought I'd be miserable but I'm really not.


----------



## Guest

Today I had just about 20 minutes between dropping one child off at home and running back out to go to the other child's ball game. I already had baked sweet potatoes in the fridge, so I grabbed one of those, threw that in the microwave, and then threw some peas and broccoli on the stove. In less than 10 minutes I had this:









It's so pretty!  It tasted really good too! I'll be doing that again!


----------



## catz4m8z

Looks nice! (Id really want to sprinkle some nutritional yeast on it though:Shy).

It pays to have easy options available. My fridge currently has a huge bowl of salad made up, broccoli, cauliflower and potato soup and a veggie tomato pasta bake (3 days worth of each). I can never be bothered cooking when Im working!

Quick question. Whats the nicest plant milk do you think?? Im thinking of changing from soya but Im not sure what to go with.


----------



## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> Looks nice! (Id really want to sprinkle some nutritional yeast on it though:Shy).
> 
> It pays to have easy options available. My fridge currently has a huge bowl of salad made up, broccoli, cauliflower and potato soup and a veggie tomato pasta bake (3 days worth of each). I can never be bothered cooking when Im working!
> 
> Quick question. Whats the nicest plant milk do you think?? Im thinking of changing from soya but Im not sure what to go with.


You can buy the small sized 250ml (i think), and that way find which one you like best


----------



## Magyarmum

Well I had my Jamaican Black Bean Pot with red peppers and Butternut squash last night, with quinoa, red lentils and buckwheat which I thoroughly enjoyed.










I've still got some left but will eat it tomorrow night with some veggies, probably spinach. Tonight I'm having a veggie burger, with breaded mushrooms, spicy oven cooked chips and leek,parsnip,carrot and celery cooked in vegetable stock which I'll thicken slightly to make a nice gravy!


----------



## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> Quick question. Whats the nicest plant milk do you think?? Im thinking of changing from soya but Im not sure what to go with.


I like almond milk and coconut milk, but honestly, I rarely use milk replacers, unless I'm baking. 
I also like using soaked cashews, drained and blended, for creaminess in some things. My daughter made a no-bake cashew "cheesecake" that was pretty good!


----------



## catz4m8z

I might give oat and cashew milk a go, they seem to get the best reviews for being the most creamy and I do like creamy porridge and hot choccy!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> Looks nice! (Id really want to sprinkle some nutritional yeast on it though:Shy).
> 
> It pays to have easy options available. My fridge currently has a huge bowl of salad made up, broccoli, cauliflower and potato soup and a veggie tomato pasta bake (3 days worth of each). I can never be bothered cooking when Im working!
> 
> Quick question. Whats the nicest plant milk do you think?? Im thinking of changing from soya but Im not sure what to go with.


Depends what you use it in. I love oat milk especially in coffee.


----------



## CRL

Had the most scrumptious veggie lasagna for tea last night and then reheated tonight. 

Wholewheat lasangne sheets, layered with a betchamel sauce, par cooked cabbage, kale, leeks and walnuts. Topped with cheddar cheese. Yum yum.


----------



## Matrod

catz4m8z said:


> Looks nice! (Id really want to sprinkle some nutritional yeast on it though:Shy).
> 
> It pays to have easy options available. My fridge currently has a huge bowl of salad made up, broccoli, cauliflower and potato soup and a veggie tomato pasta bake (3 days worth of each). I can never be bothered cooking when Im working!
> 
> Quick question. Whats the nicest plant milk do you think?? Im thinking of changing from soya but Im not sure what to go with.


Almond milk is my favourite, particularly the rude health one. I stock up when it's on offer as it is a bit expensive.


----------



## Lurcherlad

catz4m8z said:


> Looks nice! (Id really want to sprinkle some nutritional yeast on it though:Shy).
> 
> It pays to have easy options available. My fridge currently has a huge bowl of salad made up, broccoli, cauliflower and potato soup and a veggie tomato pasta bake (3 days worth of each). I can never be bothered cooking when Im working!
> 
> Quick question. Whats the nicest plant milk do you think?? Im thinking of changing from soya but Im not sure what to go with.


Rice milk is best IMO

No after taste which I find with Soya and no "flavour" to interfere with the taste of coffee or cereal, just a slight sweetness and "watery creamyness" 

I buy Dream original, which is fortified with B vitamins and Calcium.

Usual price is around £1.40 but it's often on offer - sometimes as low as £1.

2nd would be oat milk - which again doesn't interfere with other flavours.

Nut milks I find OK for cereals, etc.


----------



## Jonescat

I like the hazelnut one in coffee, and use either oat or almond for baking.


----------



## LinznMilly

Another vote for Oat milk here.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I don't mind rice milk or nut milks but I found them odd in hot drinks, sort of watery or they curdled. Oat milk is the only one I've not found that with in hot drinks.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.forksoverknives.com/cal...m_term=Eat-More-Weigh-Less-Webinar#gs.VrSARWk









*Why Diets Don't Work and Eating Whole Foods Does*
Yes, you really can eat more and weigh less. By focusing on foods with low calorie density, you can lose weight without hunger pangs-and you'll actually boost your intake of the nutrients your body needs to thrive.

In this free online presentation, _New York Times_ bestselling author and board-certified internal medicine physician Matthew Lederman, MD, explains this simple but life-changing approach to losing weight and keeping it off. Dr. Lederman will cover essential calorie density principles, including:


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lots of interesting plant based news today 

Dr Greger talking about his new cookbook - I do love how excited he gets  I've got my copy on pre order with Amazon - out 28 December over here.


----------



## Guest

Hi everyone,

I’ve been following this thread on and off for a while (and the other similar thread).

How would one start if one wanted to move towards this way of eating? What’s the easiest way to get into it?

Thanks


----------



## grumpy goby

McKenzie said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I've been following this thread on and off for a while (and the other similar thread).
> 
> How would one start if one wanted to move towards this way of eating? What's the easiest way to get into it?
> 
> Thanks


We aren't 100% vegan or veggie based, but 5 days of 7, we cook meat one day a week and have leftovers on the second... usually a weekend. We found our nearest Indian grocers for most herbs, spices, lentils and chickpeas... we get other beans and lentils from a whole foods retailer. Basically stocked up on a variety of beans and pulses, to substitute for meat.
If your able to start growing your own veg I would recommend it...start saving those little garden pots from new world!

It is harder here than in the U.K to be honest... veg is more expensive. Butchers and good meat and seafood is easier to come buy...and in general the country is very meat-centric!


----------



## LinznMilly

McKenzie said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I've been following this thread on and off for a while (and the other similar thread).
> 
> How would one start if one wanted to move towards this way of eating? What's the easiest way to get into it?
> 
> Thanks


I went veggie first. Depended on the meat substitutes for a while. It was really when @rottiepointerhouse started this thread that I phased out the analogues, too.

Alternatively, you could start by gradually reducing your meat intake, and making your meat portion smaller (about the size of a deck of cards), a couple times a week, and slowly phasing it out, so your body has time to adapt, and your mind doesn't miss the meat when it's not there.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

McKenzie said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I've been following this thread on and off for a while (and the other similar thread).
> 
> How would one start if one wanted to move towards this way of eating? What's the easiest way to get into it?
> 
> Thanks


There are various ways of doing it. For me the hardest thing to stop was milk because I loved tea so much and used to drink about 8 mugs a day and none of the plant milks are very nice in tea. I've read a few of the plant based doctors say don't let your "line in the sand" stand in your way of making as many healthy changes as you can or in other words crack on and do what you are comfortable with straight away and then gradually work on the others. So I went vegan apart from milk for about 8 weeks, got comfortable with what I was doing and then found I loved oat milk in weak coffee, have never fancied a cup of tea since and haven't looked back 

I started out using Dr Greger's "Daily Dozen" - this isn't written in stone, you don't need to get freaked out if you don't manage all of the list but I found having a broad list of things to include every day and plan my meals around rather than concentrating on what I couldn't have really helped me, they call it "crowding out" - in other words by the time you have eaten all the good stuff you haven't got room for or have forgotten about the stuff you used to eat. This is his Daily Dozen - I will pop back during the day as I have time and give you a couple of other plans

*Beans* (3) - I'd suggest starting off with these slowly if you are not used to them as you gut bacteria need to adjust - 1 tablespoon a day might be a good place to start and build up from there.
*Berries *(1) - frozen is fine
*Fruits *(3)
*Cruciferous Veg* (1) (broccoli/kale/cauliflower, sprouts/watercress/rocket/spinach)
*Other Greens* (2)
*Other veg *(2) 
*Flaxseeds *(1) - I use one tablespoon per day but I think he refers to 2 desert spoons in the book. Make sure they are ground.
*Nuts* (1) - Nuts are the most controversial of the WFPB diet with some singing their praises (Blue Zones/Dr Greger/Dr Fuhrman) and others saying they are too high in fat/calories for regular consumption and to avoid if you are trying to lose weight or have heart disease. Recommended portion is 30 g or a small handful.
*Spices *- can be dried or fresh - try to get some turmeric in every day
*Wholegrains *(3) - he means at least 3 servings. 
Water/fluids
Exercise


----------



## Guest

McKenzie said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I've been following this thread on and off for a while (and the other similar thread).
> 
> How would one start if one wanted to move towards this way of eating? What's the easiest way to get into it?
> 
> Thanks


If I remember right, you're an educator right? So you're very busy, need a fast lunch, and probably too tired to shop or cook much when you get home  
You could start by just looking at your unhealthiest meal of the day and figuring out how to change that one.

Breakfast, there are a lot of yummy make ahead overnight oats recipes that you could make on the weekend and have ready for the rest of the week. 
Or spend a Saturday making some energy bars/balls that you can grab and go.

Lunch, I usually have some combination of a starch (quinoa, potato, pasta, rice) plus a veggie mix. The veggies are so easy, just grab whatever veggies look good to you, throw them in a pan, season, and cook until they're the consistency you want. 
The starch you can make ahead on the weekend.

Dinner is where you can have some fun. After a few weeks reducing your meat and dairy, you may find yourself energized and more excited about cooking. So play around with your favorite plant based foods and see what you can come up with. 

But throughout it all, be easy on yourself! The beauty of eating plants is that the more you eat the better, but every little bit matters and makes a difference to your health. So if you just switch over one meal initially, that's great!

This is a LONG video, but skip to 53:10 (or watch the whole thing folding laundry like I do ha ha!)
Anyway, at 53:10 he does a demonstration of what plant based eating does, and it's really encouraging


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

This booklet has some helpful tips and meal suggestions too

https://share.kaiserpermanente.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/The-Plant-Based-Diet-booklet.pdf

or this one from the Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine (Dr Barnard)

http://www.pcrm.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/health/vsk.pdf


----------



## Magyarmum

McKenzie said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I've been following this thread on and off for a while (and the other similar thread).
> 
> How would one start if one wanted to move towards this way of eating? What's the easiest way to get into it?
> 
> Thanks


One thing I did when I first went vegetarian was to buy myself a couple of inexpensive vegetarian cookery books. Having loads of recipes to choose from made life much simpler Although I'm retired and theoretically have plenty of free time, to buy most of the ingredients I have to drive 50 miles to the hypermarket. Having the books not only meant I found out how to make things like falafel and gave me ideas for meals, but any ingredients I didn't have in the house went on my shopping list!


----------



## catz4m8z

grumpy goby said:


> We aren't 100% vegan or veggie based


Trying to be vegan is a PITA TBH!:Shy Not so much the food coz there is tons of it, its pretty much the same as you could eat before and I ate alot ot it before I transitioned over (I always preferred Quorn in cooking to meat and already drank plant milk coz I liked it).
Its trying to find ethical, cruelty free toiletries and household products. Who would of thought that shampoo would be the biggest challenge?!LOL:Hilarious


----------



## Guest

Thank you so much everyone! I appreciate all your replies and even if I haven't quoted them they've given me lots of think about! I'll just touch on a few more things...



ouesi said:


> If I remember right, you're an educator right? So you're very busy, need a fast lunch, and probably too tired to shop or cook much when you get home
> You could start by just looking at your unhealthiest meal of the day and figuring out how to change that one.


This is 100% my problem. I'm usually ok with breakfast, but often end up skipping lunch, eating rubbish when school finishes and then either getting takeaways or 'something easy' for dinner. I know I don't eat nearly enough vegetables.

The vegetarian part isn't really a huge problem for me - I'm not a big meat eater and find often I eat meat because it's just what you're 'supposed' to eat! I definitely need to set myself up with some easy recipes - I'm not very good at just chucking stuff in. I eat most things but not a huge fan of green leafy veges apart from lettuce! Giving up dairy might be a bit harder for me but I'm happy to do that slowly.



rottiepointerhouse said:


> There are various ways of doing it. For me the hardest thing to stop was milk because I loved tea so much and used to drink about 8 mugs a day and none of the plant milks are very nice in tea. I've read a few of the plant based doctors say don't let your "line in the sand" stand in your way of making as many healthy changes as you can or in other words crack on and do what you are comfortable with straight away and then gradually work on the others. So I went vegan apart from milk for about 8 weeks, got comfortable with what I was doing and then found I loved oat milk in weak coffee, have never fancied a cup of tea since and haven't looked back
> 
> I started out using Dr Greger's "Daily Dozen" - this isn't written in stone, you don't need to get freaked out if you don't manage all of the list but I found having a broad list of things to include every day and plan my meals around rather than concentrating on what I couldn't have really helped me, they call it "crowding out" - in other words by the time you have eaten all the good stuff you haven't got room for or have forgotten about the stuff you used to eat. This is his Daily Dozen - I will pop back during the day as I have time and give you a couple of other plans
> 
> *Beans* (3) - I'd suggest starting off with these slowly if you are not used to them as you gut bacteria need to adjust - 1 tablespoon a day might be a good place to start and build up from there.
> *Berries *(1) - frozen is fine
> *Fruits *(3)
> *Cruciferous Veg* (1) (broccoli/kale/cauliflower, sprouts/watercress/rocket/spinach)
> *Other Greens* (2)
> *Other veg *(2)
> *Flaxseeds *(1) - I use one tablespoon per day but I think he refers to 2 desert spoons in the book. Make sure they are ground.
> *Nuts* (1) - Nuts are the most controversial of the WFPB diet with some singing their praises (Blue Zones/Dr Greger/Dr Fuhrman) and others saying they are too high in fat/calories for regular consumption and to avoid if you are trying to lose weight or have heart disease. Recommended portion is 30 g or a small handful.
> *Spices *- can be dried or fresh - try to get some turmeric in every day
> *Wholegrains *(3) - he means at least 3 servings.
> Water/fluids
> Exercise


Thanks, this is a really useful list and I like the idea that by the time you've eaten all this you don't have room to eat anything else! I do need to lose a little bit of weight....

I'm going to go back through this thread and pick out a couple of meals that I think will work for me. Any other tips/tricks/advice/favourite dinners appreciated!


----------



## Guest

McKenzie said:


> This is 100% my problem. I'm usually ok with breakfast, but often end up skipping lunch, eating rubbish when school finishes and then either getting takeaways or 'something easy' for dinner. I know I don't eat nearly enough vegetables.


Yup  
Okay, so if you think of your favorite veggies, what are they, and how do you like them prepared. Let me see if I can come up with some ideas for a quick after school meal you can eat instead of junk, and then have the energy/will to want to make a healthy dinner. 
Also, what starches do you like? Potatoes, rice, grains??


----------



## Guest

ouesi said:


> Yup
> Okay, so if you think of your favorite veggies, what are they, and how do you like them prepared. Let me see if I can come up with some ideas for a quick after school meal you can eat instead of junk, and then have the energy/will to want to make a healthy dinner.
> Also, what starches do you like? Potatoes, rice, grains??


Ok 

All starches are good - potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, pasta, couscous - will eat them all. I've had lentils, quinoa, bulgar wheat etc before and they taste fine, but I don't have a lot of experience cooking them.

Vegetables: love peas. Love lots of stuff if it's roasted - carrots, parsnips, Brussel sprouts, bell peppers. Like asparagus but don't really know how to cook it. Don't really like raw tomatoes unless they're baby ones, but tomato sauces are ok. Beans are good in most forms. Not a fan of broccoli but will eat it if I have to. Don't like cauliflower, but also haven't tried it in decades! Love avocado, hate cucumber. Spinach is ok in things, hate kale. Usually say that I don't like mushrooms, but nice ones, cooked well, are ok but I wouldn't know how to cook them myself.

Phew!


----------



## Lurcherlad

McKenzie said:


> Thank you so much everyone! I appreciate all your replies and even if I haven't quoted them they've given me lots of think about! I'll just touch on a few more things...
> 
> This is 100% my problem. I'm usually ok with breakfast, but often end up skipping lunch, eating rubbish when school finishes and then either getting takeaways or 'something easy' for dinner. I know I don't eat nearly enough vegetables.
> 
> The vegetarian part isn't really a huge problem for me - I'm not a big meat eater and find often I eat meat because it's just what you're 'supposed' to eat! I definitely need to set myself up with some easy recipes - I'm not very good at just chucking stuff in. I eat most things but not a huge fan of green leafy veges apart from lettuce! Giving up dairy might be a bit harder for me but I'm happy to do that slowly.
> 
> Thanks, this is a really useful list and I like the idea that by the time you've eaten all this you don't have room to eat anything else! I do need to lose a little bit of weight....
> 
> I'm going to go back through this thread and pick out a couple of meals that I think will work for me. Any other tips/tricks/advice/favourite dinners appreciated!


Going dairy free has been the hardest for me. Not at home but eating out is a nightmare!

Most vegetarian options are smothered in cheese or cooked with butter.

Very few places cook completely fresh to order and even those that do have often pre-prepared parts of the dish with ingredients I don't eat.


----------



## grumpy goby

catz4m8z said:


> Trying to be vegan is a PITA TBH!:Shy Not so much the food coz there is tons of it, its pretty much the same as you could eat before and I ate alot ot it before I transitioned over (I always preferred Quorn in cooking to meat and already drank plant milk coz I liked it).
> Its trying to find ethical, cruelty free toiletries and household products. Who would of thought that shampoo would be the biggest challenge?!LOL:Hilarious


I actually just use Lush shower gel now for shampoo. The solid shampoos last ages, but I get just as good results from olive branch shower gel!


----------



## Guest

McKenzie said:


> Ok
> 
> All starches are good - potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, pasta, couscous - will eat them all. I've had lentils, quinoa, bulgar wheat etc before and they taste fine, but I don't have a lot of experience cooking them.
> 
> Vegetables: love peas. Love lots of stuff if it's roasted - carrots, parsnips, Brussel sprouts, bell peppers. Like asparagus but don't really know how to cook it. Don't really like raw tomatoes unless they're baby ones, but tomato sauces are ok. Beans are good in most forms. Not a fan of broccoli but will eat it if I have to. Don't like cauliflower, but also haven't tried it in decades! Love avocado, hate cucumber. Spinach is ok in things, hate kale. Usually say that I don't like mushrooms, but nice ones, cooked well, are ok but I wouldn't know how to cook them myself.
> 
> Phew!


Oh you're easy! We're going to have so much fun!! 

Do you have a food processor? (If not, go out and get you a cheap one, you'll love it, great for making no bake cookies with nuts and figs and dates... yum!)

Okay but back to an easy meal. This one is a hit with everyone in this house. It's "pesto" but not really.
Sautee one rough chopped onion and lots of garlic (you don't have to use oil, you can sautee in veggie stock. I use about a tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick pan).
Throw in a bag of frozen peas until they warm.
Throw in a ton of baby spinach leaves and let them wilt. I usually use a 5 oz bag, you can use frozen if you must, but I really like the flavor of fresh spinach.

Now throw the whole mixture in the blender or food processor. 
Puree whole mixture smooth. 
Taste and add salt & pepper (red pepper flakes are good too).

Toss with pasta and add another bag of frozen peas and whatever other veggies you like. You can use the same pan to cook a few rough chopped bell peppers, that would be lovely on top  Ta-da! 









This is one of those meals that tastes better the next day (and days after) so cook it up, and put it in to several lunch containers, and have it at school to wolf down after classes. That should keep you going until dinnertime


----------



## Guest

ouesi said:


> Oh you're easy! We're going to have so much fun!!
> 
> Do you have a food processor? (If not, go out and get you a cheap one, you'll love it, great for making no bake cookies with nuts and figs and dates... yum!)
> 
> Okay but back to an easy meal. This one is a hit with everyone in this house. It's "pesto" but not really.
> Sautee one rough chopped onion and lots of garlic (you don't have to use oil, you can sautee in veggie stock. I use about a tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick pan).
> Throw in a bag of frozen peas until they warm.
> Throw in a ton of baby spinach leaves and let them wilt. I usually use a 5 oz bag, you can use frozen if you must, but I really like the flavor of fresh spinach.
> 
> Now throw the whole mixture in the blender or food processor.
> Puree whole mixture smooth.
> Taste and add salt & pepper (red pepper flakes are good too).
> 
> Toss with pasta and add another bag of frozen peas and whatever other veggies you like. You can use the same pan to cook a few rough chopped bell peppers, that would be lovely on top  Ta-da!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is one of those meals that tastes better the next day (and days after) so cook it up, and put it in to several lunch containers, and have it at school to wolf down after classes. That should keep you going until dinnertime


Thanks that looks yum! I'm going to make it today and will report back!

I do have a food processsor - a huge expensive thing with a million attachments. Is it worth getting a mini one too?


----------



## Guest

McKenzie said:


> I do have a food processsor - a huge expensive thing with a million attachments. Is it worth getting a mini one too?


Well, my requirements were simple to use and easy to clean. Mine has two buttons and the whole thing comes apart in just 3 pieces that all go in the dishwasher. So it works perfect for my needs  
If yours is clunky and awkward, a smaller one might be worth it, but if not, go with the nice one


----------



## Matrod

catz4m8z said:


> Trying to be vegan is a PITA TBH!:Shy Not so much the food coz there is tons of it, its pretty much the same as you could eat before and I ate alot ot it before I transitioned over (I always preferred Quorn in cooking to meat and already drank plant milk coz I liked it).
> Its trying to find ethical, cruelty free toiletries and household products. Who would of thought that shampoo would be the biggest challenge?!LOL:Hilarious


Have you got a local health food shop? They usually have a good range of ethical toiletries, Waitrose have some really good stuff as well. Household wise I'm using bio d stuff, I love it & it's not too expensive.


----------



## catz4m8z

Matrod said:


> Have you got a local health food shop? They usually have a good range of ethical toiletries, Waitrose have some really good stuff as well. Household wise I'm using bio d stuff, I love it & it's not too expensive.


There doesnt seem to be alot in my local health food shop and Im quite picky about the labelling so I stick with the BUAV stuff (some stuff says 'not tested on animals' then sell to countries who do the animal testing for them! BUAV is quite stringent on their standards). Locally I really only have Superdrug and Sainsbury own ranges.

Not in the mood to be healthy today though. Burger and chips for tea and chocolate mug cake for desert! Its not whole food...but at least its vegan!LOL:Shy


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I'm not a great fan of Christmas bah humbug and all that. However browsing youtube earlier I came across this guy's channel and this video of him making a Christmas nut roast. I've never really fancied nut roast. Last year I made a filo pastry bake thing with lots of mushrooms/spinach and chestnuts but I think I might try this one this year although he is a bit heavy with the olive oil and salt but will just leave that out.


----------



## Guest

I just watched What the Health on Netflix. What an eye opener!!!


----------



## Magyarmum

Another very simple recipe is Roasted Vegetables. You can choose any mix of veggies you like and serve either with rice or pasta. Any left over you can always reheat the following day in the microwave

http://www.thewednesdaychef.com/the_wednesday_chef/2013/07/the-best-roasted-vegetables-ever.html


----------



## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> Trying to be vegan is a PITA TBH!:Shy Not so much the food coz there is tons of it, its pretty much the same as you could eat before and I ate alot ot it before I transitioned over (I always preferred Quorn in cooking to meat and already drank plant milk coz I liked it).
> Its trying to find ethical, cruelty free toiletries and household products. Who would of thought that shampoo would be the biggest challenge?!LOL:Hilarious


Living in Hungary I don't think I could ever become a vegan because I'd either starve to death or go stark raving mad trying to read labels on products. It's bad enough having to read them in Hungarian but when I look in my food cupboard and fridge my

tins of Chickpeas and Black Beans are all in Polish
Jar of Tahini in Hebrew
Lentils in Italian as were the Veggie Burgers which tasted so disgusting they ended up in the dustbin!
Packets of Spinach and Kale in Slovakian
"Pretend" Cheddar cheese in Greek
only the Hummus is in good old Hungarian!

I've also got Herbal Shampoo and Conditioner that is in Turkish and the instruction manual for my vacuum cleaner' in Czech. At least my chip fryer and toaster are in French which is a language I speak!


----------



## Guest

So here's my interpretation of @ouesi 's pasta dish. I added pine nuts and cannellini beans and a splash of rice wine vinegar. Super tasty and I love that I got heaps of spinach in there without noticing it!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

McKenzie said:


> I just watched What the Health on Netflix. What an eye opener!!!


Have you seen Forks over Knives? Its older than What the Health but is still one of the biggest reasons people find their way to WFPB diets. One of their books has a plan for the transition from standard diet to WFPB. They do it over 4 weeks.

Week 1 - Breakfasts 
Week 2 - Lunches
Week 3 - Dinners
Week 4 - Snacks

I was far too impatient to do it that way though


----------



## Guest

McKenzie said:


> I just watched What the Health on Netflix. What an eye opener!!!


I actually liked Forks over Knives better. Not quite as "preachy." I'm thinking from the perspective of someone who wasn't yet on board with this lifestyle change, What the Health might be easier to dismiss as too radical, whereas Forks over Knives is more "gentle" if you will. But yes, What the Health is very eye opening!



Magyarmum said:


> Another very simple recipe is Roasted Vegetables. You can choose any mix of veggies you like and serve either with rice or pasta. Any left over you can always reheat the following day in the microwave


That was going to be my next suggestion too  
Roasted veggies over rice, couscous, quinoa... Or with roasted potatoes mixed in, perfect. 
The trick with roasted veggies is to make sure you cut all the pieces about the same size, otherwise they won't cook evenly.

@McKenzie we're right at the end of summer squash and courgette season here, so a big pan of courgette, summer squash, bell pepper, and onion is a good starter. Salt and pepper to taste, try some other spices if you like, just make sure you use dried spices as fresh spices will burn in the oven. 
Roasted tomatoes are really yummy too. I usually do them separately though because they cook faster than every other veggie.


----------



## Guest

McKenzie said:


> View attachment 329990
> 
> 
> So here's my interpretation of @ouesi 's pasta dish. I added pine nuts and cannellini beans and a splash of rice wine vinegar. Super tasty and I love that I got heaps of spinach in there without noticing it!


Awesome! That looks lovely! 
It will taste even better the next day, so enjoy


----------



## Magyarmum

Soup is always a good standby if you're working because you can make a big batch and portion it out into plastic containers and freeze it, My all time favourite is a vegetarian Minestrone soup which if I've been out all day and son't feel like cooking I have with some wholemeal bread spread with hummus

https://www.thespruce.com/vegetarian-minestrone-soup-recipe-3378002

The Spruce by the way has some good vegetarian/vegan recipes and I always look there first if I'm stuck for ideas!

It's cold and wet here today so I made some garlic, potato, chickpea and spinach soup which I've just had for lunch It also has cream and tahini in it so very rich. I had some Long Life Cream which needed using up but the next time will use one of the plant based alternatives.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/29653/garlic-spinach-and-chickpea-soup/

I'm now so full I don't think I'll be able to eat anything more today!


----------



## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Have you seen Forks over Knives? Its older than What the Health but is still one of the biggest reasons people find their way to WFPB diets. One of their books has a plan for the transition from standard diet to WFPB. They do it over 4 weeks.
> 
> Week 1 - Breakfasts
> Week 2 - Lunches
> Week 3 - Dinners
> Week 4 - Snacks
> 
> I was far too impatient to do it that way though


I've just ordered one of their cookbooks "Over 300 recipes for Plant Based Eating All through the Year". Looking forward to it arriving!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Magyarmum said:


> Soup is always a good standby if you're working because you can make a big batch and portion it out into plastic containers and freeze it, My all time favourite is a vegetarian Minestrone soup which if I've been out all day and son't feel like cooking I have with some wholemeal bread spread with hummus
> 
> https://www.thespruce.com/vegetarian-minestrone-soup-recipe-3378002
> 
> The Spruce by the way has some good vegetarian/vegan recipes and I always look there first if I'm stuck for ideas!
> 
> It's cold and wet here today so I made some garlic, potato, chickpea and spinach soup which I've just had for lunch It also has cream and tahini in it so very rich. I had some Long Life Cream which needed using up but the next time will use one of the plant based alternatives.
> 
> http://allrecipes.com/recipe/29653/garlic-spinach-and-chickpea-soup/
> 
> I'm now so full I don't think I'll be able to eat anything more today!


Thanks for posting the minestrone soup, I've been looking for an easy recipe and that looks nice and easy. The one cup of green beans means as in fresh green beans rather than a pulse type of green bean I assume?


----------



## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Thanks for posting the minestrone soup, I've been looking for an easy recipe and that looks nice and easy. The one cup of green beans means as in fresh green beans rather than a pulse type of green bean I assume?


Yes it does. But the French Green Beans not the Kidney Beans we have in England. Actually I always put in some white Cannellini beans as well It's one of those recipes that you can more or less add whatever veggies you want.


----------



## Guest

Tonight I had oven baked paprika wedges with a salad of avocado, black beans, a medley of baby tomato types, and pine nuts, drizzled with balsamic vinegar. So incredibly yummy! My portion size was far too big!Trying to decide between rockmelon, grapes or a pear for dessert!

I've been reading back through this thread and overnight oats are mentioned a number of times. I'd never heard of them so I did some googling and they sound yummy! Just wondering how you all make yours - just plant milk or do you add other things?

ETA where would I find the forks and knives doco? It's not on my Netflix.


----------



## Magyarmum

Here we are ....

http://ohsheglows.com/2015/07/22/vegan-overnight-oats/

https://hurrythefoodup.com/vegan-overnight-oats-in-a-jar/

https://minimalistbaker.com/peanut-butter-overnight-oats/

This morning I'm having oats with chia, flax, sesame, sunflower and poppy seeds, mixed with plain yoghourt, ground walnuts and skimmed milk, topped with blueberries and mango!


----------



## Lurcherlad

I had cornflakes with Almond milk! 

Needed a tiny sprinkle of sugar as the rice milk I usually have has a natural sweetness.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

McKenzie said:


> Tonight I had oven baked paprika wedges with a salad of avocado, black beans, a medley of baby tomato types, and pine nuts, drizzled with balsamic vinegar. So incredibly yummy! My portion size was far too big!Trying to decide between rockmelon, grapes or a pear for dessert!
> 
> I've been reading back through this thread and overnight oats are mentioned a number of times. I'd never heard of them so I did some googling and they sound yummy! Just wondering how you all make yours - just plant milk or do you add other things?
> 
> ETA where would I find the forks and knives doco? It's not on my Netflix.
> 
> View attachment 330100


Its on my Netflix still. Its Forks Over Knives rather than "and" so that might be stopping it from coming up. If not try the link from here

https://www.forksoverknives.com/the-film/#gs.wuBT6pE

https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/70185045


----------



## Jonescat

***** Bad food alert *****

Except we have had two birthdays around here and everyone is entitled to a birthday cake once a year  Not the tidiest of cakes but made entirely of plants and love.

First up was a caramel apple cake - caramel frosting, spiced cake, and apple sauce filling










Then a cinnamon chocolate cake with chocolate mousse topping (mousse made out of tofu)


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Wow those cakes look good and very professional.

Have just received my copy of this - I subscribe to the monthly magazine anyway although have to adapt most of the recipes as they can be quite heavily into oil/sugar etc . The Christmas cookbook has some lovely meal ideas such as a mushroom and herb roast, a winter vegetable coulibiac with porcini mushroom sauce (never heard of a coulibiac - its basically pastry with a stuffing of brussel sprouts/cranberries/chestnuts/rice/ onion etc and the pastry lid is latticed, served with a mushroom sauce), Asian roasted brussel sprouts with cashews, a chestnut and butter bean wellington (which I made last year), Trinidad chickpea and sweet potato roti, lots of desserts and home made sweets. Its available from Sainsbury's or you can buy or download from the link

http://www.veganfoodandliving.com/vegan-food-living-christmas-cookbook-2017/


----------



## catz4m8z

ooooh, that apple cake looks too good!rool I still thinking about what to make for xmas for desert, am tempted to try something like a sweet potato pie with coconut cream.

Tea today was chickpea and vegetable curry with brown rice. (when you cant think of what to make...curry!:Woot).


----------



## LinznMilly

Anyone watch _Eat Well for Less?_ On BBC ... 1 or 2?

We watched it on Catch Up today. One of the cooks made traditional Bubble and Squeak, and as I was watching, I was thinking, it would be easy to make a vegan version. That recipe used sweet potato and kale with bacon pieces - that was it, with an egg on the top. Obviously, we would swap out the egg and bacon pieces but it looked gorgeous!!

I've also got into the habit of picking up the freebie mags that supermarkets encourage you to take, and flick through them once I get home. You can get some good ideas that way, even if it means adapting traditional recipes.

Yesterday's The Sun (I know - boo, hiss, hiss booooo! - in my defence, someone had left it in the cafe, I didn't buy it  ) had an 8 page pull-out of veggie meals. I left the paper, but took the pull out. :Smuggrin .


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I've been watching a few more of this guy's videos and have pre ordered his cook book - these "meat balls" look quite nice - I haven't tried Spiracha sauce but have just ordered some and might give this recipe a go.


----------



## Guest

Magyarmum said:


> Here we are ....
> 
> http://ohsheglows.com/2015/07/22/vegan-overnight-oats/
> 
> https://hurrythefoodup.com/vegan-overnight-oats-in-a-jar/
> 
> https://minimalistbaker.com/peanut-butter-overnight-oats/
> 
> This morning I'm having oats with chia, flax, sesame, sunflower and poppy seeds, mixed with plain yoghourt, ground walnuts and skimmed milk, topped with blueberries and mango!


Yum, thanks!



rottiepointerhouse said:


> Its on my Netflix still. Its Forks Over Knives rather than "and" so that might be stopping it from coming up. If not try the link from here
> 
> https://www.forksoverknives.com/the-film/#gs.wuBT6pE
> 
> https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/70185045


Ah I found it on Netflix  will have a watch when I have a chance.


----------



## Guest

Just some encouragement for eating out when trying to eat WFPB. We have company in town and they want to eat out. Been to 3 restaurants in 3 days, and I still managed to stay mostly WFPB. There was a pumpkin ice cream incident we shall not mention :Bagrool

First restaurant was a chain restaurant (would not have been my choice) so I ordered the chicken salad without the chicken or cheese and a balsamic dressing. Plain baked potato that I also drizzled the dressing on.
Second restaurant was much more vegan friendly, even had vegan cheese for the pizza. But, I'm not a fan of vegan cheeses, nor do I count them as a whole food, so I skipped the pizza and had a fantastic salad (you can build your own) and shared some pizza crust bites with OH (dough is vegan).
Today's restaurant was very nice, I had avocado toast on bread made in house - haven't had bread that good in ages. Came with a side of beans and rice and I switched out the eggs for roasted potatoes which they were happy to comply with.

However, I had my most sluggish run in a long time this morning and I'm choosing the blame the ice cream we're not mentioning for that. I haven't had dairy in so long I can't remember, and I really did feel lacking in energy on my run today.


----------



## Guest

Dinner tonight wasn't particularly pretty so I didn't take a photo of it, but it was very yummy! Inspiried by a post further back in this thread - maybe @ouesi 's?

Falafel, beetroot, alfalfa sprouts, capers, a few black beans and hummus in a whole meal pita pocket. Although I forgot how much I hate trying to eat pita pockets so next time I'll substitute it for something else. And there's leftover falafel to take to work tomorrow. And sorbet in the freezer!

I was about to make some overnight oats from one of @Magyarmum 's links, but it looks like all recipes need chia seeds so that will have to wait until I go to the supermarket again.


----------



## Magyarmum

Just made this recipe for tonight which I'll have with fusilli pasta and some of the spicy bean/tomato sauce that I had in my freezer

https://holycowvegan.net/bean-walnut-mushroom-burgers-grillable/

I'm not a great fan of falafel, or veggie burgers, or at least not the ones I've made so far. These haven't got flour in them which I think is what I dislike about them. This recipe uses oats instead and I also used Za'atar instead of ordinary dried thyme plus a few drops of Tabasco to give it a lift

It took me forever because I only have a hand held "thingy" that's fine for pureeing cooked fruit or veggies but not much use for anything else, so I've just ordered a small inexpensive food processor from the place I bought my vacuum from. Won't arrive though until the 2nd of next month.

OMG, you should have heard HRH whilst I was using the "thingy" - the poor girl was freaking out rushing round the kitchen trying to find where the weird noise was coming from. Luckily she's a pretty sensible dog and once she'd inspected the bowl and I'd shown her where the noise was coming from, she went off outside quite happily!


----------



## Lurcherlad

catz4m8z said:


> ooooh, that apple cake looks too good!rool I still thinking about what to make for xmas for desert, am tempted to try something like a sweet potato pie with coconut cream.
> 
> Tea today was chickpea and vegetable curry with brown rice. (when you cant think of what to make...curry!:Woot).


Or as in my case twice this week (having cooked a scrummy meat based meal from scratch for OH and DS) ...

Beans on toast! 

Planning is the key (or not being lazy!) 

And following on from Ouesi's thread - my legs were like lead at the gym this morning...

I need more veg!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

*Are Avocados Healthy?*
Michael Greger M.D. FACLM  October 23rd, 2017 Volume 38

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/ar...-24208457&mc_cid=f6da118f76&mc_eid=53363da263


----------



## Lurcherlad

Better dinner tonight...

Vegetable stir fry with extra onion and mushrooms, garlic, hoisin, sweet chilli and dark soy sauce, noodles and marinated tofu.

Delicious!


----------



## Lurcherlad

Made a big saucepan of vegetable soup and will throw in some kidney beans and lentils and make Herby dumplings for some wholesome lunches this week


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## rottiepointerhouse

Dr Kahn having a rant about hospitals selling unhealthy foods like processed red meats


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## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> *Are Avocados Healthy?*
> Michael Greger M.D. FACLM  October 23rd, 2017 Volume 38
> 
> https://nutritionfacts.org/video/ar...-24208457&mc_cid=f6da118f76&mc_eid=53363da263


Yay for giving avocados the green light because I sure do eat a lot of them! 
And ew, ew, ew, protein fermentation vs. carbohydrate fermentation! Score another point for plant based eating.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Dr Kahn having a rant about hospitals selling unhealthy foods like processed red meats


I really did think everyone already knew that processed meats are carcinogenic. But apparently that's still news to a lot of people....


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I really did think everyone already knew that processed meats are carcinogenic. But apparently that's still news to a lot of people....


Yep, still get people arguing that its an over reaction and my Mum is always telling me Uncle so and so has eaten bacon and eggs for breakfast every day and he is 85. Oh the WHO must have got it wrong then Mum :Hilarious:Hilarious I tell her some people smoke for years and don't get lung cancer but would you promote smoking or dismiss the evidence against it


----------



## LinznMilly

ouesi said:


> I really did think everyone already knew that processed meats are carcinogenic. But apparently that's still news to a lot of people....


Or, people like my mum, who might know, but just don't care.   Or my dad, who doesn't know, doesn't want to know, and doesn't care .... Oh, and he's been told he's at a high risk of bowel cancer, because of the sheer number of polyps he's had to have removed in the last 2 years.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Talking of Mum's I have mine and my sister coming tomorrow for a couple of days. My sister is over from the US (she lost her husband 3 weeks ago), she is vegetarian and is used to eating vegan food too but my Mum is a bit freaked out about what I am going to feed her. They are staying in a hotel so I have no doubt bacon will be on the menu for breakfast but I will be in control of lunches and dinners. I'm trying to come up with things that are tasty but won't worry my Mum too much - she has irritable bowel/diverticulitis amongst other things so is worried about too many beans and greens. I'm thinking of a light stir fry with marinated tofu and rice noodles one night and a vegan curry or a butter bean stew the other and good old home made mushroom soup for a lunch. I want her to try hummus and purple sweet potatoes too. I've reassured her she can leave anything she doesn't like or I can make her something else. She did make me laugh though, she said don't worry about me I'll just have beans on toast :Hilarious:Hilarious Yes Mum that is vegan too.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@LinznMilly How is you Mum now? Is she still in hospital?


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> @LinznMilly How is you Mum now? Is she still in hospital?


No. She got out last week, but she's still not right. Thanks for remembering.


----------



## Royoyo

I just thought I would check in with the plant people (sorry, bad joke). I'm hopefully going to start uploading some pictures of the food I'm eating from now on as I'm no longer going to be working night shifts so will have a lot more free time! Yay!

I've been eating a lot of chillies and stew like meals lately as it's been rather cold/rainy. 

For breakfast I had a smoothie which consisted of 6 bananas, handful of blueberries, strawberries, almond milk and some water just to make it not so gloopy. Also had avacado on toast.

Lunch I had an amazing soup which I will post the recipe for sometime if anyone's interested. It was a tomato soup and I added cauliflower to this one and once blitzed up the cauliflower gave it a lovely creamy consistency.

Dinner was chilli made with a variety of veg such as onion, mushroom, sweet potato, peppers, carrot, butternut squash, mixed beans all served on brown rice.

My strange addiction at the minute is taking a sweet potato, cutting it into slices (around a cm thick) roasting them with lots of different herbs, then once cooled I like to spread a little almond butter on top of them....... So kind of a sweet potato toast? It's probably not that healthy but it fills a gap when I'm feeling a bit peckish!

I hope you're all doing great!


----------



## Lurcherlad

I whizzed up an apple, banana and almond milk smoothy when I got back from the gym yesterday. 

Much better than my usual cup of coffee.

Had I remembered to add some frozen spinach it would have been even better!


----------



## Guest

Royoyo said:


> My strange addiction at the minute is taking a sweet potato, cutting it into slices (around a cm thick) roasting them with lots of different herbs, then once cooled I like to spread a little almond butter on top of them....... So kind of a sweet potato toast? It's probably not that healthy but it fills a gap when I'm feeling a bit peckish!


That sounds awesome actually  My daughter would love that. 
I don't see anything unhealthy about it, plus you're trying to gain weight, so the almond butter is a good way to add in some healthy fat calories.


----------



## Jonescat

Last night's meal - Mushroom and cannellini beans in paprika sauce, quinoa, kale and peas


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Steve Lawenda MD was a Kaiser physician with some serious health problems. How could he tell patients how to get well when he was getting sicker and sicker himself? Then he learned about the power of a healthy plant-based diet






Warning there are a couple of nasty photos of a diabetic foot (his Dad's).


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Thinking of making this for my visitors tomorrow


----------



## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Dr Kahn having a rant about hospitals selling unhealthy foods like processed red meats


I don't know whether the food in the Hungarian NHS hospital I've been a patient in a couple of times over the past 6 years is typical but it's absolutely awful!

For breakfast you're given either half a dozen slices of bread or a couple of rolls with a small pat of margarine and around 30 gr of luncheon meat or it you're lucky some mornings it'll be a small amount of jam or honey! To drink is a weak herbal tea.Lunch consists of a consomme with a few bits of carrot and noodles floating in it followed by a meatball or maybe potatoes cooked in some tasteless white sauce and for pudding either a yoghourt or a piece of Swiss roll. The evening meal is simply a repeat of the breakfast menu! To make life more difficult the hospital doesn't provide plates, glasses or cutlery and you even have to take your own drinking water! My son and I joked that it was a case of "the operation was successful but the patient died from malnutrition"!

How any medical professional can expect patients to make a good and quick recovery on a diet like that is beyond me, I can only suppose they prefer to spend the money on providing the best drugs and treatment instead. In defense of the Hungarian NHS I should add that it's excellent and the UK could learn a few things about the way its run.


----------



## grumpy goby

I was at our local green grocers today and got some tofu (it's an Asian grocery) which will be new for us! Any tips on how to cook it then it's welcome... we eat a lot of spicy food (predominantly Indian and Thai cuisine) so any flavoursome recipes with tofu welcome.

The veggie thing is getting more difficult while the OH is pumping iron, he is craving a lot of meat and eggs at the moment but we still manage most days without meat so hoping the Tofu will give him a protein fix (along with all the beans and pulses we already eat)


----------



## Magyarmum

Jonescat said:


> View attachment 330396
> 
> Last night's meal - Mushroom and cannellini beans in paprika sauce, quinoa, kale and peas


That looks good! Last night I had a stir fry made with pasta, buckwheat, onions, garlic, summer squash, red peppers, tomato, celery, mushroom, spinach and arugula with a honey, tahini and soya sauce.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

grumpy goby said:


> I was at our local green grocers today and got some tofu (it's an Asian grocery) which will be new for us! Any tips on how to cook it then it's welcome... we eat a lot of spicy food (predominantly Indian and Thai cuisine) so any flavoursome recipes with tofu welcome.
> 
> The veggie thing is getting more difficult while the OH is pumping iron, he is craving a lot of meat and eggs at the moment but we still manage most days without meat so hoping the Tofu will give him a protein fix (along with all the beans and pulses we already eat)


I saw this recipe for vegan meatballs made with tofu and plan to try it, I've just got some Spiracha sauce which is just a hot chilli sauce so I'm sure any kind would be OK.






Oops, sorry just realised I already posted this a couple of pages back but just in case you missed it


----------



## Guest

A friend was just diagnosed with breast cancer - I don't think she's 50 yet. She eats bacon and eggs every morning for breakfast, some sort of processed meat for lunch, and of course always meat at dinner. And lots of cheese and dairy. And soda - Dr. Pepper, she drinks a ton of that too. 

Any ideas on how to broach her diet? She's scheduled for chemo starting next week and I really think she stands a better chance if she were to help her body heal with diet too. I just don't know how to bring it up. I'm sure she's being bombarded with all sorts of opinions right now.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> A friend was just diagnosed with breast cancer - I don't think she's 50 yet. She eats bacon and eggs every morning for breakfast, some sort of processed meat for lunch, and of course always meat at dinner. And lots of cheese and dairy. And soda - Dr. Pepper, she drinks a ton of that too.
> 
> Any ideas on how to broach her diet? She's scheduled for chemo starting next week and I really think she stands a better chance if she were to help her body heal with diet too. I just don't know how to bring it up. I'm sure she's being bombarded with all sorts of opinions right now.


I had a similar thing but with someone I don't know that well, I just dropped into a chat "has anyone mentioned diet", they hadn't so I suggested a couple of books and linked a couple of videos but she didn't take up on the idea so I left it. I think I did mention the China Study and offered to send a copy but I haven't mentioned it again.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

http://nutritionstudies.org/healing-endometriosis-food-interview-one-part-plants-jessica-murnane/

Interesting article - I've never heard the term "shine blockers" before - I quite like it, a bit kinder than negative perhaps?


----------



## Magyarmum

grumpy goby said:


> I was at our local green grocers today and got some tofu (it's an Asian grocery) which will be new for us! Any tips on how to cook it then it's welcome... we eat a lot of spicy food (predominantly Indian and Thai cuisine) so any flavoursome recipes with tofu welcome.
> 
> The veggie thing is getting more difficult while the OH is pumping iron, he is craving a lot of meat and eggs at the moment but we still manage most days without meat so hoping the Tofu will give him a protein fix (along with all the beans and pulses we already eat)


Here you go ....

http://allrecipes.com/recipes/15165/everyday-cooking/vegetarian/main-dishes/tofu/

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/tofu

http://ohsheglows.com/categories/recipes-2/food-entrees/main-tofu/

Enjoy!


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## Matrod

Got this today, can't wait to get stuck in! It's just a shame I'll have to wait so long for it to ferment before I can eat any of it :Arghh


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## Magyarmum

Matrod said:


> Got this today, can't wait to get stuck in! It's just a shame I'll have to wait so long for it to ferment before I can eat any of it :Arghh
> View attachment 330591


I love my fermented veggies. In Hungary you can buy fermented cabbage, cucumbers, peppers etc in any supermarket. There's a small farm shop in my local town where at this time of year they sell 25, 50 and 100 litre sacks of ready shredded cabbage to make into sauerkraut.

A photo I took a couple of years ago showing some of the fermented veggies you can buy over here, together with "turo" cottage cheese, bio kefir and yoghourt!



















There is an Hungarian shop in London that sells fermented and pickled veggies. I don't know though whether you can order them online. http://vadaszdeli.co.uk/


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## Matrod

Magyarmum said:


> I love my fermented veggies. In Hungary you can buy fermented cabbage, cucumbers, peppers etc in any supermarket. There's a small farm shop in my local town where at this time of year they sell 25, 50 and 100 litre sacks of ready shredded cabbage to make into sauerkraut.
> 
> A photo I took a couple of years ago showing some of the fermented veggies you can buy over here, together with "turo" cottage cheese, bio kefir and yoghourt!
> 
> View attachment 330614
> 
> 
> View attachment 330615
> 
> 
> There is an Hungarian shop in London that sells fermented and pickled veggies. I don't know though whether you can order them online. http://vadaszdeli.co.uk/


Wow, that all looks amazing! I'll have a look at that website, I'm hoping to do all my own fermenting now.


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## Jonescat

All that fermented stuff does look amazing. 

I have come home today with some buckwheat, which I have never cooked before. Any advice before I plunge in?


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## rottiepointerhouse

Sorry I don't know about buckwheat, I've only used it in mixed grains which are pre cooked and frozen.

My Mum actually enjoyed all of the food I've given them over the 2 days, cleared her plates, all agreed with her tummy too. She has tried and enjoyed tofu (small chunks marinated which I dry fry to reduce the moisture before adding to stir fry), houmous, chickpeas in a curry and I made the forks over knives ice cream type desert (see P1 of this thread for short video) by blending 3 frozen bananas with a cup of frozen black cherries, half teaspoon of vanilla essence and some almond milk, my blender nearly blew up in protest at the frozen fruit so I must get a more powerful one. It was absolutely gorgeous with a creamy yet very refreshing taste. I swear if I had my Mum here for a couple of weeks I would have her off half if not all of her blood pressure medication - it was 144/77 after a couple of days good eating compared to 210/110 or something equally mind blowing a couple of weeks ago.


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## Guest

Dinner tonight was a yummy mess of pasta, with "clean out the fridge" veggies. 
I had a yellow and red bell pepper, onion, garlic, spinach, and I threw in a bag of frozen peas. Was really pretty, but I was too hungry to take a picture


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## Magyarmum

@Jonescat ...I cooked buckwheat the other night and followed the cooking instructions in this recipe.

http://www.heavenlynnhealthy.com/quick-buckwheat-and-vegetable-stir-fry/

The recipe says for 120 gr of buckwheat add 500ml water plus a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, but as I only cook for one person I halved it and used 60 gr which should mean adding 250 ml of water.I decided to add 200 ml and only add the other 50 ml later if needed, which it wasn't. Had I added 250 ml the buckwheat would have been too wet so perhaps if you're cooking the full amount only add say 400 ml of water reserving the rest to add if necessary. It takes about 15 minutes to cook.

Buckwheat (Hajdina) is very popular in Hungary. It's good cooked with rice, or tiny pasta or red lentils. Traditionally it's eaten with sour cream or as a sweet porridge. You can also buy an organic Buckwheat and rice drink and several vegetarian savoury buckwheat spreads and jars of baby food and baby porridge!

I don't know abut the UK but buckwheat is a third of the price of quinoa and personally I think it's just as nice! Millet (Gersli) and Barley (Koles) are also inexpensive and popular over here and I like to use either when I want a meal that's less spicy and more traditional "British" (if that makes sense) like a vegetarian Lancashire Hotpot.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/vegetarian_lancashire_22533[/QUOTE]


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## XemzX

Ooh I wasn’t aware of this thread but its a subject I’m very interested in.
I have been vegetarian myself since I was a teen and have recently started reducing my dairy consumption.
It has always been for ethical reasons. My diet is far from healthy. However I want to start eating healthier and so will be looking through this thread for recipes and ideas. Some of these meals look and sound lovely.


----------



## baubbles

ouesi said:


> A friend was just diagnosed with breast cancer - I don't think she's 50 yet. She eats bacon and eggs every morning for breakfast, some sort of processed meat for lunch, and of course always meat at dinner. And lots of cheese and dairy. And soda - Dr. Pepper, she drinks a ton of that too.
> 
> Any ideas on how to broach her diet? She's scheduled for chemo starting next week and I really think she stands a better chance if she were to help her body heal with diet too. I just don't know how to bring it up. I'm sure she's being bombarded with all sorts of opinions right now.


Hi Ouesi - First I hope everything goes well for your friend it's lovely you want to help her. it's a good time to bring up the subject as there is a stand up to cancer go vegetarian this November it's called the veg pledge. That may make it easier to work into the conversation.

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/support-us/do-your-own-fundraising/veg-pledge


----------



## baubbles

I'm new here and sorry if this recipe has been posted before. I'm not vegetarian but prefer to eat veggie/vegan most of the time. I seem to struggle with lack of protein when I try to go veggie.

Here is a sandwich filling that I love. I've never made it with the garlic sauce but it's amazing without it.

https://minimalistbaker.com/chickpea-sunflower-sandwich/


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## Lurcherlad

Brunch!










Probably doesn't come under "healthy eating" but apart from the egg is plant based! 

And blooming delicious! :Hungry

Won't need much else today!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Another attack on "What the health" by "The Doctors" - presume this is a US TV show a bit like our "Trust me I'm a Doctor" - Garth Davis (Proteinaholic) was on the show along with the producer of the film to defend it, here is his blog about it

http://proteinaholic.com/another-ig...he-health-this-time-from-the-doctors-tv-show/

and some clips from the show - the guy sat next to Kip and Dr Garth is a personal trainer






https://www.thedoctorstv.com/videos/does-red-meat-cause-cancer


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Another attack on "What the health" by "The Doctors" - presume this is a US TV show a bit like our "Trust me I'm a Doctor" - Garth Davis (Proteinaholic) was on the show along with the producer of the film to defend it, here is his blog about it
> 
> http://proteinaholic.com/another-ig...he-health-this-time-from-the-doctors-tv-show/
> 
> and some clips from the show - the guy sat next to Kip and Dr Garth is a personal trainer
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.thedoctorstv.com/videos/does-red-meat-cause-cancer


It still blows my mind that advocating a plant based diet of whole foods is considered controversial.
Why? Why is it so controversial to just come out and say "eat less or no meat." "Eat less or no dairy." The reactions people have are so visceral, it's not based on science or factual information, it's definitely a gut reaction based in deep rooted cultural biases.

Yes, of course "What the Health" was a biased documentary. They were advocating for health and animal welfare. They're not going to give equal time to advocating for disease and cruelty to animals! 
That's like saying a documentary about evolution is biased because it doesn't give the story in Genesis equal time.


----------



## catz4m8z

Really its a shame you cant sit people down and make them watch these documentaries. Ive had lots of discussions with friends, families and colleagues about veganism (health benefits, environment, animal cruelty) and without exception they have agreed with everything Ive said.....
then just carried on eating whatever crap they were eating before!:Banghead


----------



## Guest

baubbles said:


> Hi Ouesi - First I hope everything goes well for your friend it's lovely you want to help her. it's a good time to bring up the subject as there is a stand up to cancer go vegetarian this November it's called the veg pledge. That may make it easier to work into the conversation.
> 
> http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/support-us/do-your-own-fundraising/veg-pledge


Well as it turns out, she came to me and asked me what I know about diet and disease. I was very pleasantly surprised, but then very confused. I gave her some information, she took it all in, then I suggested she start by cutting out processed meats and maybe dairy. She agreed, then said she doesn't eat any processed meats. I was confused, because I know she makes bacon every morning, and I've seen her eat it, I have seen her eat lunch meats, and I see her drink milk. So I clarified that I meant processed meats like bacon and lunch meats. She assured me again that she doesn't eat bacon, nor lunch meat.  It was very strange. But she was open to listening, and I did send her some info.

I'm actually toying with an idea, I'm open to suggestions. 
I make a few vegan dishes that are pretty darned good if I do say so myself. 
I'm considering making a "free dinner for two if you need it" prepared meal and putting it in the fridge at work with a note for anyone who needs it to take it. The idea being a) pay it forward in a way. WFPB eating has been so beneficial to me and my loved ones, I'd like to share. And b) to make this kind of eating a little less "werid" and a little more accessible, so people actually try it and realize they can have a meal without meat or dairy and feel satisfied and enjoy the food. Might inspire them to eat more meals that way?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> Really its a shame you cant sit people down and make them watch these documentaries. Ive had lots of discussions with friends, families and colleagues about veganism (health benefits, environment, animal cruelty) and without exception they have agreed with everything Ive said.....
> then just carried on eating whatever crap they were eating before!:Banghead


Tell me about it  I thought I did quite well with my Mum this week, she seemed really interesting in making positive improvements, liked all the food she tried etc etc. On the drive back home from here they had a pub lunch, she had fishcakes (I don't know if chips were served with it or not) followed by cheesecake - I looked that one up on the pub menu - one serving had 41g fat, 24 of which were saturated and 38 g of sugar (9.5 teaspoons) - she is a diabetic and has high blood pressure, they were eating out again yesterday, her blood sugar was up to 17 (306 in US measurements) :Jawdrop:Jawdrop


----------



## Lurcherlad

I think you can offer advice and encouragement but then it's up to the individual to make the changes.

MIL swears blind she hardly eats any fat or sweet things, or other foods which her consultant told her to avoid because of health issues - I know for a fact she eats lots. I'm not sure why she thinks I don't know, nor why she feels she needs to lie as she is an 85 year old adult who can please herself. I take her shopping so I know what food she buys and there are piles of cakes and biscuits on full view in her kitchen.

I think there is a fine line between promoting and encouraging something and being evangelical


----------



## LinznMilly

Lurcherlad said:


> I think you can offer advice and encouragement but then it's up to the individual to make the changes.
> 
> MIL swears blind she hardly eats any fat or sweet things, or other foods which her consultant told her to avoid because of health issues - I know for a fact she eats lots. I'm not sure why she thinks I don't know, nor why she feels she needs to lie as she is an 85 year old adult who can please herself. I take her shopping so I know what food she buys and there are piles of cakes and biscuits on full view in her kitchen.
> 
> I think there is a fine line between promoting and encouraging something and being evangelical


I've come to the same conclusion with my mam, and there's just no talking to dad.

I did have a bad junk food and biscuits day yesterday - and not surprisingly, my skin had a hell of a lot to protest about, so today, I've been craving a lot of veggies and fruit, so, for lunch I made a veggie lasagne with kale, onions, red lentils, veggie mince (I love my veggie mince ) sweet corn and leeks. Skin is happier. 

I haven't really had a "tea" or dinner, but snacked on cranberries, grapes and fruit instead.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I don't give a monkeys if people think I'm evangelical, its just basic common sense that someone with dangerously high blood pressure and diabetes should try to avoid eating saturated fat and sugar on a regular basis. Its slow suicide by food and it upsets me so much to see people not caring enough about themselves to stop doing it.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I don't give a monkeys if people think I'm evangelical, its just basic common sense that someone with dangerously high blood pressure and diabetes should try to avoid eating saturated fat and sugar on a regular basis. Its slow suicide by food and it upsets me so much to see people not caring enough about themselves to stop doing it.


It's a tough one though. A lot of food issues mimic addictions, even the phrase you used, "slow suicide" is very similar to what some addicts are doing. 
People generally don't respond well to "don't do that it's bad for you" especially not when they're addicted, and for many people the food they eat is very much part of an addiction.

I get uppity when people judge my food choices - and how I choose to feed my kids, I can totally empathize with someone getting uppity over comments on what they're eating.

I think all we can do is put the information out there, and when people are ready to hear it, they will.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> It's a tough one though. A lot of food issues mimic addictions, even the phrase you used, "slow suicide" is very similar to what some addicts are doing.
> People generally don't respond well to "don't do that it's bad for you" especially not when they're addicted, and for many people the food they eat is very much part of an addiction.
> 
> I get uppity when people judge my food choices - and how I choose to feed my kids, I can totally empathize with someone getting uppity over comments on what they're eating.
> 
> I think all we can do is put the information out there, and when people are ready to hear it, they will.


Yes I totally understand about food addiction - sugar, oil and salt are very addictive but just like if my Mum was an alcoholic I wouldn't be buying her booze or be happy that she consumed it I can't be happy about her doing harm to herself. I don't believe I told her not to do things because they were bad for her, I spent a couple of days providing lovely food for her to try, which she enjoyed and answered all the questions she asked, she also borrowed one of Dr Fuhrman's books about Diabetes. I had hoped to show them Forks over Knives but decided in the end it wasn't appropriate as my sister lost her husband 3 weeks ago and I thought it might be insensitive to put it on. Just like you want to help your friend with breast cancer, I'd like to help my Mum but as we've already said most people are in denial about the effect their food choices have on their health. As in the past I will leave it now and not even comment on her choices, if she asks me (which she frequently does) I will give a vague and evasive answer and not invest my time and emotions.

Oh and I think the whole evangelical thing is a bit of a cop out - a bit like saying shut up going on about things you think are important. If I can't be evangelical in this thread then where the hell can I be?


----------



## Lurcherlad

Nobody said you couldn't as far as I know?

FWIW if anybody sat me down and put on Forks over Knives I would walk out.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> Nobody said you couldn't as far as I know?
> 
> FWIW if anybody sat me down and put on Forks over Knives I would walk out.


Really? it feels like that  feels like a kick in the teeth to be honest but I expect I'll get over it.

Why would you walk out?


----------



## Lurcherlad

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Really? it feels like that  feels like a kick in the teeth to be honest but I expect I'll get over it.
> 
> Why would you walk out?


Well, that certainly isn't how I see it nor was it my intention to hurt anyone's feelings, least of all yours.

I know you are passionate about the subject but you surely accept that others may not share your zeal? They may choose to follow some of the advice or ignore it completely.

This thread contains lots of useful tips and information and has a good following but I still think we get further using a carrot (pardon the pun! )rather than a stick, is all.

As for Forks over Knives - I assume it shows how meat is produced as part if it's remit? I know what happens (the very reason I don't eat it) and I have no desire to subject myself to the horrors again. It may not, but the title is enough to scare me off tbh.

Same as I don't watch much of Countryfile anymore or watch nature programmes - an animal usually suffers or dies somewhere along the line.

I sign animal welfare petitions with my eyes practically closed and images turned off because I will have nightmares.

I have enough horrendous images in my memory to keep me awake at night already.


----------



## catz4m8z

Lurcherlad said:


> As for Forks over Knives - I assume it shows how meat is produced as part if it's remit? I know what happens (the very reason I don't eat it) and I have no desire to subject myself to the horrors again. It may not, but the title is enough to scare me off tbh.
> 
> Same as I don't watch much of Countryfile anymore or watch nature programmes - an animal usually suffers or dies somewhere along the line.
> 
> I sign animal welfare petitions with my eyes practically closed and images turned off because I will have nightmares.
> 
> I have enough horrendous images in my memory to keep me awake at night already.


Im pretty sure Forks over Knives is ok to watch. I know Ive seen it along with What the Health and Cowspiracy and Im the same as you @Lurcherlad . I still refuse to watch Earthlings as i know I'll be in floods of tears and traumatised for the rest of the day!:Shy
I wouldnt encourage anybody to watch any of the more hardcore documentaries without warning them first but the ones on personal health or the environment sometimes tend to make an impact that the cruelty ones dont.


----------



## baubbles

I have to say this is an inspiring thread. I'm not vegan or vegetarian but try often. Sorry for all the questions. I have a problem getting enough protein when I try. I do love beans and tried to like tofu but don't like the texture. What does everyone think of Quorn it seems to have a lot of ingredients. Also has anyone ever made plant based yogurt and how was it? One of my all time favorite PB blogs and cookbooks is by Vegan Richa I've made a lot of her recipes and love them, well it's a start. Thanks. http://www.veganricha.com/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> Well, that certainly isn't how I see it nor was it my intention to hurt anyone's feelings, least of all yours.
> 
> I know you are passionate about the subject but you surely accept that others may not share your zeal? They may choose to follow some of the advice or ignore it completely.
> 
> This thread contains lots of useful tips and information and has a good following but I still think we get further using a carrot (pardon the pun! )rather than a stick, is all.
> 
> As for Forks over Knives - I assume it shows how meat is produced as part if it's remit? I know what happens (the very reason I don't eat it) and I have no desire to subject myself to the horrors again. It may not, but the title is enough to scare me off tbh.
> 
> Same as I don't watch much of Countryfile anymore or watch nature programmes - an animal usually suffers or dies somewhere along the line.
> 
> I sign animal welfare petitions with my eyes practically closed and images turned off because I will have nightmares.
> 
> I have enough horrendous images in my memory to keep me awake at night already.


Of course I accept others do not share my zeal, that is part of the reason why I started this thread so that I wasn't banging on about it in other threads and getting peoples backs up. Same with family, my Mum is the only one I've really discussed nutrition with - mainly because I'm an ex nurse and so she asks my opinion on a lot of things plus she says she is interested but rarely puts into practice what she says she will.

No Forks over Knives does't show how meat is produced as far as I remember apart from a few long shots of intensive farms and some sludge that goes into making hot dogs etc. It doesn't use shock tactics or preach but is very inspiring. I won't watch anything horrid as it makes me too angry and frustrated. Eating you Alive is a brilliant film from a health prospective but does have a horrid section on how farm animals are treated so I wouldn't dream of showing that. Surely if someone offered to show you Forks over Knives you could just ask what does it involve, is there any animal abuse shown in it and if they said no then give it a go and watch.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

baubbles said:


> I have to say this is an inspiring thread. I'm not vegan or vegetarian but try often. Sorry for all the questions. I have a problem getting enough protein when I try. I do love beans and tried to like tofu but don't like the texture. What does everyone think of Quorn it seems to have a lot of ingredients. Also has anyone ever made plant based yogurt and how was it? One of my all time favorite PB blogs and cookbooks is by Vegan Richa I've made a lot of her recipes and love them, well it's a start. Thanks. http://www.veganricha.com/


Sorry, not ignoring you, welcome to the thread. I will come back to you when I have a bit more time


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## LinznMilly

baubbles said:


> I have to say this is an inspiring thread. I'm not vegan or vegetarian but try often. Sorry for all the questions. I have a problem getting enough protein when I try. I do love beans and tried to like tofu but don't like the texture. What does everyone think of Quorn it seems to have a lot of ingredients. Also has anyone ever made plant based yogurt and how was it? One of my all time favorite PB blogs and cookbooks is by Vegan Richa I've made a lot of her recipes and love them, well it's a start. Thanks. http://www.veganricha.com/


I do like the Quorn range, but a lot of it has egg or milk, so if you're trying to go vegan (general You, not personal You), the Quorn range is a non -starter.

Supermarket own veggie brands often are vegan friendly. For example, Morrison's mince (and, IIRC burgers) are vegan friendly as they're made with soya milk instead of dairy. And ASDA veggie sausages look and taste so much like pork sausages, I had to go back and check the box twice. 

The problem with these products, whether supermarket own brand, or Quorn/Linda McCartney, etc, is they are still processed, which the WFPB diet tries to reduce or eliminate.


----------



## baubbles

Thanks LinznMilly I will check out the Morrisons and Asda range after all there's only so many beans a girl can eat  I make pinto beans a lot and found a tip online that you don't have to soak them! I like some of the Quorn stuff especially the burgers which aren't vegan but I see they've added a bunch of new vegan burgers, frajita strips, fishless fingers and a etc but you're right not a WF.


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## rottiepointerhouse

baubbles said:


> I have to say this is an inspiring thread. I'm not vegan or vegetarian but try often. Sorry for all the questions. I have a problem getting enough protein when I try. I do love beans and tried to like tofu but don't like the texture. What does everyone think of Quorn it seems to have a lot of ingredients. Also has anyone ever made plant based yogurt and how was it? One of my all time favorite PB blogs and cookbooks is by Vegan Richa I've made a lot of her recipes and love them, well it's a start. Thanks. http://www.veganricha.com/


When you say you have a a problem getting enough protein do you mean because you feel you need to eat a certain amount/percentage of protein per day or does not having a certain amount make you feel unwell?? People tend to worry about getting enough protein more than anything else when they give up animal products but on the whole we eat too much of the stuff anyway and can get more than enough from eating vegetables, legumes, nuts/seeds, grains etc. If you eat enough calories then you almost certainly get enough protein. A few of us have read this book which explains it all really well

http://proteinaholic.com

and a couple of articles

http://nutritionstudies.org/protein-juggernaut-deep-roots/

http://nutritionstudies.org/mystique-of-protein-implications/

As far as Quorn is concerned I would say by all means use it during transition from eating meat but try to move on to the healthier whole foods when you can.


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## Elles

It’s a great thread. RPH was often told off for posting about diets in other threads, so it was clear to me why she started it. I think it was totally the right decision and has worked really well. It helped me and now my totally unhealthy husband has surprised me. What he sees as an extreme change in the way I eat and that I’ve lost weight with it, piqued his curiosity and omg he’s been trying some of it and he cut right back on drinking for the last couple of weeks.

Last night he said that he’d seen how much better I am, so he’d decided to give up drinking at all in the week and try some of this healthy stuff instead of eating crap all the time. 

He was used to me being vegetarian, so didn’t take any notice, the change in me got his attention. 

Even if it doesn’t last, it’s pretty amazing that he’s even thought of it. My hope is that he feels better and carries on.

Another thread from the sweater unravelled, another starfish saved. Keep up the good work.


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## Magyarmum

baubbles said:


> Thanks LinznMilly I will check out the Morrisons and Asda range after all there's only so many beans a girl can eat  I make pinto beans a lot and found a tip online that you don't have to soak them! I like some of the Quorn stuff especially the burgers which aren't vegan but I see they've added a bunch of new vegan burgers, frajita strips, fishless fingers and a etc but you're right not a WF.


You might find these two articles helpful ....

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-...-the-best-sources-of-protein-for-vegetarians/

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/plant-based-weekly-meal-plans-by-diet/

I can't eat/drink anything made with soya and the only supermarket that sells anything prepared like veggie burgers or hummus is a 50 mile drive away so I have to be self sufficient when it comes making sure I have a balanced vegetarian diet.


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## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Yes I totally understand about food addiction - sugar, oil and salt are very addictive but just like if my Mum was an alcoholic I wouldn't be buying her booze or be happy that she consumed it I can't be happy about her doing harm to herself. I don't believe I told her not to do things because they were bad for her, I spent a couple of days providing lovely food for her to try, which she enjoyed and answered all the questions she asked, she also borrowed one of Dr Fuhrman's books about Diabetes. I had hoped to show them Forks over Knives but decided in the end it wasn't appropriate as my sister lost her husband 3 weeks ago and I thought it might be insensitive to put it on. Just like you want to help your friend with breast cancer, I'd like to help my Mum but as we've already said most people are in denial about the effect their food choices have on their health. As in the past I will leave it now and not even comment on her choices, if she asks me (which she frequently does) I will give a vague and evasive answer and not invest my time and emotions.
> 
> Oh and I think the whole evangelical thing is a bit of a cop out - a bit like saying shut up going on about things you think are important. If I can't be evangelical in this thread then where the hell can I be?


Oh totally agree. 
You're not happy about it of course, and you don't enable, but it's really tricky to know what to say or even if you should say anything at all.

And to add to it all, the information out there about food is so ridiculously confusing and contradictory. So you have the person who thinks they're doing the right thing by passing on the baked potato and eating the grilled chicken instead. Hell, their own doctor might have even told them to do that! So me telling them the chicken is worse for them than a plain baked potato is going to be met with frustration at best. So I just bite my tongue most of the time.

But I agree, this thread is the place to be passionate about the benefits of WFPB eating. We can't be anywhere else, so here is the place to get excited about how good we feel and rant about how frustrating it is to watch others do themselves harm.

I also agree about the evangelical label. In every day life I don't say much if anything about my food choices. If people ask, I offer information. My friend asked, so I told her what I know. I forwarded her some good articles. I will probably make her a meal or two as well. That's not being evangelical. That's simply sharing what I know IF someone asks.

I know most people find not eating meat or dairy extreme and radical, but that doesn't mean it is. It's a very easy way to live if you ask me. OH and I went on a date last night to a lovely Italian restaurant and ate a great meal while completely avoiding meat and dairy. It wasn't difficult at all. Shopping and preparing meals for the family isn't difficult or any more time consuming than any other way of eating. If anything we need to move away from this notion that eating without meat or dairy is so strange.



Lurcherlad said:


> As for Forks over Knives - I assume it shows how meat is produced as part if it's remit? I know what happens (the very reason I don't eat it) and I have no desire to subject myself to the horrors again. It may not, but the title is enough to scare me off tbh.


Forks over Knives is very tame. There is nothing upsetting visually in the documentary, and the title is simply addressing the difference between healing ourselves through diet (what's on our forks) vs. open heart surgery (knives - as in scalpel). I think it's actually a great documentary, nothing off-putting.


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## Elles

I think people may think knives means stabbing animals to death, or cutting meat, rather than open heart surgery. 

I know this, because that’s what I thought lol.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Elles said:


> I think people may think knives means stabbing animals to death, or cutting meat, rather than open heart surgery.
> 
> I know this, because that's what I thought lol.


I always thought it was eating with a fork rather than a knife too 

Couple of trailers for anyone who hasn't seen it and might be interested











A short clip with some longer interviews with some of the doctors from the film - Dr McDougall towards the end talking about breast cancer doesn't hold back.


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## baubbles

Thanks so much for info rottiepointerho will read the articles and I have several books. 

I'm not sure why but after a couple of months not eating meat I feel kind of pale within myself and people at work tell me how tired I look. I will eat a piece of chicken and literally feel the color and energy returning to my body if that makes any sense. I tend to eat well when eating veggie, tons of veg not just pizza, chips and beans on toast but maybe adding in nuts would be a good idea. Thanks for your help!


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## catz4m8z

baubbles said:


> I'm not sure why but after a couple of months not eating meat I feel kind of pale within myself and people at work tell me how tired I look. I will eat a piece of chicken and literally feel the color and energy returning to my body if that makes any sense.


Maybe you just arent eating enough calories in general?? I know alot of people give up because they feel hungry or tired but they often are just forgetting that plants tend to have less calories then animal products so you need to eat more of them!
As for protein I probably eat too much TBH! I love beans in my meals and drink lots of soya milk...having said that I do supplement with iron as I really find it difficult eating enough leafy greens (I dont think I was any better as a meat eater really, as I didnt eat many iron rich foods then either!).


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## rottiepointerhouse

baubbles said:


> Thanks so much for info rottiepointerho will read the articles and I have several books.
> 
> I'm not sure why but after a couple of months not eating meat I feel kind of pale within myself and people at work tell me how tired I look. I will eat a piece of chicken and literally feel the color and energy returning to my body if that makes any sense. I tend to eat well when eating veggie, tons of veg not just pizza, chips and beans on toast but maybe adding in nuts would be a good idea. Thanks for your help!


Getting a variety of grains - quinoa for instance is high in protein and iron, beans and lentils (lentils are so easy to just chuck in pretty much anything you are making) nuts and seeds should give you more than enough - it could be you were a bit low on iron. Try and have some vitamin C with your meals which helps you absorb iron and avoid drinking tea with the meal.


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## baubbles

catz4m8z said:


> Maybe you just arent eating enough calories in general?? I know alot of people give up because they feel hungry or tired but they often are just forgetting that plants tend to have less calories then animal products so you need to eat more of them!
> As for protein I probably eat too much TBH! I love beans in my meals and drink lots of soya milk...having said that I do supplement with iron as I really find it difficult eating enough leafy greens (I dont think I was any better as a meat eater really, as I didnt eat many iron rich foods then either!).


Yes I do think that enough calories could be my problem! Will eat more beans too as I love Mexican food so easy to throw together and lends itself so well to vegan meals with salsa, corn tortillas guacamole etc. Thanks for reply.



rottiepointerhouse said:


> Getting a variety of grains - quinoa for instance is high in protein and iron, beans and lentils (lentils are so easy to just chuck in pretty much anything you are making) nuts and seeds should give you more than enough - it could be you were a bit low on iron. Try and have some vitamin C with your meals which helps you absorb iron and avoid drinking tea with the meal.


Oh forgot about quinoa I have some and like it and love bulgar wheat and lentils. Great ideas and thread I'm leaning lots. Thanks so much.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Elles said:


> I think people may think knives means stabbing animals to death, or cutting meat, rather than open heart surgery.
> 
> I know this, because that's what I thought lol.


Well I assumed it would contain footage of intensive farming and slaughter houses. Often these type of things use shock tactics which I just don't want to see.

As it happens, I don't need to watch as I don't need converting or convincing - I already get it. I'm meat and dairy free and heading towards vegan


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## Guest

Lurcherlad said:


> Well I assumed it would contain footage of intensive farming and slaughter houses. Often these type of things use shock tactics which I just don't want to see.
> 
> As it happens, I don't need to watch as I don't need converting or convincing - I already get it. I'm meat and dairy free and heading towards vegan


I didn't need convincing either, but I watched it anyway and am very glad I did, because I learned so much. 
Actually, thanks to this discussion, I watched it again this morning while doing house chores, and learned more again that I can share with others - if they ask


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## Lurcherlad

ouesi said:


> I didn't need convincing either, but I watched it anyway and am very glad I did, because I learned so much.
> Actually, thanks to this discussion, I watched it again this morning while doing house chores, and learned more again that I can share with others - if they ask


Good for you!


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## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> Well I assumed it would contain footage of intensive farming and slaughter houses. Often these type of things use shock tactics which I just don't want to see.
> 
> As it happens, I don't need to watch as I don't need converting or convincing - I already get it. I'm meat and dairy free and heading towards vegan


I can't imagine why I would even consider showing my 80 year old mother who is in poor health a film showing horrid footage of intensive farming and slaughter houses. I'm worried about her health not her conscience :Joyful On the whole WFPB doctors are talking about the health issues not ethical/environmental issues although a few of the films do have short sections on that.



ouesi said:


> I didn't need convincing either, but I watched it anyway and am very glad I did, because I learned so much.
> Actually, thanks to this discussion, I watched it again this morning while doing house chores, and learned more again that I can share with others - if they ask


I watch and listen to lots of the films and lectures several times over, each time I pick up on something I didn't know before. I think we are very lucky to have access to these wonderful WFPB doctors who take the time to explain things so well and back up their opinions with science/research.

@Lurcherlad would you even consider having a watch of the clips I have linked so you get a better understanding of what the film is actually about?


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## Lurcherlad

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I can't imagine why I would even consider showing my 80 year old mother who is in poor health a film showing horrid footage of intensive farming and slaughter houses. I'm worried about her health not her conscience :Joyful On the whole WFPB doctors are talking about the health issues not ethical/environmental issues although a few of the films do have short sections on that.
> 
> I watch and listen to lots of the films and lectures several times over, each time I pick up on something I didn't know before. I think we are very lucky to have access to these wonderful WFPB doctors who take the time to explain things so well and back up their opinions with science/research.
> 
> @Lurcherlad would you even consider having a watch of the clips I have linked so you get a better understanding of what the film is actually about?


Like I said, I jumped to the wrong conclusion 

I might ...


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## baubbles

Magyarmum said:


> You might find these two articles helpful ....
> 
> http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-...-the-best-sources-of-protein-for-vegetarians/
> 
> http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/plant-based-weekly-meal-plans-by-diet/
> 
> I can't eat/drink anything made with soya and the only supermarket that sells anything prepared like veggie burgers or hummus is a 50 mile drive away so I have to be self sufficient when it comes making sure I have a balanced vegetarian diet.


Great! Thanks so much. Very helpful.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> A short clip with some longer interviews with some of the doctors from the film - Dr McDougall towards the end talking about breast cancer doesn't hold back.


Yes, that clip of McDougall is soooo powerful. Radiation and chemotherapy are "normal" but asking a woman to give up meat and dairy is far too radical. How crazy can we be?!

In recipe news, it has finally gotten cold and blustery out and that calls for some comforting heavier meals  
This is nothing but potatoes, lentils, zucchini, broccoli, onion and garlic and a little salt. No added oils, didn't even season it with any spices, and guys, it tastes so good! I think next time I'm going to use sweet potatoes and maybe a little cumin, IDK... this was pretty good without any added seasoning...


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## Elles

People won’t believe anything I say in a minute, we’re like a bunch of converts here lol.

My son’s partner suffered cancer in her late 20s, she had a brain tumour. She was vegetarian already, not for her health, but my son has just watched forks over knives and is talking to her about the plant based diet. He says the changes they will need to make are their evening meal (he still ate fish and chicken) and cutting out dairy. Their diets aren’t particularly processed food, or sweet heavy and they already eat plenty of fruit.

He said what convinced him was the martial arts/boxing athlete. They’re both pretty active and thought they couldn’t get enough calories, or protein from a plant based diet. He uses those protein powders and kept eating some meat and fish, because of it. He just said to me how can they not (change to plant based) now they know. What’s the point in eating food that’s killing you. Her particular cancer was probably nothing to do with her diet, but it was certainly a scare for them and of course they’ll both do anything that might preserve their health. 

My daughter is vegetarian, but went vegan for three months. She didn’t feel great, so went back to vegetarian and the dairy. She’s going to look at this too.

I enjoyed the film. It was all about health and healthy eating, not animal rights or welfare. Tv programmes like bake off, master chef and come dine with me should start introducing tasty healthy eating instead of their usual stodge I think. It would be nice if whole food plant based started to become more normal and mainstream.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Elles said:


> People won't believe anything I say in a minute, we're like a bunch of converts here lol.
> 
> My son's partner suffered cancer in her late 20s, she had a brain tumour. She was vegetarian already, not for her health, but my son has just watched forks over knives and is talking to her about the plant based diet. He says the changes they will need to make are their evening meal (he still ate fish and chicken) and cutting out dairy. Their diets aren't particularly processed food, or sweet heavy and they already eat plenty of fruit.
> 
> He said what convinced him was the martial arts/boxing athlete. They're both pretty active and thought they couldn't get enough calories, or protein from a plant based diet. He uses those protein powders and kept eating some meat and fish, because of it. He just said to me how can they not (change to plant based) now they know. What's the point in eating food that's killing you. Her particular cancer was probably nothing to do with her diet, but it was certainly a scare for them and of course they'll both do anything that might preserve their health.
> 
> My daughter is vegetarian, but went vegan for three months. She didn't feel great, so went back to vegetarian and the dairy. She's going to look at this too.
> 
> I enjoyed the film. It was all about health and healthy eating, not animal rights or welfare. Tv programmes like bake off, master chef and come dine with me should start introducing tasty healthy eating instead of their usual stodge I think. It would be nice if whole food plant based started to become more normal and mainstream.


Wow that is absolutely brilliant, it is such a powerful film but in a very subtle way  One of the cardiologists I've linked a few times but not sure if anyone has watched him has it available for patients to watch on TV in hospital, they also serve WFPB meals, I hope we get that one day here. This is the video for anyone interested - he starts talking at 2 mins


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## Eleora

Here are some Smoothies, sometimes I make them when I dont feel like cooking, they fill me up for a while 


Energy Smoothie

Banana, Mango, Pineapple, Spinage, flax seeds, Chia seeds, Ginger, Coconut milk.



Super Green Smoothie

Spinage, Kale, tablespoon Parsley, teaspoon fresh Coriander, Kiwi, Mango, Ginger, Water



Sweet Craving

Strawberry, Raspberries, Banana, Dates, Apple Juice.



Blueberry Oat.

Banana, Blueberries, Porridge Oats, Coconut milk.



Red Fruits

Red Grape, Strawberry, Banana, Blueberry, Apple Juice.



Tropical

Banana, Mango, Pineapple, Ginger, Coconut milk or Coconut water.



Green Machine

Banana, Kiwi, Pineapple, Mango, Ginger, Spinage, Kale, Apple Juice.



Almond Banana Yumy Yum

Coconut Milk, Almond butter, Banana, Flax Seeds.


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## Guest

I have an overnight oats problem. I’ve tried it twice now - rolled oats, chia seeds, whatever plant milk I’ve got, in a jar overnight.

It tastes a bit chewy though, not creamy like when you cook it. Am I doing something wrong or is this just how it is?


----------



## Magyarmum

McKenzie said:


> I have an overnight oats problem. I've tried it twice now - rolled oats, chia seeds, whatever plant milk I've got, in a jar overnight.
> 
> It tastes a bit chewy though, not creamy like when you cook it. Am I doing something wrong or is this just how it is?


I always start off with something like mashed banana or you could use apple puree or any other stewed fruit. I then mix in my oats, chia, flax, sunflower, sesame, poppy seeds and plain yoghourt. The plant milk I add the next morning.

Whilst I wouldn't call the end result "creamy" I would say it's "chewy". The oats I use are smaller and finer than the ones I use for porridge. I can't tell you what they're called because the writing on the packet is in German!


----------



## Guest

McKenzie said:


> I have an overnight oats problem. I've tried it twice now - rolled oats, chia seeds, whatever plant milk I've got, in a jar overnight.
> 
> It tastes a bit chewy though, not creamy like when you cook it. Am I doing something wrong or is this just how it is?


I'm actually not a fan...
To me it's just as easy to throw water and oats together in the morning and put it in the microwave for 2 minutes. But then I rarely make oatmeal for me, I make it for the kids a lot, with maple syrup and cinnamon


----------



## Magyarmum

As it was bitterly cold and pouring with rain for most of yesterday I decided comfort food was definitely needed and just because I'd bought some on Friday it had to be something made with sauerkraut. I couldn't make my mind up whether to make this ..

http://ideliciate.com/bigos-polish-hunters-stew-vegan/

or this ...

https://www.yumsome.com/vegan-jota/

so made a mix of the two which turned out looking like this.which I had with broccoli and some crusty wholewheat bread. Very filling and quite delicious!


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## Guest

Ah ha! Last night I tried less oats, more chia seeds, and slightly more milk. Much better!

I love proper porridge too but I like that the overnight oats are cold now it’s getting warmer here.


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## Eleora

Gungo pea's are a great substitute for mince meat they make a great Chillie (con beanie)  and also Spaghetti Bolognese I add green lentils along with the gungo pea's for spag bol.

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/255934034


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## Lurcherlad

I made a delicious chunky vegetable and mixed bean stew yesterday which I had for lunch.

Teatime, I cooked some mushrooms with chilli, garlic and curry powder and added some of the stew and turned it into a tasty curry with some brown rice.

I used up some white fish from the freezer too, but in future will use marinated tofu


----------



## baubbles

McKenzie said:


> I have an overnight oats problem. I've tried it twice now - rolled oats, chia seeds, whatever plant milk I've got, in a jar overnight.
> 
> It tastes a bit chewy though, not creamy like when you cook it. Am I doing something wrong or is this just how it is?


McKenzie -I think the original overnight oats are made with yogurt which makes them very creamy, but if you're vegan that won't work

I had a delicious salad from M&S yesterday. cauliflower, freekeh, kale with a tahini & lemon dressing not vegan though because the dressing has yogurt in it. Could eat this everyday.


----------



## Jonescat

Last night was mushroom risotto, buckwheat and beetroot salad in the tahini dressing from @Magyarmum's post (very yummy and green leaves, today is pumpkin soup and muffins


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## baubbles

It's doesn't look very appealing but was delicious! couscous with lots of veg, saag aloo and roasted root veg. Will try to make them look prettier in the future


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## Lurcherlad

Lunch: Jacket potato, grated vegan cheese with chives (Sainsbury Free From) and backed beans. Comfort food! Yum! :Hungry


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## Guest

Alright then, now I’ve got overnight oats sorted, how exactly do you make baked potatoes? Is it just literally a potato cooked whole?


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## Magyarmum

McKenzie said:


> Alright then, now I've got overnight oats sorted, how exactly do you make baked potatoes? Is it just literally a potato cooked whole?


Here you go ...

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-bake-a-potato-three-easy-methods-157073


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## rottiepointerhouse

McKenzie said:


> Alright then, now I've got overnight oats sorted, how exactly do you make baked potatoes? Is it just literally a potato cooked whole?


I just give them a scrub, prick the skins and chuck them in the oven for about 90 mins but I like the skin to be crispy. Can't stand them cooked in the microwave.


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## rottiepointerhouse

I'm trying another new recipe from chef Del Sroufe (Forks over Knives and The Wellness Forum). The other day I made his pesto with silken tofu, walnuts, nutritional yeast, garlic and basil leaves, cooked some pasta and mixed it all together. Tonight I am making his creamy pasta and broccoli. He uses a cauliflower puree as a creamy sauce base in quite a few recipes - you just steam the cauliflower then blend with some veg stock, I've never tried it before and was surprised how lovely it tastes. I've then got to saute 2 leeks, cook some pasta and throw the broccoli florets in for the last 4 mins. Add some white wine to the leeks, reduce, add cauliflower puree, nutritional yeast, dijon mustard and he says nutmeg but I don't fancy that so will taste it and see what I fancy adding. When pasta and broccoli are cooked add to the sauce.


----------



## Magyarmum

That sounds really nice @rottiepointerhouse. I'm hoping my Forks over Knives cookery book will arrive in the post tomorrow 'cos I'm looking forward to trying some new recipes.

Tonight for dinner I made onion, leek, red pepper, celery, courgette mushrooms, cannellini beans, kale and pasta cooked in a tomato sauce










Yesterday I bought some My Bridge Buckwheat Plant drink from Tesco's in the city It's really delicious and has a slightly nutty flavour to it. I'm sorry now I only bought a litre because I don't think my local Spar supermarket sells it. Has anyone else tried it and if so what do you think of it?


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## baubbles

Never seen it but looks delicious! We use Rude Health cashew milk and it's nutty too. Will look for the buckwheat drink would be great in hot chocolate.


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## rottiepointerhouse

I haven't seen Buckwheat milk either.

If anyone needs a slow cooker Lakeland have one going half price at the moment

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/12921/Lak...pJobID=1280143960&spReportId=MTI4MDE0Mzk2MAS2


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## Teddy-dog

Ooo i'm going to have to take some time to read through this thread properly!

I'm always after new ideas. I've been veggie for 13 years now but want to try and cut down my dairy. OH is not veggie but we only eat veggie at home (he's quite happy with the arrangement!) but can be a bit fussy about certain veg so we end up having meals with cheese, eggs in etc for him. Hopefully there will be things he likes in this thread!! (Though he's much better than when I first met him!)


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## rottiepointerhouse

Teddy-dog said:


> Ooo i'm going to have to take some time to read through this thread properly!
> 
> I'm always after new ideas. I've been veggie for 13 years now but want to try and cut down my diary. OH is not veggie but we only eat veggie at home (he's quite happy with the arrangement!) but can be a bit fussy about certain veg so we end up having meals with cheese, eggs in etc for him. Hopefully there will be things he likes in this thread!! (Though he's much better than when I first met him!)


Hello and welcome. You might need to read right back from the beginning as a lot of recipes were posted earlier in the thread


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## Guest

Can someone tell me why Brussels sprouts are so hit or miss? 
I almost always buy them frozen, and some days I make them and they're lovely and sweet and tasty, and other days I make them and they're awful and bitter. I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong?
And yes, of course, I make them in garlic - dry sautee last night (they were bitter), but sometimes I'll roast them or sautee in olive oil. Same thing. Sometimes great, sometimes not so great.


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## Lurcherlad

Teddy-dog said:


> Ooo i'm going to have to take some time to read through this thread properly!
> 
> I'm always after new ideas. I've been veggie for 13 years now but want to try and cut down my diary. OH is not veggie but we only eat veggie at home (he's quite happy with the arrangement!) but can be a bit fussy about certain veg so we end up having meals with cheese, eggs in etc for him. Hopefully there will be things he likes in this thread!! (Though he's much better than when I first met him!)


I went dairy free a few months ago and it seemed harder than going veggie, especially when out.

I carry a small bottle of Rice or Oat Milk in my bag for coffees when out.
A vegan snack bar too as most cafes do not have veggie and dairy free cakes 
Commercially made cakes, scones, biscuits, chocolate, pizza are 99% off my menu now - not a problem at home but everywhere else. Coconut macaroons are often veggie & dairy free though 
Even veg or lentil soup often contains butter and milk.
Aldi/Lidl sell dairy free dark chocolate that isn't the awful bitter type :Wtf
The one with salt is my fave :Hungry
Sainsbury's do vegan cheese, which I find better than most (but not enough to eat as often as I did real cheese - no bad thing! )
Alpro yoghurts.
Vitalite dairy free "butter" - in an emergency FR mayo
Eating in restaurants is tricky too - often no vegan or DF & veggie options. 
Going to a birthday tea at a pub on Sunday and I can guarantee I will struggle - sandwiches will have butter or margerine in, which almost always contain buttermilk, so even egg mayo or salmon/tuna (as a compromise and to avoid drama) will technically be off my menu or do I make another compromise? As for cake! :Arghh

Of course, I can eat before I go or order something separate but it causes a fuss. Last time we had a family meal in that pub my BIL asked the owner what I as a DF veggie could have for dessert because there was nothing on the board suitable and the response was "cheese & crackers - no, just the crackers!" - followed by much laughter from him and round the table! unch

Actually, crackers were probably not suitable either!

Maybe I'll have a bowl of chips! Assuming they're not cooked in beef dripping!


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## baubbles

ouesi said:


> Can someone tell me why Brussels sprouts are so hit or miss?
> I almost always buy them frozen, and some days I make them and they're lovely and sweet and tasty, and other days I make them and they're awful and bitter. I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong?
> And yes, of course, I make them in garlic - dry sautee last night (they were bitter), but sometimes I'll roast them or sautee in olive oil. Same thing. Sometimes great, sometimes not so great.


Maybe from different areas ouesi or picked at different times? I love sprouts I shred them and stir fry so they cook quickly. One Christmas I bought the chocolate ones from M&S and put them on my nephew's plate his face was a picture as they look so real.



Lurcherlad said:


> I went dairy free a few months ago and it seemed harder than going veggie, especially when out.
> 
> Sainsbury's do vegan cheese, which I find better than most (but not enough to eat as often as I did real cheese - no bad thing! )


That's good to know on the cheese I'm trying to go vegan and having more vegan meals but cheese my downfall and cream in my coffee.


----------



## Teddy-dog

Lurcherlad said:


> I went dairy free a few months ago and it seemed harder than going veggie, especially when out.
> 
> I carry a small bottle of Rice or Oat Milk in my bag for coffees when out.
> A vegan snack bar too as most cafes do not have veggie and dairy free cakes
> Commercially made cakes, scones, biscuits, chocolate, pizza are 99% off my menu now - not a problem at home but everywhere else. Coconut macaroons are often veggie & dairy free though
> Even veg or lentil soup often contains butter and milk.
> Aldi/Lidl sell dairy free dark chocolate that isn't the awful bitter type :Wtf
> The one with salt is my fave :Hungry
> Sainsbury's do vegan cheese, which I find better than most (but not enough to eat as often as I did real cheese - no bad thing! )
> Alpro yoghurts.
> Vitalite dairy free "butter" - in an emergency FR mayo
> Eating in restaurants is tricky too - often no vegan or DF & veggie options.
> Going to a birthday tea at a pub on Sunday and I can guarantee I will struggle - sandwiches will have butter or margerine in, which almost always contain buttermilk, so even egg mayo or salmon/tuna (as a compromise and to avoid drama) will technically be off my menu or do I make another compromise? As for cake! :Arghh
> 
> Of course, I can eat before I go or order something separate but it causes a fuss. Last time we had a family meal in that pub my BIL asked the owner what I as a DF veggie could have for dessert because there was nothing on the board suitable and the response was "cheese & crackers - no, just the crackers!" - followed by much laughter from him and round the table! unch
> 
> Actually, crackers were probably not suitable either!
> 
> Maybe I'll have a bowl of chips! Assuming they're not cooked in beef dripping!


Yes I think that's the thing I'm most worried about! Not finding things to eat when out and no more takeaways! I've heard mixed reviews about the vegan cheese so wasn't sure whether to try it or not. Might give it a go.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Teddy-dog said:


> Yes I think that's the thing I'm most worried about! Not finding things to eat when out and no more takeaways! I've heard mixed reviews about the vegan cheese so wasn't sure whether to try it or not. Might give it a go.


I suppose because my initial reason for becoming plant based was health rather than ethics/environment (although I think they are important reasons too) I made the switch pretty easily. The last thing I hung onto for a few weeks was milk because I was a tea addict and didn't like plant milks in tea but as soon as I swapped to oat milk in coffee I haven't looked back. Things like vegan cheese are not really any healthier than the dairy equivalent (although obviously kinder) as they still contain a considerable amount of saturated fat and salt. We just found other things to have instead of cheese, nutritional yeast is good if you want something sort of cheesy to sprinkle on food instead of grated cheese or Parmesan.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Can someone tell me why Brussels sprouts are so hit or miss?
> I almost always buy them frozen, and some days I make them and they're lovely and sweet and tasty, and other days I make them and they're awful and bitter. I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong?
> And yes, of course, I make them in garlic - dry sautee last night (they were bitter), but sometimes I'll roast them or sautee in olive oil. Same thing. Sometimes great, sometimes not so great.


I don't think you are doing anything wrong, just some cruciferous veggies are more bitter than others. Sometimes I love Kale and could eat it on its own but other times it tastes really bitter and I need lots of balsamic vinegar on it. This is from an old McDougall newsletter

*Bad Taste for Good Reason*
The July 2015 issue of Scientific American provided a scientifically supported argument for why many people dislike eating vegetables. The bitter tastes are from the noxious chemicals produced by plants. The authors explain, "The health benefits of fruits and vegetables are an inadvertent offshoot of eons-long wars waged by plants against critters, mostly insects, that are intent on eating them." In small amounts these phyto-chemicals seem to be beneficial to humans; stimulating our immune/disease-fighting systems to ward off cancers, diabetes, and heart disease.


----------



## Teddy-dog

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I suppose because my initial reason for becoming plant based was health rather than ethics/environment (although I think they are important reasons too) I made the switch pretty easily. The last thing I hung onto for a few weeks was milk because I was a tea addict and didn't like plant milks in tea but as soon as I swapped to oat milk in coffee I haven't looked back. Things like vegan cheese are not really any healthier than the dairy equivalent (although obviously kinder) as they still contain a considerable amount of saturated fat and salt. We just found other things to have instead of cheese, nutritional yeast is good if you want something sort of cheesy to sprinkle on food instead of grated cheese or Parmesan.


ooo thank you! I'll have to try the nutritional yeast. I'm not too fussy about food but not very imaginative so it's hard to think what I'd eat for lunch that's not my normal sandwiches haha. And I like milk in my hot drinks so I need to find a replacement I like for that too


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> I went dairy free a few months ago and it seemed harder than going veggie, especially when out.
> 
> I carry a small bottle of Rice or Oat Milk in my bag for coffees when out.
> A vegan snack bar too as most cafes do not have veggie and dairy free cakes
> Commercially made cakes, scones, biscuits, chocolate, pizza are 99% off my menu now - not a problem at home but everywhere else. Coconut macaroons are often veggie & dairy free though
> Even veg or lentil soup often contains butter and milk.
> Aldi/Lidl sell dairy free dark chocolate that isn't the awful bitter type :Wtf
> The one with salt is my fave :Hungry
> Sainsbury's do vegan cheese, which I find better than most (but not enough to eat as often as I did real cheese - no bad thing! )
> Alpro yoghurts.
> Vitalite dairy free "butter" - in an emergency FR mayo
> Eating in restaurants is tricky too - often no vegan or DF & veggie options.
> Going to a birthday tea at a pub on Sunday and I can guarantee I will struggle - sandwiches will have butter or margerine in, which almost always contain buttermilk, so even egg mayo or salmon/tuna (as a compromise and to avoid drama) will technically be off my menu or do I make another compromise? As for cake! :Arghh
> 
> Of course, I can eat before I go or order something separate but it causes a fuss. Last time we had a family meal in that pub my BIL asked the owner what I as a DF veggie could have for dessert because there was nothing on the board suitable and the response was "cheese & crackers - no, just the crackers!" - followed by much laughter from him and round the table! unch
> 
> Actually, crackers were probably not suitable either!
> 
> Maybe I'll have a bowl of chips! Assuming they're not cooked in beef dripping!


Have you thought about phoning a few days before to ask if they can do something off menu for you - perhaps make a suggestion. Lots of chefs/owners will be happy to accommodate different diets just as they would for people with food allergies as long as they have some warning.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Teddy-dog said:


> ooo thank you! I'll have to try the nutritional yeast. I'm not too fussy about food but not very imaginative so it's hard to think what I'd eat for lunch that's not my normal sandwiches haha. And I like milk in my hot drinks so I need to find a replacement I like for that too


Oat milk works for me but everyone has their own favourite, my OH likes almond milk but I don't like that in hot drinks. I do a packed lunch everyday for my husband who used to eat cheese sandwiches nearly every day. Now I do him a food flask with some rice and beans (pouch you can heat in the microwave) or Tesco do some good little bags of frozen veg mixes like sweet potato, beetroot, kale and broccoli or mixed grains with roasted veggies. If he wants a sandwich I give him mashed banana or humus with some beetroot and salad leaves.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Not forgetting peanut butter or marmite


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## Lurcherlad

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Have you thought about phoning a few days before to ask if they can do something off menu for you - perhaps make a suggestion. Lots of chefs/owners will be happy to accommodate different diets just as they would for people with food allergies as long as they have some warning.


I have done occasionally but I usually check the menu in advance and to see if it's suitable or cooked from scratch.

I've sussed out most places that can accommodate me and generally avoid those that can't.


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## Jonescat

While I don't entirely agree with all of this article, it shows a more rational approach than some journalism:
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-s...appens-no-meat-dairy-physiology-a8027991.html

Eating out has been a nightmare ever since I turned veggie in my teens. Sometimes it works, and occasionally you get more than one choice (!) but the popularity of middle eastern cooking and Lebanese restaurants has improved it hugely. Our small country pub wouldn't call it that but even they offer a falafel burger and salad.

We do always ring ahead if we are looking for a proper evening meal and make sure they are happy to feed us, and I do resent those occasions where I end up expected to be grateful for pasta and tomato sauce!


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## Jonescat

~Blimey - 2 articles in a week
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices...edian-shappi-khorsandi-come-out-a8036046.html

and this one mentions the number of options on a menu!!

We are having pizza tonight, because it is Friday and therefore takeaway night, and so I compromise and make my own version of takeaway food. It has a fistful of veggies and a herby wholemeal base, and a bechamel sauce over the top.


----------



## lullabydream

ouesi said:


> Can someone tell me why Brussels sprouts are so hit or miss?
> I almost always buy them frozen, and some days I make them and they're lovely and sweet and tasty, and other days I make them and they're awful and bitter. I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong?
> And yes, of course, I make them in garlic - dry sautee last night (they were bitter), but sometimes I'll roast them or sautee in olive oil. Same thing. Sometimes great, sometimes not so great.


According to my friends father, who passed a way quite a few years ago...

Brussel sprouts need a good frost...so as already said it might be when picked.

I will always remember the day his step daughter him a few grocery bits..sprouts included .

Well all he did was moan about the taste of them. He was saying it's too early to be buying these. ...no frost. They were prepacked sprouts too and he looked at the packaging they came in and said what foreign country it was... horrified they were from some foreign place and then proceeded to say....I don't think they even get frost there....

Its always stuck in my mind and I won't buy sprouts till the frost has hit now!

He did have an allotment for many years...so be knew about growing vegetables...so I don't know for definite if it's true...but I stick to the theory and works for me!


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## Guest

For me it's a perk of eating WFPB to not eat out as much (I'm guessing takeaways is take-out food? Like fast food, or any restaurant?) You can really save a lot of money that way  

OH and I do like a nice date night though, and when we do eat out, there are plenty of options anywhere that serves good salads and pasta. Pasta is easy, just ask for marinara sauce and hold the cheese. Salads are easy too, lots of places offer big salads with added meat, just ask for no meat or cheese. Baked potatoes are a good standby also. I usually do well in unknown restaurants by asking for the veggie of the day - steamed and a plain baked potato. I put the veggie on the potato, some balsamic salad dressing, and I'm good. 

But yeah, we eat out WAY less than a lot of my peers do, and I'm totally okay with that


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## Jonescat

Yes take out = takeaway  Round here that means chips, pizza, chinese or indian food. The food is much better when it's made at home but I still hanker sometimes for the Friday night old-school treat. It is a heck of lot cheaper and healthier as you say. 

And yes sprouts need frost, same as parsnips. Cold weather makes sprouts produce sugar, and makes parsnips convert starch to sugar so early ones from Spain kind of miss the point.


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## rottiepointerhouse

A few people talking about what being vegan means to them for World Vegan Day


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## rottiepointerhouse

I buy this one

https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/linwoods-flaxseed/381469-53658-53659

I add a tablespoon to my porridge or cereal every morning and also add it to things like muffins or soups for thickening. You can get it cheaper from amazon - I usually buy about 9 packs at a time 

No problem asking questions, always happy to help.


----------



## Guest

I thought you guys would get a kick out of this  
You know how I put garlic and onion in everything? (And Dr. Furhman says it's a superfood so not only will I my family and I be safe from vampires, but we're also good on all sorts of other healthful micronutrients :Hilarious)
Well, yesterday I minced some garlic then used the same knife (without thinking or rinsing) on an apple I was going to snack on. Sure enough there was a hint of garlic on the apple. Which was actually quite nice LOL! I do like apples dipped in humus, which is full of garlic, so there ya go! 

Oh and yay for Whole Foods (which is way to far to shop at regularly, but I was up that way anyway and stopped in). Not only do they have Dr. McDougall soups, they had Engine 5 (Rip Esselstyn) products too! I didn't get too many because it's still packaged stuff which I try to stay away from, but I did get the Engine 5 humus (no added oil) and it's very tasty!


----------



## MilleD

ouesi said:


> I thought you guys would get a kick out of this
> You know how I put garlic and onion in everything? (And Dr. Furhman says it's a superfood so not only will I my family and I be safe from vampires, but we're also good on all sorts of other healthful micronutrients :Hilarious)
> Well, yesterday I minced some garlic then used the same knife (without thinking or rinsing) on an apple I was going to snack on. Sure enough there was a hint of garlic on the apple. Which was actually quite nice LOL! I do like apples dipped in humus, which is full of garlic, so there ya go!
> 
> Oh and yay for Whole Foods (which is way to far to shop at regularly, but I was up that way anyway and stopped in). Not only do they have Dr. McDougall soups, they had Engine 5 (Rip Esselstyn) products too! I didn't get too many because it's still packaged stuff which I try to stay away from, but I did get the Engine 5 humus (no added oil) and it's very tasty!


Humus is one thing that I love making from scratch.

The trouble is, when I make it, it seems to make loads.

Do you know if it will freeze? Apologies if this has been answered somewhere..

But no, apple with garlic? :Wtf


----------



## Guest

MilleD said:


> Humus is one thing that I love making from scratch.
> 
> The trouble is, when I make it, it seems to make loads.
> 
> Do you know if it will freeze? Apologies if this has been answered somewhere..
> 
> But no, apple with garlic? :Wtf


I have frozen humus I make from scratch. It will separate when you defrost, and get watery, but easily fixed with a good stir


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## MilleD

ouesi said:


> I have frozen humus I make from scratch. It will separate when you defrost, and get watery, but easily fixed with a good stir


Thanks.


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I thought you guys would get a kick out of this
> You know how I put garlic and onion in everything? (And Dr. Furhman says it's a superfood so not only will I my family and I be safe from vampires, but we're also good on all sorts of other healthful micronutrients :Hilarious)
> Well, yesterday I minced some garlic then used the same knife (without thinking or rinsing) on an apple I was going to snack on. Sure enough there was a hint of garlic on the apple. Which was actually quite nice LOL! I do like apples dipped in humus, which is full of garlic, so there ya go!
> 
> Oh and yay for Whole Foods (which is way to far to shop at regularly, but I was up that way anyway and stopped in). Not only do they have Dr. McDougall soups, they had Engine 5 (Rip Esselstyn) products too! I didn't get too many because it's still packaged stuff which I try to stay away from, but I did get the Engine 5 humus (no added oil) and it's very tasty!


I've usually got a small bottle of water I keep next to the hob for sauteing onion/garlic/mushrooms. I must have handles the spout part when I had garlic and I think the taste was ginger on my hands as the next day when I grabbed the half bottle to take out on the dog walk I couldn't understand why I had garlic and ginger flavoured drinking water until I worked out it was coming from the cap/spout. Wish we had a whole foods but I was having a nose in Waitrose this morning and they have loads of plant based options.


----------



## Magyarmum

ouesi said:


> I thought you guys would get a kick out of this
> You know how I put garlic and onion in everything? (And Dr. Furhman says it's a superfood so not only will I my family and I be safe from vampires, but we're also good on all sorts of other healthful micronutrients :Hilarious)
> Well, yesterday I minced some garlic then used the same knife (without thinking or rinsing) on an apple I was going to snack on. Sure enough there was a hint of garlic on the apple. Which was actually quite nice LOL! I do like apples dipped in humus, which is full of garlic, so there ya go!
> 
> Oh and yay for Whole Foods (which is way to far to shop at regularly, but I was up that way anyway and stopped in). Not only do they have Dr. McDougall soups, they had Engine 5 (Rip Esselstyn) products too! I didn't get too many because it's still packaged stuff which I try to stay away from, but I did get the Engine 5 humus (no added oil) and it's very tasty!


I'm another one who puts onion and garlic in everything! My favourite lunchtime sandwich is a wholewheat ciabatta stuffed with President Rondele Ail de Gironne (cream cheese with garlic) with slices of tomato, cucumber and iceberg lettuce .... yum!

We don't have a Whole Foods in Hungary so I have to rely on whatever I can find in either Tesco or Auchan (french). Something I always buy though because they're a perfect amount for me are the boil in the bag mixed grains. I have Brown rice and Quinoa, Couscous, buckwheat and red lentils, Millet, bulgar and red lentils, Spelt, vermicelli and tomatoes, and Hulled Barley, bulgar and green lentils - a really nice selection.

My Forks over Knives cookbook finally arrived yesterday afternoon and I planned to spend the evening reading it but sadly that didn't work out as my rabble rousing Schnauzer had other ideas .... like .... he needed cuddles and head massages otherwise he was going to bark in Georgina's ear and wake her up! Pure blackmail!


----------



## Guest

Magyarmum said:


> My Forks over Knives cookbook finally arrived yesterday afternoon and I planned to spend the evening reading it but sadly that didn't work out as my rabble rousing Schnauzer had other ideas .... like .... he needed cuddles and head massages otherwise he was going to bark in Georgina's ear and wake her up! Pure blackmail!


If you're on FB, Forks over Knives has a page and they regularly post recipes there. They put up a recipe yesterday for Santa Fe Pene - pasta with corn, zucchini, black beans, tomatoes, and spinach that looks delicious! I'm going to try it as soon as I get a free afternoon. Been crazy busy lately with kid activities.


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## rottiepointerhouse

You can also subscribe to Forks over Knives newsletter by email, usually includes a mix of recipes, success stories and news. Last week they did a pasta recipe email and here are some of the recipes

https://www.forksoverknives.com/rec...chimp&utm_term=Ratatouille-Fusilli#gs.YQBAxzE

https://www.forksoverknives.com/rec...himp&utm_term=Sweet-potato-lasagna#gs.2MRkogo

https://www.forksoverknives.com/rec...rce=mailchimp&utm_term=pesto-pasta#gs.3ds2Z_4

https://www.forksoverknives.com/rec...m=Penne-with-Tomato-Mushroom-Sauce#gs.eDQbAnI


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## rona




----------



## Jonescat

Chick pea dopiaza and pilau rice.

Chick peas are a great source of folate and a good source of iron, as well as all the fibre and protein benefits.The dopiaza is this recipe - very simple and you can add more spices if that's what you like
http://www.theveganhousehold.com/mains/chickpea-and-green-pepper-dopiaza/


----------



## Magyarmum

Jonescat said:


> View attachment 332169
> 
> Chick pea dopiaza and pilau rice.
> 
> Chick peas are a great source of folate and a good source of iron, as well as all the fibre and protein benefits.The dopiaza is this recipe - very simple and you can add more spices if that's what you like
> http://www.theveganhousehold.com/mains/chickpea-and-green-pepper-dopiaza/


That looks good!

I made some calzone today to go in the freezer. So useful to be able to take one out for an easy lunch and pop into my mini oven to warm it up. With the dough left over I made a small pizza which I'll have for lunch tomorrow.










And more Italian as dinner tonight was spaghetti with mushroom, spinach and cannellini beans in a creamy sauce which I enjoyed. The photo doesn't do it justice though!


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## Guest

Had this over top of a baked potato tonight. Kids ate it over rice. Busy night, this was ready in less than 20 minutes. Yum!


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## catz4m8z

Everybodies dinners look so tiny compared to what I make!:Shy wow, I really am a pig!:Bag
Currently fallen off the WF wagon and straight into a vat of ice cream. I tend to manage about 4 mths eating well then my brain demands junk food (stupid brain....:Shifty). Am currently trying to get back into it though.
I dont understand people who think being vegan is hard, Ive eaten so much rubbish and processed foods lately and not abit of animal product in sight. Calling it a restrictive diet is just such a lazy argument IMO.


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## Guest

Just thought I’d pop my head in. I’m still managing to stay vege without too much bother, although the vegan bit is more tricky. Loving my overnight oats! But haven’t been doing such a great job with dinners.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Tesco are doing a range of bean pastas - I've ordered this spaghetti to try

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/297199396


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## rottiepointerhouse

Looks like an interesting talk about holiday/celebration meals for those who need to share with non vegetarians/vegans, its with Melanie Joy of love dogs, eat pigs, wear cows book @LinznMilly

https://www.forksoverknives.com/hol...mp&utm_term=Holiday-Dinner-Webinar#gs.43qZ72M


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## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Looks like an interesting talk about holiday/celebration meals for those who need to share with non vegetarians/vegans, its with Melanie Joy of love dogs, eat pigs, wear cows book @LinznMilly
> 
> https://www.forksoverknives.com/hol...mp&utm_term=Holiday-Dinner-Webinar#gs.43qZ72M


I usually just pay for my own and keep it separate, and for Christmas lunch, we're going out, but it'll come in useful for New Year.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> Everybodies dinners look so tiny compared to what I make!:Shy wow, I really am a pig!:Bag
> Currently fallen off the WF wagon and straight into a vat of ice cream. I tend to manage about 4 mths eating well then my brain demands junk food (stupid brain....:Shifty). Am currently trying to get back into it though.
> I dont understand people who think being vegan is hard, Ive eaten so much rubbish and processed foods lately and not abit of animal product in sight. Calling it a restrictive diet is just such a lazy argument IMO.


Have you seen this?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Free to register/view new documentary series called "I Thrive" about preventing/reversing diabetes - have a look at the trailer is looks like it could be really good. Starts November 14th.

https://go.ithriveseries.com/ocean-robbins?oprid=313


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Have you seen this?


TBF I havent even heard of alot of the fruit and veg he is eating!:Shy It is def daft to call it restrictive though. I mean generally all diets are abit restrictive because we have favourite meals that we tend to make all the time. Me making chilli, spag bol, curry, stir fry, shepards pie and fish fingers and chips or beans on toast when Im feeling lazy doesnt sound that different to what a non-vegan is going to be eating!
Im feeling abit more inspired though....made a lovely root vegetable soup for lunch and Im going to do a favourite for tea (lots of tomatoes, garlic, onion, courgette, baby corn and tofu which goes great with any grains or baked potatoes).


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> TBF I havent even heard of alot of the fruit and veg he is eating!:Shy It is def daft to call it restrictive though. I mean generally all diets are abit restrictive because we have favourite meals that we tend to make all the time. Me making chilli, spag bol, curry, stir fry, shepards pie and fish fingers and chips or beans on toast when Im feeling lazy doesnt sound that different to what a non-vegan is going to be eating!
> Im feeling abit more inspired though....made a lovely root vegetable soup for lunch and Im going to do a favourite for tea (lots of tomatoes, garlic, onion, courgette, baby corn and tofu which goes great with any grains or baked potatoes).


Good to hear you are getting back on track. I hadn't heard of some of the fruit and veg he mentioned either as he did say when he is in Asia but as the criteria he uses for including foods is such a small amount of them per year I could think of lots of other things we eat that he didn't mention that would probably balance it out.


----------



## Guest

I don't find eating a WFPB diet restrictive at all. I'm always interested that my diet (and that which my kids eat) is actually much more varied than what I see the average American eating. 
My daughter has a friend who is impossible to feed. She is the pickiest eater I've ever seen, will eat meat, bread, ice cream, and that's about it. She won't even eat an apple or banana! 
Her mother just shrugs it off and says she was picky as a teenager too. Blows my mind. 
Meanwhile my kids are eating all the usual fruits and vegetables, plus "weird" stuff like quinoa and I still get the comments asking if I worry about their nutrition because I don't feed them meat or dairy


----------



## baubbles

I've had these rottiepointerhouse! The bean pasta. they used to be called explore asian and I see they have changed their name and added some new products. They are good and a great alternative to wheat ones. Great they're available at tesco I used to order online or buy at wholefoods market thanks for posing.


----------



## 1290423

Just made one of my very favourite vegetarian dishes. Not totally sure if it is really vegetarian as I don't think noushka would eat it but it's my version of it.

Oops almost forgot here's how I made it
Spray an oven proof dish with spray light cut and thinly slice a sweet potato line the dish and bake in the oven until the potato is slightly soft.

Fly in Fry Light too large onions dont Brown them just fry until they soften.
In a bowl beat. together five or six eggs depending on size. Add one large pot of low calorie cottage cheese and about 150g of low calorie Cheddar grated add the onions mixed together and pour on top of the sweet potato.

Put a little extra cheese on top g rated of course and bake in the oven until set approximately 35 to 40 minutes it's delicious warm as it is cold.

I've made several variations using other vegetables in this dish including peppers , tomatoes, courgettes basically any veg could be used thats kicking around


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## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Have you seen this?


Watching it actually started me thinking about how much more variety I get in my diet, since turning vegetarian.

Before a normal Sunday dinner would be something like a chicken thigh and roasted potatoes with peas or green beans. Tonight, because the weather is cold and rainy I made a vegetarian shepherds pie, with onions, leeks, diced carrots, parsnips, celery, peas, potatoes, mushrooms, red cabbage, kale and the remains of a tin of borlotti beans, lentils, farro and orzo cooked in vegetable stock with some Marmite and herbs added for flavour. Instead of mashed potatoes for the topping I used butternut squash mashed with a little butter, sugar, cinnamon and black pepper which made a nice change.

Yesterday after keeping an appointment in the city, and as I hadn't got the dogs with me I went into Auchan which is like France's answer to Asda to do some shopping, mainly meat for the dogs and veggies for me. I was really surprised to find in the fruit section, in addition to mangoes and figs they also had plantains, fresh lemon grass, prickly pear and some other fruits I can't remember the name of. I bought a kilo of Sharon fruit for £1.75 but resisted the plantains although when I lived in Mayotte we used to make chips with them when the island ran out of potatoes!


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## rottiepointerhouse

Interesting clip about the response of the dairy industry to the growth in plant based milks - estimates suggest half of the milk industry will be vegan by 2021, per capita dairy consumption in the US is down by 22% as people choose plant milks instead.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Just came across this recipe on the Riverford site - looks quite nice apart from what looks like an egg dumped on it although there are no eggs in the recipe.

https://www.riverford.co.uk/bop/recipes/view/recipe/teriyaki-tofu-bowl


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Interesting clip about the response of the dairy industry to the growth in plant based milks - estimates suggest half of the milk industry will be vegan by 2021, per capita dairy consumption in the US is down by 22% as people choose plant milks instead.


spooky, I just watched this the afternoon! Not surprised though, plant milks are probably the easiest thing to change as they really dont taste much different to cow milk (except they dont have that weird gone-off vomity smell that cows milk has, not to mention no antibiotics, hormones, pus and blood:Vomit). 
Im sure more animal industries are going to start feeling the strain as plant based products improve. I already think that they've nailed burgers, sausages and fish fingers! Plus vegan cheese is getting tastier, although I havent yet tried an egg substitute.


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## Lurcherlad

Just scoffed a home made "shepherd's pie".

Lentils, onions, grated carrot, peas, sweet corn, veg stock cube, veg gravy granules, topped with mashed potato and a smattering of vegan cheese.

Very tasty


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## Magyarmum

My new cookery book "Vegan The Cookbook" by Jean-Christian Jury arrived yesterday. I haven't had time to go through it properly because a certain four legged decided it looked good enough to eat and tried to chew the cover, which to say the least is distracting! One thing I like about it is that unlike the Forks over Knives cookbook it gives the quantities by weight as well as cups, which makes it so much easier for me reducing the quantities down to enough for just one person.









And one of the offending creature trying to eat it .... anyone would think I never feed him!










Tonight I'm having carrot, red cabbage, kale and red lentil stew flavoured with ground cumin, coriander and sumac, with a jacket potato!


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## rottiepointerhouse

Looks interesting @Magyarmum - I haven't seen that one before. Might have a look on amazon as there is always room on my shelf for one more


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## catz4m8z

Making dog/person treats tonight!
WM flour, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, grated carrot and apple. Then split in half and added some agave syrup and walnuts to people half and a dollop of peanut butter to dog half and all mixed up with soya milk. Mine went in a flapjack tin and theirs made a ton of little round treats.
Hopefully it will be alright coz I eyeballed the ingredients rather then measured anything...but I had a furry audience for the process so I take it they smell ok!:Woot


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## rottiepointerhouse

@Magyarmum let me know what you think of the book when you've had chance to look through it. I've found it on Amazon but its not cheap so don't want yet another book I can only find 1 or 2 things to cook from.


----------



## Lurcherlad

I bought this the one in Sainsbury's - lots of nice recipes.










This pie looks tasty...


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> I bought this the one in Sainsbury's - lots of nice recipes.
> 
> View attachment 333060
> 
> 
> This pie looks tasty...
> 
> View attachment 333061


I've got that too but I didn't get it from Sainsburys and mine doesn't say exclusive to Sainsburys on it. I get their monthly magazine delivered so think I ordered it direct. Last year I made the Chestnut and butter bean wellington on P35. This year I'm thinking of Winter vegetable coulibiac (whatever the heck that means  with porcini mushroom sauce on P28 or the Mushroom and herb roast on P25. The Asian roasted brussel sprouts with cashews on P31 also look yummy :Hungry


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## Lurcherlad

And all the desserts! :Hungry


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## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> And all the desserts! :Hungry


I don't very often bother with dessert as I like my fruit too much but will have a look and see if anything appeals.


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## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.forksoverknives.com/sur...=Stents-Ineffective-for-Chest-Pain#gs.XIQncVk

I'm amazed this study which was a placebo controlled trial where half the patients got stents and half got a placebo procedure got past the ethics committee but very interesting result. Love comment by Dr Dean Ornish at the end of the article

"Several randomized trials have clearly shown that stents and angioplasties don't prolong life or prevent heart attacks in stable patients. Now, we know that they don't reduce angina either," wrote Dean Ornish, MD, clinical professor of medicine at the University of California of San Francisco, commenting on a New York Times report of the study.

"In contrast, comprehensive lifestyle changes cause a 91 percent reduction in angina in only a few weeks, reverse the progression of coronary artery blockages, and cause a 400 percent improvement in blood flow at a fraction of the costs, and the only side-effects are good ones," added Ornish, who is also founder and president of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California.


----------



## Zayna

Very much enjoying this thread... I've gone from a meat eater.. To a veggie.. To a vegan within the space of a year. Really enjoying experimenting with new foods... I can't believe I used to think veggie food was boring!
Anyway I made a beautiful Thai curry yesterday and it was so easy I thought I would share!
- chop up a pack of sugarsnap peas, some babycorn and about half a head of broccoli or cawliflower (you can use different veggies if you wish.. Peppers would probably be nice I just didn't have any)
- chuck the veggies in a pan with a little smidgen of coconut oil and about three teaspoons of Thai green curry paste. Fry gently for a couple of minutes.
- add a tin of coconut milk, bring to the boil then turn heat down and simmer for about 15-20 mins.
And that's it... I serve mine with rice. My Hubby can't tolerate rice so I grate up some cawliflower and gently fry for five minutes to make cawliflower rice!
I absolutely loved this... I hope you do too!! Xx


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## Matrod

The good food veggie Christmas mag is out & I'd say about 90% of the recipes are vegan, there's a few recipes I've already earmarked & there is a really nice sounding vegan pastry in there which I can't wait to make.


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## LinznMilly

I go to my mum's on a Friday night, and yesterday, I took my latest book, Furhman's Super Immunity. My SIL asked what book I was reading now, and I handed the book over to her (you never know where or when a reading opportunity might strike  ). She was intrigued, and asked me to lend her the book once I'm finished with it. I let slip (deliberately  ) that she had a copy of one of the nutritional books I've read for her Christmas present, but didn't tell her that it's Proteinaholic.

She is an omnivore, but interested in the veggie/vegan lifestyle, so .... watch this space.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> I go to my mum's on a Friday night, and yesterday, I took my latest book, Furhman's Super Immunity. My SIL asked what book I was reading now, and I handed the book over to her (you never know where or when a reading opportunity might strike  ). She was intrigued, and asked me to lend her the book once I'm finished with it. I let slip (deliberately  ) that she had a copy of one of the nutritional books I've read for her Christmas present, but didn't tell her that it's Proteinaholic.
> 
> She is an omnivore, but interested in the veggie/vegan lifestyle, so .... watch this space.


So pleased to hear your SIL was interested in reading Dr Furhman's book. I'm reading his latest one "Fast Food Genocide" at the moment, its really interesting - lots of stuff about how diet/poor nutrition affects behaviour, quite a lot of history relating to the nutritional deficiency disease Pellagra (niacin/vit B3), the diet of slaves V poor whites, Eugenics and compulsory sterilisation - the case of Carrie Buck - ashamed to say I had no idea about the number of compulsory sterilisations carried out in the US at this time and the laws passed making it legal which apparently inspired Hitler and the development of Spam etc to feed soldiers at war. I don't know where he is going with that so will be interested to see how he links it back to our current fast food (by which he means not only takeaway junk food but also meals from boxes).

https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/supreme-court-and-sterilization-carrie-buck

https://www.facinghistory.org/books-borrowing/lynchburg-story-eugenic-sterilization-america

This haunting film tells the story of what happened at The Lynchburg Colony for the Epileptic and Feebleminded in Virginia. There, between 1927 and 1972, over 8,000 children and young teenagers were forcibly sterilized. The state claimed they had hereditary defects that would be passed on to their potential offspring; in fact, most were simply poor, ill-educated, and considered a financial burden on the state. Interviews with sterilization victims today indicate a devastating impact on their lives and a profound loss of self worth.


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## baubbles

I have two of Fuhrman's books must look for this one too.


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## rottiepointerhouse

baubbles said:


> I have two of Fuhrman's books must look for this one too.


He is great, I love his passion and very dry sense of humour. Have you seen the video on You Tube of him ice skating? Which books of his have you read?

Is anyone else watching the IThrive diabetes series I linked to? I'm trying to keep up with it, they are a bit long to watch one every 24 hrs. so I've purchased the package and will get lifetime access to them along with lecture notes. They have contained some amazing and interesting information that I hadn't really thought of before. Like how we are all type 2 diabetics in the making because most of us constantly re fuel our bodies when we are not on empty and with the wrong fuel which is how we become insulin resistant - our body is saying no more, I've had enough (a bit like a shop keeper telling his supplier he doesn't need anymore of a particular product as he still has loads on his shelf) but we carry on eating too much and the wrong stuff. How many people these days wait until they are actually hungry before eating and stop eating when they are comfortably satisfied rather than stuffed full? Its true if our cars kept breaking down and we had to keep taking them to the garage to be fixed and the mechanic told us it was because we were using the wrong fuel we wouldn't drive to the next petrol station and fill up with the same wrong fuel again and again to go back to the mechanic again and again. Even if he told us we could change our fuel a bit and so have to come back a bit less often. Why do we take better care of our cars than of our bodies?


----------



## LinznMilly

baubbles said:


> I have two of Fuhrman's books must look for this one too.


Deleted your duplicate post for you @Bubbles


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## baubbles

Thanks for deleting LinzMilly. 

I haven't seen the youtube of him skating but will look for it!. I have Eat to Live and the Eat to Live cookbook. I also have The Plant Based Journey by Lani Muelrath which is pretty good about how to transition to vegan properly.

Interesting about all being type 2 in the making! I read somewhere years ago you should always stop eating before you feel full, which I rarely do. Such a true statement.


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## lullabydream

I don't suppose anyone watched Sunday Brunch today on Channel 4...I was at work so couldn't hear properly of all the segments as for the time for a meltdown to occur was I think a vegan section on 'takeaway' food. Now I could be totally wrong that it was vegan..but the food even though some was mimicking takeaway food it looked quite interesting. Couldn't hear a blooming thing apart from in the majority praising the food! 

Think it was from a new cook book...again maybe not...but some bits you could take and use and ad lib as am sure it's way healthier than a takeaway but again could be totally wrong with just hearing the praises of food!


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## baubbles

I usually watch this kind of in the background, but missed it yesterday. I'm sure it's on catch up TV I'll check it out later. I do know there's a fast food chain in London area called Leon's and they have some vegan take away that looks interesting.


----------



## Gemmaa

I've just been having a quick skim read through this thread, and I've ordered "How Not to Die" and the cookbook - don't want to wait until the end of December though! :Arghh

Does anyone know of some good recipe books for bowel health/cancer diets?

My mum has just come home from hospital after a hemicolectomy, we're not sure if she needs chemo at this point. The nurses on her ward were truly awful, and she's come out of there in a pretty bad state. So now I really want to give her a health boost.
We haven't been given any information about what to expect, or foods to help or avoid. 
I've made her a very basic vegetable soup to start with, but google is confusing me, because it seems like a lot of people have to eat quite unhealthily following the operation.

I'm a bit lost!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Gemmaa said:


> I've just been having a quick skim read through this thread, and I've ordered "How Not to Die" and the cookbook - don't want to wait until the end of December though! :Arghh
> 
> Does anyone know of some good recipe books for bowel health/cancer diets?
> 
> My mum has just come home from hospital after a hemicolectomy, we're not sure if she needs chemo at this point. The nurses on her ward were truly awful, and she's come out of there in a pretty bad state. So now I really want to give her a health boost.
> We haven't been given any information about what to expect, or foods to help or avoid.
> I've made her a very basic vegetable soup to start with, but google is confusing me, because it seems like a lot of people have to eat quite unhealthily following the operation.
> 
> I'm a bit lost!


Sorry to hear about your Mum and the poor care she received. I used to be a staff nurse for many years on a bowel surgery ward although that was quite a long time ago now. Thinking back I remember we advised people to start off with a fairly low residue diet while the anastomosis heals which will take a few weeks. In the mean time eating nutritious foods, smaller portions regularly but laying off the very high fibre stuff would be the way I would go gradually building up the fibre content according to how she responds. If you do make vegetable soups then liquidise them and mash potatoes without skin, porridge would be fine and mashed banana. If she still wants to eat meat and fish then absolutely no processed meats and I'd avoid red meats too. I'll have a look around my plant based resources and see if I can find anything. Did she have a specialist nurse she could contact?


----------



## Gemmaa

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Sorry to hear about your Mum and the poor care she received. I used to be a staff nurse for many years on a bowel surgery ward although that was quite a long time ago now. Thinking back I remember we advised people to start off with a fairly low residue diet while the anastomosis heals which will take a few weeks. In the mean time eating nutritious foods, smaller portions regularly but laying off the very high fibre stuff would be the way I would go gradually building up the fibre content according to how she responds. If you do make vegetable soups then liquidise them and mash potatoes without skin, porridge would be fine and mashed banana. If she still wants to eat meat and fish then absolutely no processed meats and I'd avoid red meats too. I'll have a look around my plant based resources and see if I can find anything. Did she have a specialist nurse she could contact?


Ah thank you SO much! :Kiss You've already been so much more helpful than the nurses. She has a number for the colorectal team, but in the small print... "we're very busy, so leave a message and we'll _try _and get back to you". ...so I'm not hopeful about them. 
Basically they closed our local hospital and turned it into a treatment centre, so now we have one hospital which couldn't cope before, and it's now completely overloaded.
The food she was given in there was completely inappropriate for what she's had done, and the low residue diet sheet she was given for the endoscopies basically just said 'white bread', so it was pretty useless.

I'm going to liquidise the soup now, and do some googling 

Thank you again


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Gemmaa said:


> Ah thank you SO much! :Kiss You've already been so much more helpful than the nurses. She has a number for the colorectal team, but in the small print... "we're very busy, so leave a message and we'll _try _and get back to you". ...so I'm not hopeful about them.
> Basically they closed our local hospital and turned it into a treatment centre, so now we have one hospital which couldn't cope before, and it's now completely overloaded.
> The food she was given in there was completely inappropriate for what she's had done, and the low residue diet sheet she was given for the endoscopies basically just said 'white bread', so it was pretty useless.
> 
> I'm going to liquidise the soup now, and do some googling
> 
> Thank you again


No problem. This was one of the better bits I found - the video at the end is reasonably helpful

https://www.beatingbowelcancer.org/...r/living-with-bowel-cancer/diet-bowel-cancer/

Also this bit on what a low residue diet can include - gives quite a lot of information about what fruit and veg can still be eaten

https://www.beatingbowelcancer.org/...reatment/surgery/low-fibre-low-residue-diets/

and this one

http://www.gwh.nhs.uk/media/140811/low-residue_diet.pdf

As you say they don't sound at all healthy but they are only intended for the short term while the bowel heals.


----------



## Magyarmum

Gemmaa said:


> Ah thank you SO much! :Kiss You've already been so much more helpful than the nurses. She has a number for the colorectal team, but in the small print... "we're very busy, so leave a message and we'll _try _and get back to you". ...so I'm not hopeful about them.
> Basically they closed our local hospital and turned it into a treatment centre, so now we have one hospital which couldn't cope before, and it's now completely overloaded.
> The food she was given in there was completely inappropriate for what she's had done, and the low residue diet sheet she was given for the endoscopies basically just said 'white bread', so it was pretty useless.
> 
> I'm going to liquidise the soup now, and do some googling
> 
> Thank you again


Sorry to hear about your mum and hope she feels better soon!

I was rushed to hospital in March with a perforated gastric ulcer and like your mum, was given no information about diet when I was discharged. Fortunately, my son (bless him) who'd come over from the UK to look after me, had had an ulcer some years before and put me on a bland diet. At that time I did eat meat and fish but have since turned vegetarian. I'm still on Controloc (pantoprazole) but since giving up meat and fish I've been able to reduce the dose from two tablets a day to one!

Anyway enough about me .... this will give you a good idea of the kind of food my son cooked for me when I first came out of hospital.
https://www.belmarrahealth.com/bland-diet-for-gastritis-ulcers-diarrhea-reflux-disease/


----------



## Gemmaa

Thank you both, so much . I feel like I can scrape something vaguely healthy together now. Just glad it's not a permanent thing! :Nailbiting


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

This company has some reasonably priced vegan chocolate items if anyone is interested - have just ordered my mint thins :Woot

http://www.cocoaloco.co.uk/index.php?route=product/search&search=vegan


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## Guest

@Gemmaa I hope your mom mends quickly and doesn't need chemo.

I was stuck in a hotel gym on a business trip these last two days, and of course those hotel gyms all have TVs blaring. 
I'm on the elliptical machine, minding my own business, and this TV advertisement comes on, "a heart attack doesn't care what you eat..." and goes on to portray a fit man eating a salad fall out having a heart attack. Juxtaposed next to a not fit man eating a hamburger, absolutely fine. Check it out.
https://www.ispot.tv/ad/AmOu/bayer-low-dose-without-warning

Oh it pissed me off! 
No wonder we have such an epidemic of heart disease in this country with this sort of bullshit people are being fed!!

How much more proof that diet not only prevents but can reverse heart disease do people need before we start telling people the truth?! 
I remember Michael Greger saying that the food companies saw what happened to the tobacco companies and vowed they would not let the same thing happen to them. And boy oh boy, they sure haven't!

In other news, I lost 4 pounds in 3 days trying to stay dairy-free eating out every meal. It was weird, I wasn't hungry, but I did miss my "comfort" foods like quinoa and lentils. 
I had a butternut squash soup that I'm not sure was dairy free, and had to pick some cheese off of things, but in general it was not hard to stay vegan. The whole foods part was harder, lots of refined oils on stuff, which I do eat, but not that much and certainly not drowning my veggies in oil like a lot of restaurants do. And I definitely missed fruit. Funny how little fruit is even offered in restaurants.


----------



## LinznMilly

Oh @Gemmaa , I'm sorry to hear about your mum and wish her a speedy recovery. I can't add to the advice you've been given by RPH and @Magyarmum


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> @Gemmaa I hope your mom mends quickly and doesn't need chemo.
> 
> I was stuck in a hotel gym on a business trip these last two days, and of course those hotel gyms all have TVs blaring.
> I'm on the elliptical machine, minding my own business, and this TV advertisement comes on, "a heart attack doesn't care what you eat..." and goes on to portray a fit man eating a salad fall out having a heart attack. Juxtaposed next to a not fit man eating a hamburger, absolutely fine. Check it out.
> https://www.ispot.tv/ad/AmOu/bayer-low-dose-without-warning
> 
> Oh it pissed me off!
> No wonder we have such an epidemic of heart disease in this country with this sort of bullshit people are being fed!!
> 
> How much more proof that diet not only prevents but can reverse heart disease do people need before we start telling people the truth?!
> I remember Michael Greger saying that the food companies saw what happened to the tobacco companies and vowed they would not let the same thing happen to them. And boy oh boy, they sure haven't!
> 
> In other news, I lost 4 pounds in 3 days trying to stay dairy-free eating out every meal. It was weird, I wasn't hungry, but I did miss my "comfort" foods like quinoa and lentils.
> I had a butternut squash soup that I'm not sure was dairy free, and had to pick some cheese off of things, but in general it was not hard to stay vegan. The whole foods part was harder, lots of refined oils on stuff, which I do eat, but not that much and certainly not drowning my veggies in oil like a lot of restaurants do. And I definitely missed fruit. Funny how little fruit is even offered in restaurants.


It should be against some sort of advertising rules, they are just trying to flog their drugs but the message they are sending out to the public is keeping on eating the burgers cos salad won't protect you  At least we don't get pharmaceutical adverts over here apart from for things like headache pills and antacids.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> It should be against some sort of advertising rules, they are just trying to flog their drugs but the message they are sending out to the public is keeping on eating the burgers cos salad won't protect you  At least we don't get pharmaceutical adverts over here apart from for things like headache pills and antacids.


This was actually an advertisement for Bayer aspirin. But they do the same with the cholesterol lowering drugs. And the kicker is the cholesterol lowering drugs don't reduce the incidence of heart attacks anyway!!

In happier news, I have now had a giant bowl of lentils with spinach, and I feel much better LOL


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

PCRM (Dr Barnard's organisation) have started doing podcasts. Here are a couple of short ones about eating at holiday times - particularly with reference to Thanksgiving in the US


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> This company has some reasonably priced vegan chocolate items if anyone is interested - have just ordered my mint thins :Woot
> 
> http://www.cocoaloco.co.uk/index.php?route=product/search&search=vegan


yum, those do look good. Personally I love the Bendicks chocolates. Tasty, cheap, available in most supermarkets and vegan(I think incidentally rather then as a choice!).

Im still trying to get back into eating more healthy and am sticking with lazy foods at the moment, so home made veggie soup and sandwiches with a mashed black bean and salad filling. (wow, I really need to start cooking again...:Shy).


----------



## LinznMilly

catz4m8z said:


> yum, those do look good. Personally I love the Bendicks chocolates. Tasty, cheap, available in most supermarkets and vegan(I think incidentally rather then as a choice!).
> 
> Im still trying to get back into eating more healthy and am sticking with lazy foods at the moment, so home made veggie soup and sandwiches with a mashed black bean and salad filling. (wow, I really need to start cooking again...:Shy).


Don't worry, you're not alone. 

In fact, from previous posts, you could be speaking for me (especially about portion sizes :Wideyed  ) 

I spoke to RPH about how I have been struggling, but I pay the price for being lazy, in that my skin takes a turn for the worse.

I don't have a blender (well - not one that works  ), so I don't really get a chance to do homemade soup, so I have to carefully read labels and make sure the tins don't have milk or cream in them.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> yum, those do look good. Personally I love the Bendicks chocolates. Tasty, cheap, available in most supermarkets and vegan(I think incidentally rather then as a choice!).
> 
> Im still trying to get back into eating more healthy and am sticking with lazy foods at the moment, so home made veggie soup and sandwiches with a mashed black bean and salad filling. (wow, I really need to start cooking again...:Shy).


Just because you are not cooking doesn't mean you are not eating healthily though. Most of that sounds absolutely fine and within the WFPB criteria.



LinznMilly said:


> Don't worry, you're not alone.
> 
> In fact, from previous posts, you could be speaking for me (especially about portion sizes :Wideyed  )
> 
> I spoke to RPH about how I have been struggling, but I pay the price for being lazy, in that my skin takes a turn for the worse.
> 
> I don't have a blender (well - not one that works  ), so I don't really get a chance to do homemade soup, so I have to carefully read labels and make sure the tins don't have milk or cream in them.


It may even be that some of the preservatives or additives in tinned soups are upsetting your skin. Don't know if this is any good or not but Currys have a cheap blender - might be just right to add to your Christmas pressie ideas for family 

https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/house...tials-c12bw11-blender-white-08616504-pdt.html


----------



## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> Im still trying to get back into eating more healthy and am sticking with lazy foods at the moment, so home made veggie soup and sandwiches with a mashed black bean and salad filling. (wow, I really need to start cooking again...:Shy).


I'm much happier when I have time to cook the meals I like  
Once you start really reaping the health and feel-good benefits of WFPB eating, it's a lot easier to motivate yourself to cook because you know how much better you feel eating well vs. eating not so well, though I agree with RPH what you're eating sounds good to me! 

We have Thanksgiving coming up and I'm excited to cook all sorts of WFPB meals for us. Forks over Knives posted a really yummy looking shepherd's pie that I'm going to try. Can't wait to cook all day then have leftovers forever


----------



## Jonescat

Didn't know about Bendicks mints 

What is the usual meal for Thanksgiving (I guess there is turkey but what comes with it?)and do you adapt it or do something completely different to the tradition?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I'm much happier when I have time to cook the meals I like
> Once you start really reaping the health and feel-good benefits of WFPB eating, it's a lot easier to motivate yourself to cook because you know how much better you feel eating well vs. eating not so well, though I agree with RPH what you're eating sounds good to me!
> 
> We have Thanksgiving coming up and I'm excited to cook all sorts of WFPB meals for us. Forks over Knives posted a really yummy looking shepherd's pie that I'm going to try. Can't wait to cook all day then have leftovers forever


Is it this one?


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Is it this one?


That's the one, I'll probably put more veggies in with the lentils just 'cause that's what I like


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> That's the one, I'll probably put more veggies in with the lentils just 'cause that's what I like


It does look nice - I think I will give it a try too


----------



## baubbles

I love love pico de gallo it's so fresh tasting. It's traditionally made with mostly onion a little tomato and coriander but I added in jalapenos, green peppers and a big squeeze of lime. In order to try getting in more wf I made my own chip although you could use doritos. It's not homemade tortilla store bought but hopefully a bit better than doritos Yes I did have this just now at 11:30 am


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Happy Thanksgiving @ouesi - hope you and your family have a lovely day with lovely food


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Happy Thanksgiving @ouesi - hope you and your family have a lovely day with lovely food


Thank you!
We feasted indeed! 
Made the shepherd's pie, added peas and green beans and two kinds of lentils, it was delicious. Also made a zucchini, spinach, and bell pepper dish that we put over rice, very non-vegan macaroni and cheese casserole that the kids requested, and a garbanzo bean salad with artichoke hearts, tomatoes and all sorts of good veggies. And I did it all in a kitchen that's not my own! 
Apple pie is in the oven for later


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Thank you!
> We feasted indeed!
> Made the shepherd's pie, added peas and green beans and two kinds of lentils, it was delicious. Also made a zucchini, spinach, and bell pepper dish that we put over rice, very non-vegan macaroni and cheese casserole that the kids requested, and a garbanzo bean salad with artichoke hearts, tomatoes and all sorts of good veggies. And I did it all in a kitchen that's not my own!
> Apple pie is in the oven for later


Looks and sounds yummy :Hungry:Hungry


----------



## Rafa

Happy Thanksgiving Ouesi. :Joyful


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Looks and sounds yummy :Hungry:Hungry


I seasoned the shepherd's pie with celery seed and it was sooooo good!


----------



## Matrod

ouesi said:


> Thank you!
> We feasted indeed!
> Made the shepherd's pie, added peas and green beans and two kinds of lentils, it was delicious. Also made a zucchini, spinach, and bell pepper dish that we put over rice, very non-vegan macaroni and cheese casserole that the kids requested, and a garbanzo bean salad with artichoke hearts, tomatoes and all sorts of good veggies. And I did it all in a kitchen that's not my own!
> Apple pie is in the oven for later


Happy thanksgiving  that looks amazing, I love all the colours.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I seasoned the shepherd's pie with celery seed and it was sooooo good!


I don't think I have any of those, I have onion seeds, mustard seeds, caraway and cumin seeds but not celery - will see if I can get some.


----------



## Guest

Sweety said:


> Happy Thanksgiving Ouesi. :Joyful


Thank you Sweety 



Matrod said:


> Happy thanksgiving  that looks amazing, I love all the colours.


Thank you  
It's definitely a very non traditional Thanksgiving meal, but we enjoyed it - and will continue to for the next few days at least!



rottiepointerhouse said:


> I don't think I have any of those, I have onion seeds, mustard seeds, caraway and cumin seeds but not celery - will see if I can get some.


Oh I use celery seed a lot. I'm not a huge fan of cooked celery, but I do like the flavor. Celery seed is from the flower of the plant, and it adds a lovely fresh flavor, combines well with cumin too IMO. Lentils and potatoes do really well with celery seed. Start sparingly and see how you like it. It tastes like it smells, but a little goes a long way


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Thank you Sweety
> 
> Thank you
> It's definitely a very non traditional Thanksgiving meal, but we enjoyed it - and will continue to for the next few days at least!
> 
> Oh I use celery seed a lot. I'm not a huge fan of cooked celery, but I do like the flavor. Celery seed is from the flower of the plant, and it adds a lovely fresh flavor, combines well with cumin too IMO. Lentils and potatoes do really well with celery seed. Start sparingly and see how you like it. It tastes like it smells, but a little goes a long way


Just checked my supermarket to see if I could add some to tomorrow's shopping I'm having delivered but they don't sell it. Might have to get it from Amazon or a health food shop.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Just checked my supermarket to see if I could add some to tomorrow's shopping I'm having delivered but they don't sell it. Might have to get it from Amazon or a health food shop.


Interesting... It's a staple here, never not seen it in the supermarket. I get an organic brand, less than $5 for a 2oz bottle that lasts me a good 6 months...


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I haven't seen this documentary before - apparently available to view free for a few days

https://www.fmtv.com/join-today/watch/[email protected]

*Food Matters*
_Food Matters_ is a hard hitting, fast paced look at our current state of health. Despite the billions of dollars of funding and research into new, so-called cures, we continue to suffer from a raft of chronic ills and everyday maladies. Patching up an over-toxic and over-indulgent population with a host of toxic therapies and nutrient-sparse foods is definitely not helping the situation.

Join the world's leading authorities on nutrition and natural healing as they uncover the true cause of disease. Find out what works, what doesn't, and what's killing you. Becoming informed about the choices you have for you and your family's health could save your life.

_Food Matters_ sets about uncovering the trillion dollar worldwide 'Sickness Industry', and exposes a growing body of scientific evidence proving that nutritional therapy can be more effective, more economical, less harmful and less invasive than most conventional medical treatments.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I haven't seen this documentary before - apparently available to view free for a few days
> 
> https://www.fmtv.com/join-today/watch/[email protected]
> 
> *Food Matters*
> _Food Matters_ is a hard hitting, fast paced look at our current state of health. Despite the billions of dollars of funding and research into new, so-called cures, we continue to suffer from a raft of chronic ills and everyday maladies. Patching up an over-toxic and over-indulgent population with a host of toxic therapies and nutrient-sparse foods is definitely not helping the situation.
> 
> Join the world's leading authorities on nutrition and natural healing as they uncover the true cause of disease. Find out what works, what doesn't, and what's killing you. Becoming informed about the choices you have for you and your family's health could save your life.
> 
> _Food Matters_ sets about uncovering the trillion dollar worldwide 'Sickness Industry', and exposes a growing body of scientific evidence proving that nutritional therapy can be more effective, more economical, less harmful and less invasive than most conventional medical treatments.


Thanks for the share, I'll watch that tonight in my food coma


----------



## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Just checked my supermarket to see if I could add some to tomorrow's shopping I'm having delivered but they don't sell it. Might have to get it from Amazon or a health food shop.


I love celery and always use a lot in vegetable casseroles and soup. I've never been able to find celery seed over here and only the larger supermarkets sell the English "stick" celery. You can buy "root celery" - celeriac though in any greengrocers. Grated it makes a lovely salad mixed with grated carrot or sliced and roasted with other veggies I always include some diced in the dogs veggies as well.

Real foods sell celery seeds along with virtually every other type of ingredient you're ever likely to need for vegan/vegetarian cooking! Lovely company to deal with!

https://www.realfoods.co.uk/product/1089/celery-seeds


----------



## Royoyo

I was just wondering if coconut milk is bad for you? Have been looking up online and seems to be rather a mixed review.

My favourite at the moment is a Thai curry, made with coconut milk and sriracha AND a Thai curry paste, literally could eat it everyday.... I’ve had it for dinner 3 times this week.... because it’s so delicious...

Am not sure why but I’m really into the spicy stuff lately. I found myself the other day eating jalapenos out of the jar just on their own.....much to the disgust of everyone in my household


----------



## baubbles

Can't imagine coconut milk would be too bad for you @Royoyo but I too have seen mixed reviews. I think it maybe a lot of them have carrageenan added, I found some at Tesco last year that doesn't though.

I've been making butternut squash soup with red thai curry paste and coconut milk and it's so flavorful delicious!

Funny I bought jalapenos the other day in a jar for the first time in years to add to nachos and was eating them out of the jar too! Must be the cold weather.


----------



## Jonescat

I have celery seed - it comes from my local whole/health food store and is about 85p a packet. You can get soup celery in Northern Ireland as well, which has not been blanched but is soft and dark green instead. Celery gives a lovely backbone to a stock.


----------



## Magyarmum

Jonescat said:


> I have celery seed - it comes from my local whole/health food store and is about 85p a packet. You can get soup celery in Northern Ireland as well, which has not been blanched but is soft and dark green instead. Celery gives a lovely backbone to a stock.


At certain times of the year I can buy the soup celery which I like to chop finely and freeze. Usually It has lots of leaves which I sometimes use in casseroles instead of spinach or curly kale!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Royoyo said:


> I was just wondering if coconut milk is bad for you? Have been looking up online and seems to be rather a mixed review.
> 
> My favourite at the moment is a Thai curry, made with coconut milk and sriracha AND a Thai curry paste, literally could eat it everyday.... I've had it for dinner 3 times this week.... because it's so delicious...
> 
> Am not sure why but I'm really into the spicy stuff lately. I found myself the other day eating jalapenos out of the jar just on their own.....much to the disgust of everyone in my household


I know most of the plant based doctors consider coconut to be quite a high fat food and so recommend using it with caution. That doesn't mean you should never use it, I use if in one of my curry recipes but I wouldn't use it every day. I'll have a look on the websites and see what I can find.


----------



## Guest

Okay, that shepherd's pie the next day... OMG even better. I could eat it until I pop LOL! And just nearly did! Ran a windy 5+ miles and came home HUNGRY


----------



## Jonescat

You can use coconut essence in curries and things instead of coconut milk if you want the flavour and not the calories.


----------



## ShibaPup

Are there any good resources to check out for someone looking to attempt going plant based?

My diet is horrendous and I am looking to lose weight.

Sorry I don't currently have the time to go through all 48 pages - tips, pointers and advice gratefully appreciated.


----------



## Matrod

I've been meaning to post this recipe for ages, it's one of my favourite soups, probably because it's got tahini in it which I can never get enough of

Squash & Tahini Soup
1 onion
1 squash - I use onion squash but butternut would be fine
1 garlic clove
2 tsp ground cumin
40g tahini - roughly 2 tbsp
1 tbsp oil
750ml boiling water

Finely chop the onion, peel & cut the squash into small chunks. Add the veg to a pan with the oil, season. Cook for 15 minutes until tender. Finely chop the garlic, add to the pan with cumin, tahini, cook for 1 minute then add the stock & boiling water cook for 5 minutes.

Blend the soup until smooth. The original recipe calls for pomegranate seeds to be served on top, I like it with or without.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ShibaPup said:


> Are there any good resources to check out for someone looking to attempt going plant based?
> 
> My diet is horrendous and I am looking to lose weight.
> 
> Sorry I don't currently have the time to go through all 48 pages - tips, pointers and advice gratefully appreciated.


You might find some of these useful

https://share.kaiserpermanente.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/The-Plant-Based-Diet-booklet.pdf

https://www.drmcdougall.com/pdf/Advanced_Study_Weekend_Fast_Food_Handout_3-13.pdf

This one does use meat replacements to get you started but the aim would be to phase those out and replace with whole foods as soon as possible

http://www.pcrm.org/health/diets/vsk/vegetarian-starter-kit-three-step

This video is excellent at explaining calorie density






Another excellent video by Dr Lim


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Matrod said:


> I've been meaning to post this recipe for ages, it's one of my favourite soups, probably because it's got tahini in it which I can never get enough of
> 
> Squash & Tahini Soup
> 1 onion
> 1 squash - I use onion squash but butternut would be fine
> 1 garlic clove
> 2 tsp ground cumin
> 40g tahini - roughly 2 tbsp
> 1 tbsp oil
> 750ml boiling water
> 
> Finely chop the onion, peel & cut the squash into small chunks. Add the veg to a pan with the oil, season. Cook for 15 minutes until tender. Finely chop the garlic, add to the pan with cumin, tahini, cook for 1 minute then add the stock & boiling water cook for 5 minutes.
> 
> Blend the soup until smooth. The original recipe calls for pomegranate seeds to be served on top, I like it with or without.


Sounds yummy.


----------



## ShibaPup

rottiepointerhouse said:


> You might find some of these useful
> 
> https://share.kaiserpermanente.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/The-Plant-Based-Diet-booklet.pdf
> 
> https://www.drmcdougall.com/pdf/Advanced_Study_Weekend_Fast_Food_Handout_3-13.pdf
> 
> This one does use meat replacements to get you started but the aim would be to phase those out and replace with whole foods as soon as possible
> 
> http://www.pcrm.org/health/diets/vsk/vegetarian-starter-kit-three-step
> 
> This video is excellent at explaining calorie density
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Another excellent video by Dr Lim


Thank you - really appreciate it!!

Not really a fan of meat.

Think I need to try a variety of different whole foods to see what I like - have a look around for some recipes. I love my fruit and veg but never really tried any legumes (apart from peas), beans, nuts, seeds or whole grains :Shy


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

If anyone is interested in the diabetes videos the whole series is available here for free this weekend

https://go.ithriveseries.com/series...d1&utm_source=Email-Episodes&utm_medium=Email

I particularly enjoyed the 1st & 3rd episode (for some reason there are two episodes two on that list but its the 3rd one along) the 4th & 5th. I haven't seen the rest yet so can't comment on them. Lots of the plant based doctors we know of and recognise and a few new ones too.


----------



## LinznMilly

Just quickly popping in to say I'm slowly getting back on track with my WFPB diet. . .

And it's looking increasingly likely that I'm allergic to soya as well as dairy. Not a problem with breakfast and coffee as I prefer oat milk, but I imagine tofu is off the menu now? 

@rottiepointerhouse , any advice with regards to what I could replace soya products with?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Just quickly popping in to say I'm slowly getting back on track with my WFPB diet. . .
> 
> And it's looking increasingly likely that I'm allergic to soya as well as dairy. Not a problem with breakfast and coffee as I prefer oat milk, but I imagine tofu is off the menu now?
> 
> @rottiepointerhouse , any advice with regards to what I could replace soya products with?


Which soya products do you use?


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Which soya products do you use?


I was just going to ask this  
@LinznMilly what are you using soya for?

I can't remember the last time I ate soy, and I'm pretty much 100% vegan. I don't like tofu anyway, and if you stay away from processed meat replacements it's pretty easy to avoid.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Dr Joel Khan talking about the benefits of mushrooms.


----------



## catz4m8z

Jonescat said:


> You can use coconut essence in curries and things instead of coconut milk if you want the flavour and not the calories.


This is why I always freeze coconut milk in ice cube trays. I find that you get lots of flavour and creaminess from just one cube. Lovely in curries but also if you want to 'fancy' up some veggie soup too! (works really well with butternut squash or sweet potato soups).



ShibaPup said:


> Think I need to try a variety of different whole foods to see what I like - have a look around for some recipes. I love my fruit and veg but never really tried any legumes (apart from peas), beans, nuts, seeds or whole grains :Shy


I hadnt tried any legumes (cept kidney beans in chilli and baked beans) before going vegan but Im a big fan now. My favourite is def black beans wether its in a soup or stew, sprinkled on a salad or mashed for sandwich filling...yum!


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Which soya products do you use?





ouesi said:


> I was just going to ask this
> @LinznMilly what are you using soya for?
> 
> I can't remember the last time I ate soy, and I'm pretty much 100% vegan. I don't like tofu anyway, and if you stay away from processed meat replacements it's pretty easy to avoid.


Well, I do like the tofu marinated pieces by Cauldron (when I can get them), but my mum does keep a selection of the meat replacements for when I'm at hers (coz no meal is complete without meat or their replacements, is it?  . Showing her the array of replacements there are was how I persuaded her I wouldn't starve when I went veggie  ).

So, maybe what I should have asked is, is there anything in the market like tofu etc that doesn't contain soya or dairy?


----------



## Guest

LinznMilly said:


> So, maybe what I should have asked is, is there anything in the market like tofu etc that doesn't contain soya or dairy?


You could look for products made with chickpea (garbanzo) flour. We have a tiny local business that makes meat replacement products with this, but I don't know of any larger businesses? 
Gardein brand meatless stuff is dairy-free, but I don't know of any of their products that are soy free...


----------



## LinznMilly

ouesi said:


> You could look for products made with chickpea (garbanzo) flour. We have a tiny local business that makes meat replacement products with this, but I don't know of any larger businesses?
> Gardein brand meatless stuff is dairy-free, but I don't know of any of their products that are soy free...


Thanks. I'll have a look.


----------



## Guest

Oh and I totally forgot about seitan - you'll have to search to find it, but it's soy and dairy free - made of wheat gluten. Maybe an Asian market has it?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Well, I do like the tofu marinated pieces by Cauldron (when I can get them), but my mum does keep a selection of the meat replacements for when I'm at hers (coz no meal is complete without meat or their replacements, is it?  . Showing her the array of replacements there are was how I persuaded her I wouldn't starve when I went veggie  ).
> 
> So, maybe what I should have asked is, is there anything in the market like tofu etc that doesn't contain soya or dairy?


If you just want some things for occasional use such as when you are at your Mum's Quorn have a vegan range

https://www.quorn.co.uk/products/vegan

I think most of the Linda McCartney vegan range is made from Soya.

Cauldron have some non soya vegan products although I would be concerned about all those additives especially with regards to making your skin worse

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/296090295

Amy's Kitchen do a vegan range but some contain soya Beans - do you think you are allergic to actual soya beans or just the processed products of them?

You could also keep some pouches to heat in the microwave of things like rice and beans which you can serve with a pitta bread - my OH has these in a food flask to take for lunch

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/262312986

or keep some of this in your Mum's freezer - serve it with some rice and a pitta bread

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/295431954

or https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/295431977 which again I do in a food flask for OH with https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/271513353


----------



## Magyarmum

Vegusto and Goodness direct both do a selection of soya and nut free meats and cheese.

https://vegusto.co.uk/collections/soya-free

https://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/diet/SY-Soya_Free.html


----------



## LinznMilly

ouesi said:


> Oh and I totally forgot about seitan - you'll have to search to find it, but it's soy and dairy free - made of wheat gluten. Maybe an Asian market has it?


There's an Asian store not that far from my mum's that I'd love to visit but while it's a short drive for my mum, I'm currently car-less, and it's out of the way for me. I will get there though, somehow.



rottiepointerhouse said:


> If you just want some things for occasional use such as when you are at your Mum's Quorn have a vegan range
> 
> https://www.quorn.co.uk/products/vegan
> 
> I think most of the Linda McCartney vegan range is made from Soya.
> 
> Cauldron have some non soya vegan products although I would be concerned about all those additives especially with regards to making your skin worse
> 
> https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/296090295
> 
> Amy's Kitchen do a vegan range but some contain soya Beans - do you think you are allergic to actual soya beans or just the processed products of them?
> 
> You could also keep some pouches to heat in the microwave of things like rice and beans which you can serve with a pitta bread - my OH has these in a food flask to take for lunch
> 
> https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/262312986
> 
> or keep some of this in your Mum's freezer - serve it with some rice and a pitta bread
> 
> https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/295431954
> 
> or https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/295431977 which again I do in a food flask for OH with https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/271513353


Thanks. It's funny you should mention those frozen steam bags, because I bought the Asda's broccoli, carrots and sweetcorn one yesterday and had 2 bags of them for my dinner. :Hungry

If/when it's just me and mum, I can get inventive in the kitchen and throw something together, but 3 days a week we have a get-together with my SIL, auntie, and occasionally mam's OH and my cousin, any of whom might also want to cook their own meals, so kitchen time is at a premium.

Yesterday was a classic example as me, mum, SIL and her 3 kids, my aunt and her daughter all had different meals, and 5 of all used the kitchen at different times of the evening - the steamed veggie bags being both a godsend for me, and the healthiest meal of the lot.


----------



## LinznMilly

Magyarmum said:


> Vegusto and Goodness direct both do a selection of soya and nut free meats and cheese.
> 
> https://vegusto.co.uk/collections/soya-free
> 
> https://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/diet/SY-Soya_Free.html


Thanks for this, I'll have a look. . . Probably after I walked the dogs though because ... you know, they haven't been out for _ever_ such a long time  (about 3 hours. :Shifty )


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> There's an Asian store not that far from my mum's that I'd love to visit but while it's a short drive for my mum, I'm currently car-less, and it's out of the way for me. I will get there though, somehow.
> 
> Thanks. It's funny you should mention those frozen steam bags, because I bought the Asda's broccoli, carrots and sweetcorn one yesterday and had 2 bags of them for my dinner. :Hungry
> 
> If/when it's just me and mum, I can get inventive in the kitchen and throw something together, but 3 days a week we have a get-together with my SIL, auntie, and occasionally mam's OH and my cousin, any of whom might also want to cook their own meals, so kitchen time is at a premium.
> 
> Yesterday was a classic example as me, mum, SIL and her 3 kids, my aunt and her daughter all had different meals, and 5 of all used the kitchen at different times of the evening - the steamed veggie bags being both a godsend for me, and the healthiest meal of the lot.


The rice and beans pouch literally takes 2 minutes in the microwave - the other mixes take a little longer but still very quick. OH really enjoys them for his lunch - he has to eat in the car most days.


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> The rice and beans pouch literally takes 2 minutes in the microwave - the other mixes take a little longer but still very quick. OH really enjoys them for his lunch - he has to eat in the car most days.


I know the Asda ones I had yesterday took 3mins each in the microwave, but I wasn't the only one needing it. 
SIL had sausage rolls and (processed :Yuck ) peas - heated. 
Mum and her middle grandchild had mince pie ("my diet hasn't done me any harm for 54 years, so I'm not changing now" ... Well, actually .... :Banghead ) 
"I-know-why-I-can't-lose-weight-it's-the-bread" aunt with her microwaved, ready-meal lasagne  
Cuz with her ready meal beef hotpot 
And me with the veggie steam bags. enguin

But that's not what I was getting at, actually. My point about the kitchen was that, when there's just me and mum, I can do something like lentil ragu with wholewheat pasta and extra veg, or (in summer especially) stuffed peppers. I've been known to grab things from my own fridge/freezer with an idea in mind, and prep/cook them at hers. Days like yesterday, I wouldn't have had the chance.


----------



## noushka05

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Latest offering - from Viva "Everyone's Going Dairy Free" - Creamy Leek & Mushroom Pasta
> 
> 
> 
> 3 leeks sliced into rounds
> 2 cloves garlic
> 225 g mushrooms sliced
> 1 tsp dried oregano
> Half tsp chilli flakes (optional)
> Vegan cream cheese (I use Violife - about a quarter of a tub)
> Wholewheat Spaghetti
> Fresh parsley to garnish
> 
> Saute the leeks and garlic for 5 mins until beginning to soften, add the mushrooms and oregano/chilli flakes and cook for another 5 mins. Add the cream cheese and let it melt and stir to coat everything. Serve over the cooked spaghetti and garnish with the parsley.
> 
> It is delicious - tastes so good considering few ingredients and very quick to make. I've added some tofu that needed using up but no need to.


I brought some leeks off the allotment & thought about this recipe so I did for tea last night for me & my hubby. I had to substitute thyme for the oregano as I didn't realise I hadn't got any in but it still turned out yummy! And its SO easy, thanks again RPH. My hubby liked it too & he's funny because he normally 'needs' lots of sauce with his pasta lol.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

noushka05 said:


> I brought some leeks off the allotment & thought about this recipe so I did for tea last night for me & my hubby. I had to substitute thyme for the oregano as I didn't realise I hadn't got any in but it still turned out yummy! And its SO easy, thanks again RPH. My hubby liked it too & he's funny because he normally 'needs' lots of sauce with his pasta lol.


Its one of our favourites too, quick, easy, tasty, nutritious - whats not to like? :Hungry:Hungry


----------



## Guest

Interesting article in the NYT today on weight and health

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/10/...ords=AudDevGate&referer=http://m.facebook.com


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

How is your Mum getting on @Gemmaa ?


----------



## Gemmaa

rottiepointerhouse said:


> How is your Mum getting on @Gemmaa ?


She's not too bad, thanks for asking 

She's being really hard on herself and is upset that she can't do much. I found a video of the operation on youtube for her, because I don't think she appreciates what an awful thing she's been through. It seems to have helped...a little  
The hospital didn't give her proper pain medication after the operation, and they didn't send her home with anything, so that hasn't helped. Along with some really hefty bruises and cuts on her hands and wrist, where the nurse got flustered and took 6 or 7 attempts to put a cannula in :Facepalm.
I -think- we might find out this week if she needs further treatment, so we're trying to get as much goodness in her as possible, and hoping all the additional wounds will heal quickly, just in case she does need chemo.

We're managing to make the low fibre diet_ fairly_ healthy, it's been quite an interesting challenge as normally our meals are just healthy without having to worry about anything! 
I've found a few more sites with detailed low fibre ingredients which have been a big help. We've been able to add a few more vegetables now and things like passata seem to be safe, and fruit wise she's just having bananas and tinned peaches for now.
It's not an ideal diet by a long stretch, but she's going to stick with it for a few more weeks, and we'll start slowly introducing more variety. Probably going to start a food diary to monitor which foods are tolerated.

Now we've got the fun of my dad's hip replacement next Saturday! :Hilarious


----------



## Jonescat

I am still working through my big box of British pulses, and these were great. Marrowfat pea and potato curry with tomato rice and green beans. The peas were fab and took me back to my student days when I think they were the cheapest protein per oz available in the UK, but they have sort of dropped out of view in grocery departments apart from mushy peas.










And this is the top of a vegan lemon cake that I took to a house warming today. The cake is lemon, soya yoghourt, ground almonds, cornmeal, baking powder, and sugar, then a little vegan buttercream and raspberries.


----------



## noushka05

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Its one of our favourites too, quick, easy, tasty, nutritious - whats not to like? :Hungry:Hungry


Guess what I'm having for tea again tonight












Jonescat said:


> I am still working through my big box of British pulses, and these were great. Marrowfat pea and potato curry with tomato rice and green beans. The peas were fab and took me back to my student days when I think they were the cheapest protein per oz available in the UK, but they have sort of dropped out of view in grocery departments apart from mushy peas.
> 
> View attachment 334345
> 
> 
> And this is the top of a vegan lemon cake that I took to a house warming today. The cake is lemon, soya yoghourt, ground almonds, cornmeal, baking powder, and sugar, then a little vegan buttercream and raspberries.
> 
> View attachment 334346


Yummy. Your lemon cake looks delicious :Hungry


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

noushka05 said:


> Guess what I'm having for tea again tonight
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yummy. Your lemon cake looks delicious :Hungry


Now let me see, leeks, mushrooms, garlic  is it steak & kidney pie? :Hilarious:Hilarious I add some tofu (the pre marinated cubes which I dry fry first) to mine too. Hope you enjoy it.


----------



## noushka05

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Now let me see, leeks, mushrooms, garlic  is it steak & kidney pie? :Hilarious:Hilarious I add some tofu (the pre marinated cubes which I dry fry first) to mine too. Hope you enjoy it.


Close

I loved it with thyme, so I'm sure I'll love it with oregano Might try the tofu with it one day though its lovely without


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Well blow me down with a feather. My Mum has just told me she is feeling quite a lot better since she started eating more plant foods and less animal foods, the beans in particular although they gave her wind to start with have started to improve her tummy (she has diverticular disease amongst many other things). Never thought I would hear the day she would say she liked beans


----------



## LinznMilly

I'm getting back on track with my WFPB diet. Lunch was lentil soup, dinner will be veggie casserole with mushrooms, root veg and broccoli. Chances are there will be more for tomorrow, too.

My skin is responding to the improved nutrition and is back to where it was previously.


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Well blow me down with a feather. My Mum has just told me she is feeling quite a lot better since she started eating more plant foods and less animal foods, the beans in particular although they gave her wind to start with have started to improve her tummy (she has diverticular disease amongst many other things). Never thought I would hear the day she would say she liked beans


Great news about your mum.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> I'm getting back on track with my WFPB diet. Lunch was lentil soup, dinner will be veggie casserole with mushrooms, root veg and broccoli. Chances are there will be more for tomorrow, too.
> 
> My skin is responding to the improved nutrition and is back to where it was previously.


Well done - amazing stuff food

*"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."*

― Hippocrates

I really enjoyed this book by Pam Popper

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15824222-food-over-medicine

Nearly half of Americans take at least one prescription medicine, with almost a quarter taking three or more, as diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and dementia grow more prevalent than ever. The problem with medicating common ailments, such as high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol, is that drugs treat symptoms-and may even improve test results-without addressing the cause: diet.

Overmedicated, overfed, and malnourished, most Americans fail to realize the answer to lower disease rates doesn't lie in more pills but in the foods we eat.

With so much misleading nutritional information regarded as common knowledge, from "everything in moderation" to "avoid carbs," the average American is ill-equipped to recognize the deadly force of abundant, cheap, unhealthy food options that not only offer no nutritional benefits but actually bring on disease.

In _Food Over Medicine_, Pamela A. Popper, PhD, ND, and Glen Merzer invite the reader into a conversation about the dire state of American health-the result of poor nutrition choices stemming from food politics and medical misinformation. But, more important, they share the key to getting and staying healthy for life.

Backed by numerous scientific studies, _Food Over Medicine_ details how dietary choices either build health or destroy it. Including recipes from Chef Del Sroufe, author of the bestselling _Forks Over Knives-The Cookbook_ and _Better Than Vegan_, _Food Over Medicine_reveals the power and practice of optimal nutrition in an accessible way


----------



## Jonescat

That leek and mushroom recipe is definitely going on my to-cook list - I'll have to have a word with my leeks about growing faster!

It is vegan hour on twitter and this just popped up.


----------



## Guest

LinznMilly said:


> I'm getting back on track with my WFPB diet. Lunch was lentil soup, dinner will be veggie casserole with mushrooms, root veg and broccoli. Chances are there will be more for tomorrow, too.
> 
> My skin is responding to the improved nutrition and is back to where it was previously.


Great news 
It's so much easier to stick with it when you have those concrete, measurable results like that isn't it?



rottiepointerhouse said:


> Well blow me down with a feather. My Mum has just told me she is feeling quite a lot better since she started eating more plant foods and less animal foods, the beans in particular although they gave her wind to start with have started to improve her tummy (she has diverticular disease amongst many other things). Never thought I would hear the day she would say she liked beans


Wonderful news! Long may her improvements continue!!

It's nice for me to read these positive posts. I'm in a frustrated place right now with a dear friend who is a good 100 pounds overweight (yes, that much), and has high blood pressure that the meds aren't working for anymore. And now she's having random stomach pain. She's at the point where she doesn't want to go to the doctor because he's just going to tell her to lose weight and she feels like that's a cop-out on his part. Which I kind of get, but then, it's also kind of "well duh."

We've talked about her weight. She's very open with me, and it basically boils down to "I don't want to eat like you." She wants her hamburgers (she'll eat them without a bun) and hotdogs and bacon. And she's adamant that she doesn't want to give them up. She'd rather be fat and happy than fit and miserable type attitude. To which I always want to ask her, "do I look miserable to you?" I eat MORE than she does, every time we've eaten together, I eat far more, and more variety because I don't limit carbs like she tries to do.

But at the end of the day it really does come down to the question of how badly do you want this? What are you willing to do for health? Sometimes it's like watching the smoker smoke through a trach tube...


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Great news
> It's so much easier to stick with it when you have those concrete, measurable results like that isn't it?
> 
> Wonderful news! Long may her improvements continue!!
> 
> It's nice for me to read these positive posts. I'm in a frustrated place right now with a dear friend who is a good 100 pounds overweight (yes, that much), and has high blood pressure that the meds aren't working for anymore. And now she's having random stomach pain. She's at the point where she doesn't want to go to the doctor because he's just going to tell her to lose weight and she feels like that's a cop-out on his part. Which I kind of get, but then, it's also kind of "well duh."
> 
> We've talked about her weight. She's very open with me, and it basically boils down to "I don't want to eat like you." She wants her hamburgers (she'll eat them without a bun) and hotdogs and bacon. And she's adamant that she doesn't want to give them up. She'd rather be fat and happy than fit and miserable type attitude. To which I always want to ask her, "do I look miserable to you?" I eat MORE than she does, every time we've eaten together, I eat far more, and more variety because I don't limit carbs like she tries to do.
> 
> But at the end of the day it really does come down to the question of how badly do you want this? What are you willing to do for health? Sometimes it's like watching the smoker smoke through a trach tube...


Did you manage to watch any of the IThrive diabetic series? The guy who made the documentaries is 120 pounds overweight, he has been so honest about his struggles to change his life around despite the fact he has had a heart attack and has diabetic neuropathy which resulted in him burning his feet on a camp fire. I was watching one of the episodes last night where he talked to Doug Lisle (The Pleasure Trap) and broke down in tears describing how he knows from talking to all the experts why he must change and he even knows how, a friend of his paid for him to go to True North for a week and following that he lost 50 pounds. Sadly after a trip to London when he decided he simply must try fish & chips and beer in a pub he fell off the wagon and regained the 50 pounds plus another 20. He said he still finds himself going through the drive through for a burger or picking up M & M's at the gas station. Doug Lisle was amazing helping him to understand the various forces working against him which he explained in a really easy to understand way. I think with your friend all you can do is keep showing her how amazing the food you eat is and describing how well it makes you feel and hope eventually she decides her life is worth saving. One of the answers I now use to the "life is too short, you have to enjoy it and eat what you want" comments is that I enjoy my life too, far more since I don't have painful swollen knees anymore and I no longer have to worry about my OH's high blood pressure, plus I don't view spending hours in doctors surgeries and hospitals and taking medications that give horrid side effects as enjoying my life.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Plant based News end of year film

Vegan 2017 - the film


----------



## lullabydream

I haven't looked here for a few days...and I was going to share something but @ouesi beat me to it!

My friend has opened up an Asian shop in my local town...totally a new concept for here. However my son used to use one when he was at uni, and also to buy pocky when he was a teenager.

I popped in yesterday to look properly and obviously to say hello to her. I was amazed how cheap, and the variety of things she had. Different varieties of lentils and beans that I haven't seen in supermarkets, of course loads of different flours that are gluten free, herbs and spices so cheap.

So anyone, especially @LinznMilly they really are worth checking out.

I did source some interesting tofu.. for my son.

I got told off by my friend for spending money as she told me I didn't have to but it was like a little treasure trove!

So please take a wander in them if you have one near. Am sure the people inside would be more than happy to help, after all at the end of the day they need customers.


----------



## LinznMilly

:Banghead :Banghead :Banghead :Bag

What's that phrase? "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions"? Or something like that? Well, I've been completely stupid. :Meh 

I said in a previous thread that I don't like porridge because of the texture, and that I never have. I think I've also said I would love to like it because it smells gorgeous.

About a week ago, I decided to buy a cheap Oat So Simple Golden Syrup pot, for about 50p. I know, I know - hardly a Whole Food, and not exactly what the more established WFPB members would have, but I didn't want to buy a large bag of oats if I wasn't going to eat them.

I had it today. Except I didn't check the ingredients beforehand. In fact, it wasn't until I was about half way through it that I did check. And it's got milk in it. As the 2nd ingredient. :Eggonface :Arghh :Grumpy

I'm usually so on the ball with things like this. I can't believe I didn't check the ingredients before buying it. :Arghh :Arghh 

I've had an antihistamine to hopefully head off the inevitable flare-up before it starts, but I could kick myself from here to Wednesday for my stupidity. :Bored :Bag

On the plus side, I did enjoy it, so maybe I can start to include porridge in my diet. Oh, and I added a handful of frozen blueberries. :Hungry


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> :Banghead :Banghead :Banghead :Bag
> 
> What's that phrase? "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions"? Or something like that? Well, I've been completely stupid. :Meh
> 
> I said in a previous thread that I don't like porridge because of the texture, and that I never have. I think I've also said I would love to like it because it smells gorgeous.
> 
> About a week ago, I decided to buy a cheap Oat So Simple Golden Syrup pot, for about 50p. I know, I know - hardly a Whole Food, and not exactly what the more established WFPB members would have, but I didn't want to buy a large bag of oats if I wasn't going to eat them.
> 
> I had it today. Except I didn't check the ingredients beforehand. In fact, it wasn't until I was about half way through it that I did check. And it's got milk in it. As the 2nd ingredient. :Eggonface :Arghh :Grumpy
> 
> I'm usually so on the ball with things like this. I can't believe I didn't check the ingredients before buying it. :Arghh :Arghh
> 
> I've had an antihistamine to hopefully head off the inevitable flare-up before it starts, but I could kick myself from here to Wednesday for my stupidity. :Bored :Bag
> 
> On the plus side, I did enjoy it, so maybe I can start to include porridge in my diet. Oh, and I added a handful of frozen blueberries. :Hungry


Well at least you worked it out and now know why if you do have a flare up whereas you might have spent ages thinking it was something else WFPB causing the problem. The instant oat things are as you said not whole oats and have been processed with lots of additives so if you can buy some proper oats that would be great. I find with the added berries I don't need any added sweetener but would probably go for sliced banana or some dried fruit like sultanas or dates if I wanted it sweeter. I'm so pleased you enjoyed it though as I had a similar dislike of it for years and used to gag on it until I started adding flax and berries.


----------



## Matrod

Why am I always hungry :Arghh I try to include a protein element in all of my meals, usually in the form of pulses or nuts. I eat until I'm full then a hour later I'm hungry again & start grazing.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Matrod said:


> Why am I always hungry :Arghh I try to include a protein element in all of my meals, usually in the form of pulses or nuts. I eat until I'm full then a hour later I'm hungry again & start grazing.


Do you eat enough fibre and complex carbohydrate?


----------



## Lurcherlad

LinznMilly said:


> :Banghead :Banghead :Banghead :Bag
> 
> What's that phrase? "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions"? Or something like that? Well, I've been completely stupid. :Meh
> 
> I said in a previous thread that I don't like porridge because of the texture, and that I never have. I think I've also said I would love to like it because it smells gorgeous.
> 
> About a week ago, I decided to buy a cheap Oat So Simple Golden Syrup pot, for about 50p. I know, I know - hardly a Whole Food, and not exactly what the more established WFPB members would have, but I didn't want to buy a large bag of oats if I wasn't going to eat them.
> 
> I had it today. Except I didn't check the ingredients beforehand. In fact, it wasn't until I was about half way through it that I did check. And it's got milk in it. As the 2nd ingredient. :Eggonface :Arghh :Grumpy
> 
> I'm usually so on the ball with things like this. I can't believe I didn't check the ingredients before buying it. :Arghh :Arghh
> 
> I've had an antihistamine to hopefully head off the inevitable flare-up before it starts, but I could kick myself from here to Wednesday for my stupidity. :Bored :Bag
> 
> On the plus side, I did enjoy it, so maybe I can start to include porridge in my diet. Oh, and I added a handful of frozen blueberries. :Hungry


I had porridge this morning.

1 cup Scotts porridge oats
2 cups rice milk

Microwave for 3 minutes

Half teaspoon of local honey
Splash of cold rice milk and stir

Delish! :Hungry


----------



## Lurcherlad

Matrod said:


> Why am I always hungry :Arghh I try to include a protein element in all of my meals, usually in the form of pulses or nuts. I eat until I'm full then a hour later I'm hungry again & start grazing.


What's a typical day's menu?


----------



## Matrod

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Do you eat enough fibre and complex carbohydrate?


I think so, I eat lots of vegetables, buckwheat, rice, nuts, wholegrains etc. 


Lurcherlad said:


> What's a typical day's menu?


Homemade muesli for brekkie with lots of nuts, seeds & dried fruit with almond milk. Lunch varies, it's always leftovers from my dinner, today I had leek & potato soup & homemade bread, yesterday was risotto. Dinner varies greatly as well, depends on what I fancy & what's in my veg box. Tonight was baked potato with hummus & salad.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Matrod said:


> I think so, I eat lots of vegetables, buckwheat, rice, nuts, wholegrains etc.
> 
> Homemade muesli for brekkie with lots of nuts, seeds & dried fruit with almond milk. Lunch varies, it's always leftovers from my dinner, today I had leek & potato soup & homemade bread, yesterday was risotto. Dinner varies greatly as well, depends on what I fancy & what's in my veg box. Tonight was baked potato with hummus & salad.


Sounds pretty good although I need a fair amount of complex carbs to avoid being hungry a couple of hours after eating. Do you eat much in the way of cake/biscuits/chocolate?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Interesting talk by Dr Baxter Montgomery (a cardiologist) a lot of which focuses on Congestive Cardiac Failure (CCF) which often gets overlooked. @LinznMilly thought this one might be of interest to you.


----------



## Matrod

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Sounds pretty good although I need a fair amount of complex carbs to avoid being hungry a couple of hours after eating. Do you eat much in the way of cake/biscuits/chocolate?


No I don't eat anything like that, anything with sugar in makes me feel :Woot so I avoid it. Perhaps I'm not not eating enough complex carbs then.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Matrod said:


> No I don't eat anything like that, anything with sugar in makes me feel :Woot so I avoid it. Perhaps I'm not not eating enough complex carbs then.


Or just not enough in general to meet your calorie needs? I would try increasing the complex carbs a bit and see if that helps.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Delicious, hearty, and versatile, squash is a superfood popular in original Blue Zones areas. Whether it's roasted as a side, pureed in a soup, or baked into a veggie roast, it deserves a spot at your dinner table.

https://bluezones.com/2017/11/squas...199095005&mc_cid=ff892e99ad&mc_eid=97f9300fe5


----------



## ShibaPup

Would you say that this poster is a good thing to follow? Until I find my feet properly with this new lifestyle.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ShibaPup said:


> Would you say that this poster is a good thing to follow? Until I find my feet properly with this new lifestyle.


Yes that looks OK although 3 - 4 servings of pulses & nuts might be a bit ambitious/unnecessary. Some people do suffer badly with wind when they first start eating pulses so I would suggest building those up a bit more gradually.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Matrod said:


> I think so, I eat lots of vegetables, buckwheat, rice, nuts, wholegrains etc.
> 
> Homemade muesli for brekkie with lots of nuts, seeds & dried fruit with almond milk. Lunch varies, it's always leftovers from my dinner, today I had leek & potato soup & homemade bread, yesterday was risotto. Dinner varies greatly as well, depends on what I fancy & what's in my veg box. Tonight was baked potato with hummus & salad.


I would add mid morning and mid afternoon snacks tbh

I get peckish around 1030/1100 so grab a banana. Again in the afternoon so either some fruit or a cup of homemade veg soup or couple of crackers.

I find plant based food seem to be digested faster than meat, cheese, etc. and I need to graze a bit through the day.

I'm "enjoying" a mild feeling of hunger before mealtimes but if I was starving throughout the day I would just be grabbing some unhealthy option to satisfy myself.

Look at the GI of foods too as that can make a difference between peaks and troughs.


----------



## Guest

ShibaPup said:


> Would you say that this poster is a good thing to follow? Until I find my feet properly with this new lifestyle.


Hrm... That's interesting. 
I've virtually eliminated all refined oils. You don't need them to cook with, and you don't need them in your diet. I've knocked down my olive oil use to about once a week if that. 
I don't eat grains every day. Some days I eat potatoes instead of a grain. I don't feel any difference either way. I think I would group starchy veg in with the grains. 
I rarely eat fortified foods except almond or coconut milk creamer in my coffee (but I don't think they're fortified). I take a B-12 supplement once a week but I find no need for more processed food just to get a B-12 boost. 
Definitely a good guide as you start out, but don't be afraid to deviate and do what works for you


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Hrm... That's interesting.
> I've virtually eliminated all refined oils. You don't need them to cook with, and you don't need them in your diet. I've knocked down my olive oil use to about once a week if that.
> I don't eat grains every day. Some days I eat potatoes instead of a grain. I don't feel any difference either way. I think I would group starchy veg in with the grains.
> I rarely eat fortified foods except almond or coconut milk creamer in my coffee (but I don't think they're fortified). I take a B-12 supplement once a week but I find no need for more processed food just to get a B-12 boost.
> Definitely a good guide as you start out, but don't be afraid to deviate and do what works for you


Me too on the oils, I use a teaspoon of sesame oil a couple of times a week when I do a stir fry but otherwise I saute in water or stock.

Here is what Dr Greger says about wholegrains

"Consistent with recommendations from leading cancer and heart disease authorities, I recommend at least 3 servings of whole grains a day. (He quotes a few studies ) and A 2015 analysis found that people who eat more whole grains tend to live significantly longer lives independent of other dietary and lifestyle factors. No surprise given that whole grains appear to reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and stroke. Eating more whole grains could save the lives of more than a million people around the world every year".

He goes on to explain about indicators of inflammation such as C-reactive protein (CRP) which rise within the body in response to inflammatory insults and are therefore used as a screening test for systemic inflammation. Each daily serving of whole grains is estimated to reduce CRP concentrations by approximately 7%. Or as noted in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition "Whole grain intake cools down inflammation ".

I probably eat more than 3 servings a day, oatmeal for breakfast, bread or rice for lunch and rice or pasta or quinoa for dinner often with wholemeal pitta bread on the side. I know Dr Fuhrman isn't so keen on them though as he prefers higher nutrients per calorie and would prefer people to eat beans and veggies but I find I'm just too hungry without my whole grains although don't mind swapping one for potato.


----------



## Matrod

Lurcherlad said:


> I would add mid morning and mid afternoon snacks tbh
> 
> I get peckish around 1030/1100 so grab a banana. Again in the afternoon so either some fruit or a cup of homemade veg soup or couple of crackers.
> 
> I find plant based food seem to be digested faster than meat, cheese, etc. and I need to graze a bit through the day.
> 
> I'm "enjoying" a mild feeling of hunger before mealtimes but if I was starving throughout the day I would just be grabbing some unhealthy option to satisfy myself.
> 
> Look at the GI of foods too as that can make a difference between peaks and troughs.


I forgot to put my in between bits on, I have banana around 10:30 & afternoon snacks are a few oatcakes with nut butter, after dinner I'll graze on nuts or lentil crisps if I get hungry. I am more of a little & often person, I just can't do a huge dinner.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Matrod said:


> I forgot to put my in between bits on, I have banana around 10:30 & afternoon snacks are a few oatcakes with nut butter, after dinner I'll graze on nuts or lentil crisps if I get hungry. I am more of a little & often person, I just can't do a huge dinner.


Jacket potatoes are apparently high GI and don't keep me full for as long as Sweet Potato for example IME.

Standard salad IMO has nothing much in it to keep me full. Maybe add some cooked, cold veg such as green beans, or a spoonful of mixed pulses? Avocado gives salad some bulk.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> Jacket potatoes are high GI so won't keep you full as long as Sweet Potato for example.
> 
> Salad IMO has nothing much in it to keep you full. Maybe add some cooked, cold veg such as green beans, or a spoonful of mixed pulses? Avocado gives salad some bulk.


Depends on the salad ingredients - fibre is good at keeping you full but the average limp lettuce and cucumber not so much. I'm afraid I do go along with Dr McDougall on the GI Index

https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2006nl/july/glycemic.htm


----------



## Guest

Lurcherlad said:


> Jacket potatoes are apparently high GI and don't keep me full for as long as Sweet Potato for example IME.
> 
> Standard salad IMO has nothing much in it to keep me full. Maybe add some cooked, cold veg such as green beans, or a spoonful of mixed pulses? Avocado gives salad some bulk.


That depends on what you put on your baked potato 

Don't quote me because I'm going by vague memory, but something about adding animal fats (butter, cream etc.) to the potato makes the GI spike. However when you eat the potato plain it doesn't have the same effect on your blood sugar.

We like baked potatoes with bean salsa on top  
I make a mix up of black beans, tomatoes, veggies (bell pepper, cuke, onions...) season with some garlic powder and cumin, add a little avocado, even blend the avocado in the blender to make a dressing. It's yummy  
If I'm pressed for time, I'll just dump tomato salsa from a jar on top of a potato and that will keep me going for a good bit.

Today for lunch I brought some boiled potatoes that I dumped celery seed and salt on. I'll eat that and some fruit for lunch and it will hold me until 5 or 6 when we have dinner. Granted it's a rather large portion of potatoes


----------



## Lurcherlad

ouesi said:


> That depends on what you put on your baked potato
> 
> Don't quote me because I'm going by vague memory, but something about adding animal fats (butter, cream etc.) to the potato makes the GI spike. However when you eat the potato plain it doesn't have the same effect on your blood sugar.
> 
> We like baked potatoes with bean salsa on top
> I make a mix up of black beans, tomatoes, veggies (bell pepper, cuke, onions...) season with some garlic powder and cumin, add a little avocado, even blend the avocado in the blender to make a dressing. It's yummy
> If I'm pressed for time, I'll just dump tomato salsa from a jar on top of a potato and that will keep me going for a good bit.
> 
> Today for lunch I brought some boiled potatoes that I dumped celery seed and salt on. I'll eat that and some fruit for lunch and it will hold me until 5 or 6 when we have dinner. Granted it's a rather large portion of potatoes


And I was told if you add cheese to a white baked potato the opposite happens. 

Whatever we get told today, no doubt someone will come along tomorrow and tell us noooo!

I give up - confused.com


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I know Dr Fuhrman isn't so keen on them though as he prefers higher nutrients per calorie and would prefer people to eat beans and veggies but I find I'm just too hungry without my whole grains although don't mind swapping one for potato.


OH and the kids eat a good bit of whole grain bread, but I rarely do. It just doesn't occur to me, so I figure my body doesn't really need it.
I do eat brown or wild rice (love wild rice) and lots of quinoa, but yes, I'm more of a Furhman type eater, I like my beans and veggies and I notice when I'm not getting enough.

So again, depends on the individual. For me, the variety of micronutrients keeps me sated and feeling good. I do have to make an effort to get enough starches, especially on days I put in more miles running (half marathon in January, clocking a lot of miles these days). But I do need the micronutrients to help in muscle recovery and endurance.


----------



## Guest

Lurcherlad said:


> And I was told if you add cheese to a white baked potato the opposite happens.
> 
> Whatever we get told today, no doubt someone will come along tomorrow and tell us noooo!
> 
> I give up - confused.com


I too remember being told to add cheese to baked potato because the protein will help it stay with me longer, but I always got hungry right after a baked potato with cheese. 
In fact I used to add cheese to all sorts of things as a vegetarian thinking I needed it for protein and to help me feel sated. Yet I would still get those moments where I was so hungry I felt light headed and queasy.

Now I focus on getting a variety of veggies, beans, lentils, and fruits, and meals stay with me. A good size bowl of veggies and a starch, and I'm good to go for hours.

Test it out on yourself. Figure out what works for you and your body.


----------



## LinznMilly

Has anyone seen the news today?

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5040138/eating-cheese-every-day-risk-stroke-heart-attack-study/

"
*Eating cheese every day could slash risk of stroke and heart attack, study shows*
A British study carried out earlier in the year also found that almost one million people saw no increased risk with regular cheese consumption

By Ellie Cambridge
1st December 2017, 12:06 am
Updated: 1st December 2017, 5:08 am
CHEESE lovers rejoice - eating a portion of the good stuff could reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, a study shows.

Chowing down on a daily portion of 40 grams can slash the chances of developing heart disease by a staggering 14 per cent.
Researchers in China found the same amount could lower the risk of a stroke by ten per cent.

A British study carried out earlier in the year also found that almost one million people saw no increased risk with regular cheese consumption.

Scientists at Reading University said their findings questioned years of public health advice on limiting dairy foods intake.

The British Heart Foundation says cheese is a good source of vital calcium, but a 30g portion can account for seven per cent of overall calorie intake in a day."
"

:Banghead :Banghead :Banghead

(I know it's The Sun, but people will believe it).


----------



## Guest

LinznMilly said:


> Has anyone seen the news today?
> 
> https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5040138/eating-cheese-every-day-risk-stroke-heart-attack-study/
> 
> "
> *Eating cheese every day could slash risk of stroke and heart attack, study shows*
> A British study carried out earlier in the year also found that almost one million people saw no increased risk with regular cheese consumption
> 
> By Ellie Cambridge
> 1st December 2017, 12:06 am
> Updated: 1st December 2017, 5:08 am
> CHEESE lovers rejoice - eating a portion of the good stuff could reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, a study shows.
> 
> Chowing down on a daily portion of 40 grams can slash the chances of developing heart disease by a staggering 14 per cent.
> Researchers in China found the same amount could lower the risk of a stroke by ten per cent.
> 
> A British study carried out earlier in the year also found that almost one million people saw no increased risk with regular cheese consumption.
> 
> Scientists at Reading University said their findings questioned years of public health advice on limiting dairy foods intake.
> 
> The British Heart Foundation says cheese is a good source of vital calcium, but a 30g portion can account for seven per cent of overall calorie intake in a day."
> "
> 
> :Banghead :Banghead :Banghead
> 
> (I know it's The Sun, but people will believe it).


:Banghead:Banghead:Banghead Is right!!!

I wonder who funded the study LOL


----------



## LinznMilly

ouesi said:


> :Banghead:Banghead:Banghead Is right!!!
> 
> I wonder who funded the study LOL


Great minds think alike.


----------



## catz4m8z

mmmmm, risotto for tea! Added lots of my favourite veggies, baby corn, courgettes, onion, sweet potato, wholegrain rice and tofu. Got that slightly gloopy risotto texture by adding a spoonful of hummus. So tasty I might make it again tomorrow...except with beans instead of tofu this time.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Has anyone seen the news today?
> 
> https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5040138/eating-cheese-every-day-risk-stroke-heart-attack-study/
> 
> "
> *Eating cheese every day could slash risk of stroke and heart attack, study shows*
> A British study carried out earlier in the year also found that almost one million people saw no increased risk with regular cheese consumption
> 
> By Ellie Cambridge
> 1st December 2017, 12:06 am
> Updated: 1st December 2017, 5:08 am
> CHEESE lovers rejoice - eating a portion of the good stuff could reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, a study shows.
> 
> Chowing down on a daily portion of 40 grams can slash the chances of developing heart disease by a staggering 14 per cent.
> Researchers in China found the same amount could lower the risk of a stroke by ten per cent.
> 
> A British study carried out earlier in the year also found that almost one million people saw no increased risk with regular cheese consumption.
> 
> Scientists at Reading University said their findings questioned years of public health advice on limiting dairy foods intake.
> 
> The British Heart Foundation says cheese is a good source of vital calcium, but a 30g portion can account for seven per cent of overall calorie intake in a day."
> "
> 
> :Banghead :Banghead :Banghead
> 
> (I know it's The Sun, but people will believe it).


A splendid attempt to muddy the waters and keep people confused and buying into the dairy industry. Will have a scout around and see what I can find out about it.


----------



## Guest

For those of you struggling with feeling hungry, have a look at some of the research on intermittent fasting.

I have been doing that for a while now (without realizing that's what I was doing), @Elles does it too, just her natural rhythm of eating. Which is apparently a more natural way to eat anyway. We didn't evolve to eat 3 times a day with snacks. We evolved to eat when food was available and to be okay when it wasn't.

BTW, I'm NOT talking about those fad-ish 5:2 diets etc. I'm talking about skipping breakfast and giving your body 14 to 16 hours without food. I do drink coffee and tea in the mornings, and of course water, but after years of forcing myself to eat something in the morning because that was the "healthy" thing to do, I finally said enough and did what my body much prefers, skip breakfast. I eat a piece of fruit around 10 or 11, and then lunch anywhere from 12 to 3pm. Then a hearty dinner, and I'm done until the next day.

There is some good research that shows the benefits of giving your body a rest from food for a prolonged period from hormone regulation to even cancer prevention. And the reason I mentioned it for those who struggle with always being hungry, it does seem to regulate hunger.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> For those of you struggling with feeling hungry, have a look at some of the research on intermittent fasting.
> 
> I have been doing that for a while now (without realizing that's what I was doing), @Elles does it too, just her natural rhythm of eating. Which is apparently a more natural way to eat anyway. We didn't evolve to eat 3 times a day with snacks. We evolved to eat when food was available and to be okay when it wasn't.
> 
> BTW, I'm NOT talking about those fad-ish 5:2 diets etc. I'm talking about skipping breakfast and giving your body 14 to 16 hours without food. I do drink coffee and tea in the mornings, and of course water, but after years of forcing myself to eat something in the morning because that was the "healthy" thing to do, I finally said enough and did what my body much prefers, skip breakfast. I eat a piece of fruit around 10 or 11, and then lunch anywhere from 12 to 3pm. Then a hearty dinner, and I'm done until the next day.
> 
> There is some good research that shows the benefits of giving your body a rest from food for a prolonged period from hormone regulation to even cancer prevention. And the reason I mentioned it for those who struggle with always being hungry, it does seem to regulate hunger.


I sort of do that - I eat my breakfast between 12 and 1 pm, just have a cup of coffee around 8 am and water until breakfast, partly because that is the first chance I get to sit down and eat but also because I'm not hungry earlier and want to get my oatmeal and berries in. Only difference is I still eat two other meals :Hilarious:Hilarious I'm so determined to fit in all the goodies I want to eat in a day and our main meal isn't until 10 pm.


----------



## catz4m8z

Think I might have cheated last night...but Im not sure!:Wideyed
Was really busy at work and as lots of patients were awake I ended up making countless cups of tea and coffee for them. I did one for me and gulped it down quickly and it was only a couple of hours later that I realiesed it tasted nicer then usual (I tend to make it black which I hate but I CBA taking soya milk to work) so I think I may have put cows milk in it!...meh, it was 3 or 4am, who knows! whoops!:Hilarious


----------



## Lurcherlad

FYI

Jamie & Jimmy's Friday Night Feast is veggie tonight on Channel 4 now.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@LinznMilly this just popped into my inbox - its a short presentation (5 mins) by Dr Greger about eczema and the foods to avoid - interestingly although cows milk is a big trigger it sounds like eggs are even more so


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> @LinznMilly this just popped into my inbox - its a short presentation (5 mins) by Dr Greger about eczema and the foods to avoid - interestingly although cows milk is a big trigger it sounds like eggs are even more so


Thanks for this, @rottiepointerhouse . I still have to watch the one about the heart problems (been out with man all day), but just watched that one above.

Interesting. I thought I noticed an improvement when I went veggie, but nothing as dramatic as cutting out dairy, and as milk and eggs are often in the same sorts of products (cakes, for example), I naturally cut out eggs as well.

And yes, mum did try switching me to goat's milk.


----------



## catz4m8z

Just annoyed my mother thanks to the vegan issue!:Shy On the phone and happened to mention the story in dog chat about the man who killed and ate a dog. Obviously saying how awful it was but also how people eat friendly, intelligent, cute animals everyday so is it morally any different?:Bored
She actually got quite angry and dismissive after agreeing that a pig for example was just as intelligent and friendly as a dog so why is it ok to eat them? Its weird how aggressive people can get when you challenge them and they secretly feel guilty about what they are doing, I just dont get it... I mean surely either you dont give a flying **** and so you will happily eat animals/drink milk no matter what I say or you acknowledge its wrong and stop doing it. 
Kinda like refusing to wear fur coz its morally wrong but being happy to eat burgers every day. weird.


----------



## LinznMilly

catz4m8z said:


> Just annoyed my mother thanks to the vegan issue!:Shy On the phone and happened to mention the story in dog chat about the man who killed and ate a dog. Obviously saying how awful it was but also how people eat friendly, intelligent, cute animals everyday so is it morally any different?:Bored
> She actually got quite angry and dismissive after agreeing that a pig for example was just as intelligent and friendly as a dog so why is it ok to eat them? Its weird how aggressive people can get when you challenge them and they secretly feel guilty about what they are doing, I just dont get it... I mean surely either you dont give a flying **** and so you will happily eat animals/drink milk no matter what I say or you acknowledge its wrong and stop doing it.
> Kinda like refusing to wear fur coz its morally wrong but being happy to eat burgers every day. weird.


It's hypocritical, for sure, but I don't think it's as black and white as you either don't give a crap about the animals slaughtered for food, or you've vegan/vegetarian. I felt guilty for years for eating meat, judging myself harshly, and justifying my own food choices to myself. When you're giving yourself a hard time about something, then the very last thing you want, or need, is for someone else to grill you over that same thing, and I don't find it difficult to see how or why someone already judging themselves harshly, might lash out at someone else for saying the same thing. If your mum is privately judging herself harshly, and feeling guilty for eating meat, and then you come along and say more or less the same thing as she's telling herself, then is it really surprising that she lashed out at you?

I remember years ago, when I was still young. Mum was eating an egg sandwich (I hate eggs - always have). Being a curious child, not yet fully aware of the birds and the bees, but aware enough that hens lay eggs, and that chicks hatch from the eggs, I asked her where the chick was that should have been in the egg. To this day, I remember her response. She stopped chewing, gulped the mouthful down, and said, "Lindsay! _Don't_ ask me that when I'm eating. An egg. Sandwich" :Smuggrin :Smuggrin .

I think, for some, it comes down to what is more important - their morality, or their taste buds.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> Just annoyed my mother thanks to the vegan issue!:Shy On the phone and happened to mention the story in dog chat about the man who killed and ate a dog. Obviously saying how awful it was but also how people eat friendly, intelligent, cute animals everyday so is it morally any different?:Bored
> She actually got quite angry and dismissive after agreeing that a pig for example was just as intelligent and friendly as a dog so why is it ok to eat them? Its weird how aggressive people can get when you challenge them and they secretly feel guilty about what they are doing, I just dont get it... I mean surely either you dont give a flying **** and so you will happily eat animals/drink milk no matter what I say or you acknowledge its wrong and stop doing it.
> Kinda like refusing to wear fur coz its morally wrong but being happy to eat burgers every day. weird.


I'm really trying to chill out a bit about what other people will or won't do, I think we all have to draw our own line in the sand and that line can shift at different times in our lives for different reasons  We were very heavily into animal rights in the 1980's, so much so that it became all consuming, it totally took over our lives and we both could as a result have lost our jobs/careers etc etc because of the particular path we felt drawn down. We were vegetarian for over 10 years and had a couple of attempts at being vegan but failed, although as others have said its so much easier to be vegan these days. We made a conscious decision to step away from it and concentrate on other things that wouldn't end up with a criminal record attached and over the years I think we did try to justify why we ate this and not that or why we voted how we did but I like the quote @ouesi always gives about each little bit people do being like pulling another thread from a jumper or the system which will eventually unravel. Personally I find the health side harder to deal with especially with family/friends but even there I've decided I can't change the world and negativity will not improve my health so I'm trying to follow Doug Lisle's advice which is to "get along without going along", my Mum was the main cause of arguments and distress to me because of her multiple chronic health problems so now when she tells me of something awful she has been eating I interrupt her immediately and say please don't tell me, I find it too upsetting and change the subject. If she wants advice she only has to ask and she knows I will help her and send her anything she needs but I'm not going to keep fighting with her.


----------



## catz4m8z

LinznMilly said:


> It's hypocritical, for sure, but I don't think it's as black and white as you either don't give a crap about the animals slaughtered for food, or you've vegan/vegetarian. I felt guilty for years for eating meat,


I think thats what confuses me TBH! I _didnt_ feel guilty for years and pretty much figured animals were there to be eaten or milked, etc so for me it sort of was black and white!LOL I suppose I dont get that idea of having your eyes half open....

@rottiepointerhouse, it sounds like you used to be quite militant! I dont mention the animal cruelty side of things that much really, although its the biggest issue for me. I might recommend things to watch or read but I dont push it down peoples throats. I think thats why my mothers comments made me think. I was just mentioning how we view animals differrently in a 'isnt it odd' kind of way and clearly tripped a big guilt trigger for her!LOL


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> I think thats what confuses me TBH! I _didnt_ feel guilty for years and pretty much figured animals were there to be eaten or milked, etc so for me it sort of was black and white!LOL I suppose I dont get that idea of having your eyes half open....
> 
> @rottiepointerhouse, it sounds like you used to be quite militant! I dont mention the animal cruelty side of things that much really, although its the biggest issue for me. I might recommend things to watch or read but I dont push it down peoples throats. I think thats why my mothers comments made me think. I was just mentioning how we view animals differrently in a 'isnt it odd' kind of way and clearly tripped a big guilt trigger for her!LOL


No comment :Hilarious:Hilarious


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

View an interview given by Dr. Alan Goldhamer as part of the iThrive! online documentary series: "Rising from the Depths of Diabetes and Obesity", in November 2017

*Escaping The Pleasure Trap and The Nightmare of Food Addiction*






Its just over half an hour long and well worth a watch - I find him very inspiring 

ETA I love the bit about ice cream, never thought of that before but so true, if you let it melt it tastes sickly sweet and not nice but when its frozen you don't taste how sweet it really is.

They ask women if they would prefer mad passionate sex or chocolate and the two most common responses - What kind of chocolate and how many pieces :Joyful:Joyful


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@LinznMilly another short video from Dr Greger about eczema - very similar information to the last one but he seems to be on a roll with these


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Dr Klaper is visiting New Zealand - few minute video of his interview - love it, this man is such an inspiration - still runs 8 k per day and kept those 3 in their place :Hilarious:Hilarious


----------



## ShibaPup

Really surprised by the koko original milk alternative - very slight coconut taste but it's rather nice and got a fuller taste like milk. I had previously tried almond milk, soya, rice and another coconut milk alternative and I really didn't like any, strong tastes and rather watery!


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Dr Klaper is visiting New Zealand - few minute video of his interview - love it, this man is such an inspiration - still runs 8 k per day and kept those 3 in their place :Hilarious:Hilarious


I love it  
I really like Dr. Klaper and Dr. Greger. I tend to follow Furhman's type of eating, but I just can't stand to listen to the man speak (or look at him) I just get a really off-putting vibe off him :Bag
But I'll listen to Klaper and Greger all day. I find them engaging, encouraging and interesting.

And yes, these doctors, they practice what they preach and they themselves become the proof. They look great, and exude vitality and health. The proof is in the pudding if you will


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I love it
> I really like Dr. Klaper and Dr. Greger. I tend to follow Furhman's type of eating, but I just can't stand to listen to the man speak (or look at him) I just get a really off-putting vibe off him :Bag
> But I'll listen to Klaper and Greger all day. I find them engaging, encouraging and interesting.
> 
> And yes, these doctors, they practice what they preach and they themselves become the proof. They look great, and exude vitality and health. The proof is in the pudding if you will


I find Dr Furhman quite funny too but he has a "different" sense of humour. Have you seen this short video of him ice skating?






He is about 64 now and that was 7 years ago. The photo at the end is him and his sister when they were competing.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I find Dr Furhman quite funny too but he has a "different" sense of humour. Have you seen this short video of him ice skating?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> He is about 64 now and that was 7 years ago. The photo at the end is him and his sister when they were competing.


Ha ha, that just made me find him even more pompous :Hilarious
I'm sure he's a lovely man, just goes to show how peculiar we can be about our tastes


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Ha ha, that just made me find him even more pompous :Hilarious
> I'm sure he's a lovely man, just goes to show how peculiar we can be about our tastes


:Jawdrop:Jawdrop :Joyful pompous. Actually he has got a lot of enemies even within the plant based world, I think he is a bit like marmite. His books are absolutely brilliant though. I've just finished reading Fast Food Genocide and learnt so much from it I'm going to have to read it again


----------



## Magyarmum

I'm getting really frustrated because the sound has packed on my laptop and no matter what I do I can't get it back. It's so annoying because I want to watch the videos RPH has posted. Ah well, I think it calls for a trip to the computer shop to ask if they can fix it as soon as I can get my car onto the road - the driveway is under a layer of snow at the moment!

I thought this looked interesting! Don't know about anyone else but I love Pierogi. When I was in the UK I used to buy them from the Polish counter in Asda and they were always a great favourite with the family!

https://www.thespruce.com/no-egg-no-dairy-pierogi-dough-recipe-1136816


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Hope you get your computer fixed soon and can have a listen to the videos @Magyarmum, that must be very frustrating.

Tried a new meal last night and really enjoyed it.

https://www.riverford.co.uk/bop/recipes/view/recipe/teriyaki-tofu-bowl

Wouldn't bother with jasmine rice and cooking it in coconut milk again as I found it a bit heavy and not worth the effort but we loved the kale cooked in the oven and crispy - pretty sure that is what they make crispy seaweed with in Chinese restaurants. Will have that again but might add some ginger to it - my OH tolerates kale but doesn't really like it but he did like it done in the oven (tossed in a teaspoon of sesame oil first). So rice, marinated tofu pieces baked in oven, crispy kale, stir fried shiitake mushrooms and chilli/garlic/teriyaki sauce with this little salad of raw shredded brussel sprouts with chilli, teaspoon of brown sugar and some rice vinegar all sprinkled with some sesame seeds to serve.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Something I've never given any thought to before - may well be quite controversial but thought it worth posting. She starts talking about vaccine ingredients at 4.17


----------



## CRL

__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1727529850651365



For anyone who likes Nutella.


----------



## Jonescat

What the NHS says about vaccine ingredients:
https://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vaccinations/Pages/vaccine-ingredients.aspx

and what the University of Oxford has to say:
http://vk.ovg.ox.ac.uk/vaccine-ingredients

Make sure you research what is in vaccines in your country, as the various drug control regimes don't all have the same requirements.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Jonescat said:


> What the NHS says about vaccine ingredients:
> https://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vaccinations/Pages/vaccine-ingredients.aspx
> 
> and what the University of Oxford has to say:
> http://vk.ovg.ox.ac.uk/vaccine-ingredients
> 
> Make sure you research what is in vaccines in your country, as the various drug control regimes don't all have the same requirements.


Thank you interesting reading and like I say something I have seriously not considered before sticking my arm out for my flu vaccine every year. I think some people will be quite shocked by some of the list including

The cell-lines used (called WI-38 and MRC-5) were started in the 1960s using small quantities of lung cells taken from two aborted foetuses. The abortions were legal and agreed to by the mothers, but they were not performed for the purpose of vaccine development. The original foetal cells have long since disappeared. Because these cell-lines still exist nearly 50 years later, no other foetuses are needed to make human cell-lines for growing these vaccine viruses.


----------



## LinznMilly

@Magyarmum ... Your Asda had a _Polish_ counter?! :Wideyed sorry about the computer, though. Hope you get it fixed soon. Those dumplings do look nice.

@rottiepointehouse - thanks for posting those videos. I watched them all when I got home last night (mam had hospital appointments, and we both had shopping to do).

I've just finished my first ever attempt at homemade pizza. :Woot I used a recipe from Dr Fuhrman's _Super Immunity,_ with pitta bread as the base. The topping was mixed veg, mixed peppers, kale, mushrooms and onions. :Hungry

I'm not a big fan of cheese, so did without. 

Definitely one to try again.


----------



## Guest

I'm a big believer in vaccinations, and I wear my smallpox vaccine scar with pride as generations after me don't even know what it is. 
However, I'm also a believer in knowledgeable vaccination. 
I never get a flu vaccine and this is one of the many reasons why. 
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/this-years-flu-vaccine-may-only-be-10-effective-experts-warn/


----------



## Jonescat

Here, we are not routinely advised to get a flu vaccine unless you fall in to key risk groups, but I do agree that as with all things - if you don't need it, or the benefit isn't clear, don't take it.
https://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vaccinations/Pages/flu-influenza-vaccine.aspx


----------



## Jonescat

Our Asda has the best "world food" section of all the supermarkets - it goes beyond brands that are aimed at introducing novices to a cuisine, and seems to sell brands that people from other countries would normally use. Lots of good food there and lots of it e.g. the beans,oil and rice come in big containers.

I got distracted from the Ethiopian cabbage and made this instead (South African Yellow Rice)
https://www.africanbites.com/south-african-yellow-rice/
and this (spicy chick peas) 
https://oldwayspt.org/recipes/african-heritage-spicy-chickpeas, but the cabbage is still on its way...


----------



## Cleo38

Tonight have a Spanish omelette (made with the eggs from my chickens) & a green salad with roast beetroot chunks ...... mmmm!


----------



## Guest

In other news, even when life gets ridiculous (on week 2 of not getting home before 10pm and starting the day at 5am) I'm still managing whole food, nutrient rich meals even on the run. 
In fact if it weren't for the healthy meals I don't think I'd make it LOL!

Monday while I was making morning coffee I boiled up some quinoa in salsa, let it sit with some spinach wilting in to it while I went for a run. Added some canned lentils and that has been my lunch for three days now. But the combo of salsa (with lots of diced veggies), quinoa, spinach, and lentils is chock-full of nutrients and enough bulk to keep me going without weighing me down. 
Dinners have been mostly grabbing fruit and a heel of bread with some avocado and more beans. Thank goodness for canned beans these days or I would starve LOL!


----------



## ShibaPup

Really surprised how easy it is - I love, love, LOVE how I'm not always hungry straight after eating!!


----------



## Cleo38

ShibaPup said:


> Really surprised how easy it is - I love, love, LOVE how I'm not always hungry straight after eating!!


Me too ... am eating more structured meals now rather than waiting ill I'm starving then stuffing my face. I have planned meals, made nicer, more exciting ones, put alot more thought in to what I'm having (I do this for the dogs but not myself usually!), & am really enjoying eating better food, I honestly don't feel I am missing anything .... was worried about cheese alot at first.

In a week I've lost half a stone which is great, I probably need to lose 1 1/2 in total. As I have back problems & a tendency for high blood pressure then being lighter will beneficial for me healthwise.


----------



## Guest

Awesome news @ShibaPup and @Cleo38 

I really do think a lot of the hunger we experience on standard western diets is due to a lack of nutrients more than a lack of calories. 
It's real, physical hunger, but it's not sated with more packaged, processed foods because they're so lacking in those important micronutients, phytonutrients, all that good stuff that our bodies crave. 
When you start giving your body the whole foods and the nutrition they provide, you really do feel totally different. There really is such a thing as a spinach craving LOL


----------



## Cleo38

ouesi said:


> Awesome news @ShibaPup and @Cleo38
> 
> I really do think a lot of the hunger we experience on standard western diets is due to a lack of nutrients more than a lack of calories.
> It's real, physical hunger, but it's not sated with more packaged, processed foods because they're so lacking in those important micronutients, phytonutrients, all that good stuff that our bodies crave.
> When you start giving your body the whole foods and the nutrition they provide, you really do feel totally different. There really is such a thing as a spinach craving LOL


Oh definitely & with me I was trying to avoid carbs completely but this then made me binge on them when I did eat them (am a real carb lover!!) & eat them in an unhealthy way (usually with LOADS of butter or cheese). Now I am having them every day (& not with all the processed fats), I'm not craving them at all & feel my meals are more complete. I know some people swear by high protein & very low carb diets but it really didn't suit me at all.


----------



## Magyarmum

ouesi said:


> Awesome news @ShibaPup and @Cleo38
> 
> I really do think a lot of the hunger we experience on standard western diets is due to a lack of nutrients more than a lack of calories.
> It's real, physical hunger, but it's not sated with more packaged, processed foods because they're so lacking in those important micronutients, phytonutrients, all that good stuff that our bodies crave.
> When you start giving your body the whole foods and the nutrition they provide, you really do feel totally different. *There really is such a thing as a spinach craving LOL *


I know exactly what you mean! I ran out of fresh spinach and curly kale last week but we've had snow and fog and the only place I can get both veggies is Tesco which is a 100 mile round trip. This morning as the weather looked promising and at long last I reckoned sufficient snow had disappeared off my drive to let me open the gates I decided to drive to the big city! Bundled the dogs in the car and off we went only to get two thirds of way before running into a real pea souper fog! No way was I turning back having come so far and fortunately once we hit the city centre the fog had cleared.

Two hours later, shopping done, a fortune spent but more importantly kale. spinach purchased I went to load my goodies into the car feeling very pleased with myself .... only to find the fog had descended with a vengeance and you could hardly see your hand in front of your face! What a shame, I thought having spent all that money and finally got my precious veggies, if I'm killed on the way back I'll never get to enjoy them and will have wasted all that money! To cut a long story short, I ploughed my way slowly through the fog (sometimes with my heart in my mouth) and much to my relief arrived home safely! And tomorrow all being well I'll enjoy some kale and spinach for dinner!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Its apples with me, a big red shiny apple calls my name every single day, when I was foolish enough to do low carb it was the crunch of apples I missed the most.


----------



## Guest

Magyarmum said:


> I know exactly what you mean! I ran out of fresh spinach and curly kale last week but we've had snow and fog and the only place I can get both veggies is Tesco which is a 100 mile round trip. This morning as the weather looked promising and at long last I reckoned sufficient snow had disappeared off my drive to let me open the gates I decided to drive to the big city! Bundled the dogs in the car and off we went only to get two thirds of way before running into a real pea souper fog! No way was I turning back having come so far and fortunately once we hit the city centre the fog had cleared.
> 
> Two hours later, shopping done, a fortune spent but more importantly kale. spinach purchased I went to load my goodies into the car feeling very pleased with myself .... only to find the fog had descended with a vengeance and you could hardly see your hand in front of your face! What a shame, I thought having spent all that money and finally got my precious veggies, if I'm killed on the way back I'll never get to enjoy them and will have wasted all that money! To cut a long story short, I ploughed my slowly through the fog (sometimes with my heart in my mouth) and much to my relief arrived home safely! And tomorrow all being well I'll enjoy some kale and spinach for dinner!


Oh my! I can totally picture that! Glad you got home safely! 
Yup, she did it all for the spinach LOL 



Cleo38 said:


> Oh definitely & with me I was trying to avoid carbs completely but this then made me binge on them when I did eat them (am a real carb lover!!) & eat them in an unhealthy way (usually with LOADS of butter or cheese). Now I am having them every day (& not with all the processed fats), I'm not craving them at all & feel my meals are more complete. I know some people swear by high protein & very low carb diets but it really didn't suit me at all.


Yes, not being afraid of carbs has been an epiphany here too, and makes a huge difference in how I feel and not having those days where you seem to need to eat anything not nailed down.

I try to make sure I have some sort of whole food carb at every meal. Potatoes, sweet potatoes and quinoa are my main staples (maybe I'm part Inca? :Woot). I'm also noticing I'm not as interested in the more white flour bread, pasta, or white rice. I mean, I'll eat it, but it's not my first choice. 
I've slowly transitioned the rest of the family to half brown, half white rice when I make rice, and lo and behold, they like the "mix" rice better. "But not all brown mom!" 
Transitioning to brown pasta has not been as successful, but I really can't complain as well as my kids eat their veggies and fruits. The white pasta with tons of veggies is still good.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Important new data regarding diet and MS


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I wasn't sure whether to start a new thread in General Chat about this but on reflection thought I would leave it until the New Year when people might be more up for looking at health issues. However I wanted to share it here as I'm currently reading this book

*A revolutionary, proven program for reversing the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline from award winning neurologists and codirectors of the Brain Health and Alzheimer's Prevention Program at Loma Linda University Medical Center*

https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062666499/the-alzheimers-solution

_The Alzheimer's Solution_, is the best, most professionally informed book of its kind for this much feared disease…the protocol recommended by Drs. Dean and Ayesha Sherzai is a very important message to convey to the public. Please, read this book." - *-T. Colin Campbell, coauthor of The China Study*

"...an insightful, instructive, and easy-to-read book on Alzheimer's disease and its links to diet and lifestyle choices. I highly recommend it." - *-Khaled Hosseini, bestselling author of The Kite Runner*

In this thorough, thoughtful, empowering, and timely book, leading experts Dean and Ayesha Sherzai tell you everything you need to know to mind the health of your brain, and defend yourself against one of the great scourges of modern living. Every family should own, and apply, _The Alzheimer's Solution_. - *-David Katz, M.D., founding director of Yale University's Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, current President of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, and theauthor of Disease-Proof*<

"_The Alzheimer's Solution _is an empowering guide to the lifestyle factors that are directly linked to cognitive decline. Thanks to Drs. Dean and Ayesha Sherzai, we finally have a roadmap to prevent and reverse symptoms of a disease that has been misunderstood for too long." - *-Dan Buettner, National Geographic Fellow and New York Times Bestselling author of the Blue Zones Solution: Eating and Living Like the World's Longest-lived People*

"Excellent nutrition trumps heart attacks and strokes. The same is true of Alzheimer's, it is not predominantly genetic or the inevitable consequence of aging. _The Alzheimer's Solution_ supplies everything you need to know about the development and prevention of this easily avoidable disease." - *-Joel Fuhrman, M.D. Six time New York Times Best-selling author, President, Nutritional Research Foundation*

"Increasing scientific evidence indicates that the same lifestyle changes that prevent and reverse heart disease and other chronic conditions may help prevent and even reverse the progression of early-stage Alzheimer's disease as well. _The Alzheimer's Solution_ shows you how." - *-Dean Ornish, Founder & President of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute and author of Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease and The Spectrum*

I'm also watching this interview with the authors, its a long video and so I'm only watching it in sections but its such important information and they are so positive and inspiring about the whole subject which makes such a refreshing change so I wanted to share it here first and will think about doing a thread in General Chat in the New Year. I think you already know/like Rich Roll @ouesi


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I think you already know/like Rich Roll @ouesi


I do and I really like his podcasts when I get a chance to listen to him.
I find him and his story so inspiring, and of course he's such a great example of what a WFPB diet can do for you physically.


----------



## Cleo38

Not a recipe but I had an Alpro Go-On mango 'yoghurt' today ..... it was bloody lovely. Not something I would have chosen usually but they were on offer in Asda


----------



## ShibaPup

I have some grilled pepper couscous and tomato & basil couscous not quite sure what to do for a meal with it... any ideas?



Cleo38 said:


> Not a recipe but I had an Alpro Go-On mango 'yoghurt' today ..... it was bloody lovely. Not something I would have chosen usually but they were on offer in Asda


Alpro Go-On yoghurts are delicious - as are the koko ones!


----------



## Magyarmum

ShibaPup said:


> I have some grilled pepper couscous and tomato & basil couscous not quite sure what to do for a meal with it... any ideas?


You could do some roasted veggies with it

http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/534904/roasted-vegetable-couscous


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ShibaPup said:


> I have some grilled pepper couscous and tomato & basil couscous not quite sure what to do for a meal with it... any ideas?
> 
> Alpro Go-On yoghurts are delicious - as are the koko ones!


You could use the couscous to stuff a pepper or half a butternut squash or just serve it with something like falafels and salad.


----------



## Guest

ShibaPup said:


> I have some grilled pepper couscous and tomato & basil couscous not quite sure what to do for a meal with it... any ideas?


I like couscous cold in a salad, if you have some fresh veggies to chop up and throw over some greens, add the couscous on top maybe?

There is some new craze with shakes going on on FB. Some sort of 21 day shake challenge that several of my friends are posting about.
Does anyone remember slimfast? This is basically the same thing. You replace a meal (or 3) with one of these shakes. The 21 day challenge is no food, just shakes and water for 21 days 

We really, _really_ need to return to eating real food.
The more I educate myself on WFPB eating, the more frustrated I get with the general confusion and misinformation so prevalent on social media and the mainstream media as well. 
Like these shakes - they're billed as "nutritionally complete" yet not one single whole food in the shakes, so no phytonutrients, and what about the fact that we don't really know what "nutritionally complete" even means? We're still discovering nutrients and their role in our health. At least eating real food from plants we know we stand a much better chance of giving our bodies everything they need to function properly.

And of course, must have the protein! These shakes have casein - and the shakes are supposed to be made with cow's milk. 
Now, if you look at online reviews, most warn against the soy protein isolate, yet no mention of the huge casein consumption while on these shakes.

No one is going to listen to the jerk who rains on their 21 day challenge parade and has anything negative to say about their shakes that they probably spent a small fortune on, but I hate to see so many people struggling too. You know any weight lost will come right back on... And still no true health gained...

Just *sigh*


----------



## ShibaPup

The more I'm learning about WFPB eating - the more I dislike all the fads. I find it a bit shocking, people looking for a quick fix but it doesn't help anything long term.

A lot of my friends use shakes that are promoted on Instagram
"The Slender Blend is a GMO free high protein, low fat and low carb meal replacement drink. Replacing two meals per day with one serving of the Slender Blend can attribute to a healthy weight loss of up to four pounds per week."​They also use high caffeine supplements that are promoted for weight loss - I think it's utterly nuts. 
"When used as part of a healthy diet and exercise regime, can help support your exercise routines with increased metabolism and calorie burn.

A High Caffeine Supplement delivered via Natural Caffeine from Coffee Bean Extract, Green Coffee, Guarana, Cocoa and Kola with the additional support of Green Tea, Cayenne, Acetyl Carnitine, Bioperine® and Niacin."​Reality stars advertising their weight loss shakes and supplements - people are out there looking for the magic pill or drink without knowing it is already there in front of them! No tablet needed. Just plant based whole foods.


----------



## Cleo38

I was given one of those shake/meal replacements as a free sample ..... I can't remember which one but it was vile! I can stomach pretty much anything but even I couldn't finish it & would rather go without than have to consume one of those. It tasted so processed, thick, almost foamy & sugary so much so that I actually felt quite ill afterwards.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Healthy Nachos


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I like couscous cold in a salad, if you have some fresh veggies to chop up and throw over some greens, add the couscous on top maybe?
> 
> There is some new craze with shakes going on on FB. Some sort of 21 day shake challenge that several of my friends are posting about.
> Does anyone remember slimfast? This is basically the same thing. You replace a meal (or 3) with one of these shakes. The 21 day challenge is no food, just shakes and water for 21 days
> 
> We really, _really_ need to return to eating real food.
> The more I educate myself on WFPB eating, the more frustrated I get with the general confusion and misinformation so prevalent on social media and the mainstream media as well.
> Like these shakes - they're billed as "nutritionally complete" yet not one single whole food in the shakes, so no phytonutrients, and what about the fact that we don't really know what "nutritionally complete" even means? We're still discovering nutrients and their role in our health. At least eating real food from plants we know we stand a much better chance of giving our bodies everything they need to function properly.
> 
> And of course, must have the protein! These shakes have casein - and the shakes are supposed to be made with cow's milk.
> Now, if you look at online reviews, most warn against the soy protein isolate, yet no mention of the huge casein consumption while on these shakes.
> 
> No one is going to listen to the jerk who rains on their 21 day challenge parade and has anything negative to say about their shakes that they probably spent a small fortune on, but I hate to see so many people struggling too. You know any weight lost will come right back on... And still no true health gained...
> 
> Just *sigh*


I think all you can do is let them try it and find out for themselves how bad they feel when the constipation and lack of energy and sheer boredom set in. In the mean time maybe keep positing about how fantastic you feel with your WFPB eating, how it helps you to work/run a home and train without running out of energy and perhaps post some links to great vegan examples like Rich Roll and this guy Josh Lajaunie (who was inspired by Rich Roll) and hope they work it out for themselves


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Just come across this recent interview with Dr Fuhrman about Fast Food Genocide - it really is such an interesting book


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Raise the Flag with a vegan diet


----------



## Cleo38

But I think people will only make the change when they feel ready .....but a certain amount of subtle encouragement is great & was just what I needed! as well as the animal cruelty issue which was the main reason for me changing my diet I have also been reading more about gut health being linked to anxiety/depression & finally acknowledging that I need to do something now.

Since losing Toby in January I haven't been looking after myself as much as I could have; have put on weight due to eating too many biscuits/chocolate & drinking too much, etc which has then made my back problems worse which then makes me even more depressed & angry .... which then affects my blood pressure (which has been dangerously high so have been on medication) so things have spiralled & although not as bad as the beginning of the year I have felt things starting to slip again so I needed to change.

I also know that I can't rely on medication to sort things as these have side effects & really aren't resolving the issue so I need to be more proactive & need to take a bit more control again. So ..... new diet & more exercise which has definitely helped with depression (am really struggling atm as I miss Toby so much) & better food is helping so much more than I ever thought. I think I am at an age now (46) where although I am not ancient I am not young & I need to take better care of myself or risk my health.

ETA:And it has been easy making the change I eat more now than I did before & I honestly don't miss out on 'nice' things at all!!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> But I think people will only make the change when they feel ready .....but a certain amount of subtle encouragement is great & was just what I needed! as well as the animal cruelty issue which was the main reason for me changing my diet I have also been reading more about gut health being linked to anxiety/depression & finally acknowledging that I need to do something now.
> 
> Since losing Toby in January I haven't been looking after myself as much as I could have; have put on weight due to eating too many biscuits/chocolate & drinking too much, etc which has then made my back problems worse which then makes me even more depressed & angry .... which then affects my blood pressure (which has been dangerously high so have been on medication) so things have spiralled & although not as bad as the beginning of the year I have felt things starting to slip again so I needed to change.
> 
> I also know that I can't rely on medication to sort things as these have side effects & really aren't resolving the issue so I need to be more proactive & need to take a bit more control again. So ..... new diet & more exercise which has definitely helped with depression (am really struggling atm as I miss Toby so much) & better food is helping so much more than I ever thought. I think I am at an age now (46) where although I am not ancient I am not young & I need to take better care of myself or risk my health.
> 
> ETA:And it has been easy making the change I eat more now than I did before & I honestly don't miss out on 'nice' things at all!!


There is definite evidence that the WFPB diet helps with mood/mental health in addition to blood pressure so I'm sure your improvements will continue and hopefully you will be able to get off the medication. My OH's BP was 150/100 before he joined me eating this way and it started to fall within days - last night his reading was 107/56. Mine was nothing like as high as his to start with and is now routinely 110/68 but mine is much more susceptible to stress and me getting worked up about things so learning to cope with stress better and to unwind more is part of my list of things to work on. Sounds like you are well on your way to regaining your health, well done.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I think all you can do is let them try it and find out for themselves how bad they feel when the constipation and lack of energy and sheer boredom set in. In the mean time maybe keep positing about how fantastic you feel with your WFPB eating, how it helps you to work/run a home and train without running out of energy and perhaps post some links to great vegan examples like Rich Roll and this guy Josh Lajaunie (who was inspired by Rich Roll) and hope they work it out for themselves


I love stories like this 

I think unfortunately there is a lot of mentality still that this way of eating is "weird" and not for 'normal' people leading 'normal' lives.
Most people who know me well enough that I would have a conversation about how I eat, already know me as someone who's kind of "out there" anyway. I don't go with the crowd on a lot of things, and this is just one more way of me being weird. So it becomes easier to dismiss. 
I've always not eaten meat, not many people see the difference between vegetarian and focusing on whole plant foods.

Plus I don't have any great transformation or success to show. No meds I no longer need, no disease halted or reversed. I just feel good. Most people my age don't run at all, so me going on about how much better my recovery is these days means nothing to them.

But I do continue to throw tidbits out there when it seems to make sense and might stand a chance of being heard. Like a coworker who had been struggling with a lingering cold and bronchitis for about a month, I asked her if she has tried cutting out dairy for a while and see if that makes a difference. She did, and it did. So that hopefully planted a seed...

It's so ubiquitous though, all the misleading and downright wrong information that is just taken as gospel. It's so frustrating to see it everywhere and see people struggling with health and wellness knowing you have a viable, doable answer for them, but you'll be brushed off as some weirdo for suggesting it...


----------



## ShibaPup

I think it might be because vegans/vegetarians are IMO strongly linked to animal rights activists/fanatics... I'll be honest I did think think such diets, more so vegan were fanatical :Shy They still can come across that way by some.

IMO again it also seemed difficult - especially if you think about what you can't eat rather than what you can but in reality, with a little planning or experimentation it really isn't that difficult at all and this week, I've eaten a huge variety of foods - previously I probably wouldn't have eaten such a variety even in a few months.

I thought it would be expensive - compared to my usual weekly shop it was a little more expensive BUT my fridge is still full (previous eating style, it would have been empty by now) I won't be needing a shop next week so it's actually a lot cheaper.

Thought I'd be hungry or miss foods but I don't, I haven't felt hungry after a meal and I don't miss any foods.

Not only that, I feel like I have more energy - previously I would start to struggle through heavy, physical tasks but I haven't.

Anyone interested should give it a try it - I thought it might have been a bit fanatical, hyped up but so far I'm happy and glad I've taken the steps to change my eating habits.

Thank you for starting the thread @rottiepointerhouse and to everyone who has taken part, offered advice and recipes - without it I wouldn't have ever heard about WFPB eating.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I love stories like this
> 
> I think unfortunately there is a lot of mentality still that this way of eating is "weird" and not for 'normal' people leading 'normal' lives.
> Most people who know me well enough that I would have a conversation about how I eat, already know me as someone who's kind of "out there" anyway. I don't go with the crowd on a lot of things, and this is just one more way of me being weird. So it becomes easier to dismiss.
> I've always not eaten meat, not many people see the difference between vegetarian and focusing on whole plant foods.
> 
> Plus I don't have any great transformation or success to show. No meds I no longer need, no disease halted or reversed. I just feel good. Most people my age don't run at all, so me going on about how much better my recovery is these days means nothing to them.
> 
> But I do continue to throw tidbits out there when it seems to make sense and might stand a chance of being heard. Like a coworker who had been struggling with a lingering cold and bronchitis for about a month, I asked her if she has tried cutting out dairy for a while and see if that makes a difference. She did, and it did. So that hopefully planted a seed...
> 
> It's so ubiquitous though, all the misleading and downright wrong information that is just taken as gospel. It's so frustrating to see it everywhere and see people struggling with health and wellness knowing you have a viable, doable answer for them, but you'll be brushed off as some weirdo for suggesting it...


I've been very surprised at how much of an ambassador my OH has become  He is not your typical "Vegan" at all, he goes to work in his suit, white shirt and tie in a pretty smart/fast car and spends all day in and out of people's houses seeing first hand how people live. He often comes home and tells me he hasn't seen a single fruit or vegetable in some houses (yes he gets to look in cupboards too) although granted they might have them in the freezer and sometimes has really sad stories about people losing toes/legs to diabetes or disabled with arthritis or having to move to bungalows and nearer emergency facilities due to advanced heart disease. Its difficult for him to talk about diet unless they raise it as that is not the purpose of him being in their house and we don't want anyone to complain about him trying to influence their relatives but if they ask him how come he looks so fit and stays so trim then he tells them and also about his blood pressure/cholesterol coming down. Doubt they take it on board but you never know. A recurring theme seems to be people with advanced chronic ill health telling him how much they love cheese and couldn't do without it


----------



## catz4m8z

I still struggle with the whole food thing TBH although the vegan thing is no trouble at all thankfully!
I was fancying something like a meatloaf recently so today I had a little experiment and it came out really nice.
2 tins mashed kidney beans, a chopped red onion, grated carrot, a couple handfuls of oats and some soya milk to get the consistency. Seasoned with garlic, salt, cumin and paprika. All smooshed into a loaf tin and shoved in the oven.
Was really filling and very tasty....esp with a big pile of mash on the side!


----------



## Guest

Just saw this on FB. Loved the quote the first time I heard it watching Forks over Knives.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Just one big problem......

W I N D!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> Just one big problem......
> 
> W I N D!


:Hilarious:Hilarious In relation to anything in particular or in general?


----------



## LinznMilly

Lurcherlad said:


> Just one big problem......
> 
> W I N D!


:Hilarious :Hilarious. Are we to take it that you've been consuming beans recently?  Or are onions the cause of your windy problem? 

Speaking of beans I've successfully added edamame beans to my diet.


----------



## Lurcherlad

rottiepointerhouse said:


> :Hilarious:Hilarious In relation to anything in particular or in general?





LinznMilly said:


> :Hilarious :Hilarious. Are we to take it that you've been consuming beans recently?  Or are onions the cause of your windy problem?
> 
> Speaking of beans I've successfully added edamame beans to my diet.


Well, the increase in consumption of beans and pulses, as well as much more veg has greatly increased output, massively! :Hungover :Bag 

I expected a change but had hoped it might have settled by now.

I think a food diary is needed to identify if there are specific triggers. I suspect lentils and cabbage! Or maybe porridge? :Hilarious


----------



## Cleo38

ShibaPup said:


> I think it might be because vegans/vegetarians are IMO strongly linked to animal rights activists/fanatics... I'll be honest I did think think such diets, more so vegan were fanatical :Shy They still can come across that way by some.
> 
> IMO again it also seemed difficult - especially if you think about what you can't eat rather than what you can but in reality, with a little planning or experimentation it really isn't that difficult at all and this week, I've eaten a huge variety of foods - previously I probably wouldn't have eaten such a variety even in a few months.
> 
> I thought it would be expensive - compared to my usual weekly shop it was a little more expensive BUT my fridge is still full (previous eating style, it would have been empty by now) I won't be needing a shop next week so it's actually a lot cheaper.
> 
> Thought I'd be hungry or miss foods but I don't, I haven't felt hungry after a meal and I don't miss any foods.
> 
> Not only that, I feel like I have more energy - previously I would start to struggle through heavy, physical tasks but I haven't.
> 
> Anyone interested should give it a try it - I thought it might have been a bit fanatical, hyped up but so far I'm happy and glad I've taken the steps to change my eating habits.
> 
> Thank you for starting the thread @rottiepointerhouse and to everyone who has taken part, offered advice and recipes - without it I wouldn't have ever heard about WFPB eating.


I had to leave the FB groups, whilst they were initially good for showing just how many vegan options there now were unfortunately there were too many fantatics on them.The final straw was the promotion of vegan cat food which is is just dangerous.

My shopping bill as been similar though @ShibaPup, slightly more expensive but I have made so many meals (lots still in the freezer) as well as lots of frozen veg ,pulses& beans, potatoes, rice, etc so don't need to go shopping again at all this week


----------



## Magyarmum

Lurcherlad said:


> Well, the increase in consumption of beans and pulses, as well as much more veg has greatly increased output, massively! :Hungover :Bag
> 
> I expected a change but had hoped it might have settled by now.
> 
> I think a food diary is needed to identify if there are specific triggers. I suspect lentils and cabbage! :Hilarious


It could also be caused by the spices you're using. I find paprika in my food gives me wind, which is rather ironic living in Hungary where they put paprika in everything ! It's actually only the Hungarian hot paprika that affects me, not the sweet one but I can eat a hot curry or chili without any problem! Soya is something else that gives me an upset stomach and I avoid like the plague!

I think it takes some time to work out exactly what suits your particular digestive system. Mine was thrown into chaos after suffering from a perforated gastric ulcer earlier this year - a long story and a shock because I wasn't aware I had an ulcer! I was given the all clear the middle of May this year, but struggled with my diet until shortly after RPH started this thread and my son decided to become a pescatarian!

In July I cut out all meat and fish but not dairy, and at that time I was still on 2 Pantoprazole (proton pump inhibitor) a day. By September on my "new" diet I was able to cut them down to 1 a day without any ill effects. Since then I've consulted a gastroenterologist and after being tested was diagnosed with helicobacter pylori infection, which is most likely what caused the gastric ulcer. Next week I start on a two week course of antibiotics which (fingers crossed) will clear up the infection and any digestive problems I've suffered from as a result. All being well I should be finished with the medication as well!

I have to say I've never felt so well for years as I have since turning into a "veggie"! I no longer smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol or crave biscuits, chocolates although I still enjoy my fruit yoghourts and the occasional gooey cake. I'm sleeping like a log and have far more energy than before - at 78 years old I feel like I'm 50 again which can't be bad!

When I went shopping on Thursday I treated myself to a pack of 4 Portabello mushrooms and last night had one for my dinner. I stuffed it with spinach, lightly wilted in a skillet with finely chopped shallot, garlic and chopped tomato mixed a few breadcrumbs and shredded cheese, then baked in the oven with some tiny roasted potatoes. Really delicious! I also made a side salad of haricot beans mixed with tomatoes, cucumber, diakon, spring onion and avocado all mixed into a mayonnaise based dressing and served on a bed of mixed salad leaves!


----------



## catz4m8z

LinznMilly said:


> Speaking of beans I've successfully added edamame beans to my diet.


Not bad are they? Ive got frozen in and I like to do a mix of edamame, broad beans and peas for dinner (which is also a nice sandwich filling if smooshed up with some mint!).



Cleo38 said:


> I had to leave the FB groups, whilst they were initially good for showing just how many vegan options there now were unfortunately there were too many fantatics on them.The final straw was the promotion of vegan cat food which is is just dangerous.


yeah, I dont get the cat thing. I know some people do feed their cats vegan diets but IMO there really isnt enough research into the long term side effects of doing that. Would be nice if they perfected vegan cat food or even laboratory produced meats though for kitties!
Luckily dogs are easier, pretty much the same as I eat only with more legumes!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> Well, the increase in consumption of beans and pulses, as well as much more veg has greatly increased output, massively! :Hungover :Bag
> 
> I expected a change but had hoped it might have settled by now.
> 
> I think a food diary is needed to identify if there are specific triggers. I suspect lentils and cabbage! Or maybe porridge? :Hilarious


My money would be on the beans and pulses because they contain a lot of resistant and slowly digested starch which ferments in the colon (which is how they form anti cancer compounds) . I did post some advice about wind/bloating somewhere on here but I can't remember where I got it from - basically the advice was to start slowly with pulses and increase the amount a tablespoon at a time as tolerated and also a probiotic might help to establish the gut bacteria that will help with digestion. Eventually your gut bacteria do adapt (unless you have been taking antibiotics) but unfortunately for a lot of people wind can be a bit of an ongoing issue.


----------



## Magyarmum

Here's an article that might help!

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/avoid-gas-from-beans.html


----------



## Jonescat

@Magyarmum - have tried the Ethiopian cabbage now and it was really tasty, and a great winter warmer. Definitely will have it again.

My experiences with wind are that you need to start with white beans and build up to red/brown/black, but also need to look at your cooking methods. I never use the water the beans were soaked in (including the water canned beans come with), rinse really well, and use a pressure cooker (and rinse again). This gets rids of some of the oligosaccharides we can't digest in the stomach - because we don't have the enzyme. The food passes to the gut where it is digested by bacteria, but produces gas. Some people recommend soaking in bicarbonate of soda as well, but I am not that keen on the texture you get as a result, and find pressure cooking works pretty well.

Adding some herbs and spices helps as well - ginger and fennel are particularly good.


----------



## Lurcherlad

I think it is a combination of things.

I was diagnosed with IBS many years ago and although advised to eat a high fibre diet found that too high was almost as bad as too low so learned to tread carefully.

Although I've been pesci/veggie for years and ate some legumes and pulses, and have been aware of not going too mad too fast, since going dairy free I have increased the plant based portion of my diet and I think I need to be more prudent, given my predisposition.

So I shall just be more mindful of the amounts and reduce them down a bit and slowly build them up again.

I'll read through the blurb and certainly try some of the tips. Using certain herbs and spices to offset the fibre/sugars/oligosaccharides is a good idea.

Intake of the things outlined as possible triggers generally have all been increased since tweaking my diet to more PB so the food diary will be useful to try and identify which ones affect me particularly.

Thanks guys


----------



## Guest

Lurcherlad said:


> I think it is a combination of things.


I think so too.

Looking back on when I was still eating dairy, I think dairy in combination with other things was a big culprit for me. 
Now with dairy out of the picture I rarely have gas, but some foods definitely are a more "moderation" food than others. For example, I can eat an entire can (3.5 servings) of lentils, no issues. But black beans I have to moderate how much I eat and in what combination. Like, black beans with rice will give me gas, but black beans with quinoa doesn't. Weird. 
See if you can figure out what combinations work for you and which ones don't.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> I think it is a combination of things.
> 
> I was diagnosed with IBS many years ago and although advised to eat a high fibre diet found that too high was almost as bad as too low so learned to tread carefully.
> 
> Although I've been pesci/veggie for years and ate some legumes and pulses, and have been aware of not going too mad too fast, since going dairy free I have increased the plant based portion of my diet and I think I need to be more prudent, given my predisposition.
> 
> So I shall just be more mindful of the amounts and reduce them down a bit and slowly build them up again.
> 
> I'll read through the blurb and certainly try some of the tips. Using certain herbs and spices to offset the fibre/sugars/oligosaccharides is a good idea.
> 
> Intake of the things outlined as possible triggers generally have all been increased since tweaking my diet to more PB so the food diary will be useful to try and identify which ones affect me particularly.
> 
> Thanks guys


Don't forget there is no actual need for beans and pulses as part of a plant based diet, Dr McDougall (The Starch Solution) is quite happy for them to be left out if they are not well tolerated or liked so I wouldn't feel a need to eat them everyday.

*The McDougall Program Basics*

A diet of plant foods, including whole grains and whole-grain products (such as pasta, tortillas, and whole-grain bread), and a wide assortment of vegetables and fruit.
Plenty of spices and usually small amounts of sugar and salt to enhance the flavor of food.
Exercise as simple as a daily walk.
The exclusion of animal foods, including red meat, poultry, dairy products, eggs, and fish - all of which provide toxic levels of fat, cholesterol, protein and, very often, infectious agents and harmful chemicals.
The exclusion of all oils including olive oil, safflower oil, and corn oil. Oils are nothing more than liquid fats that increase obesity, which in turn, depresses immune function and contributes to the most common chronic diseases.
https://www.drmcdougall.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Dr-McDougalls-Color-Picture-Book1.pdf


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I think so too.
> 
> Looking back on when I was still eating dairy, I think dairy in combination with other things was a big culprit for me.
> Now with dairy out of the picture I rarely have gas, but some foods definitely are a more "moderation" food than others. For example, I can eat an entire can (3.5 servings) of lentils, no issues. But black beans I have to moderate how much I eat and in what combination. Like, black beans with rice will give me gas, but black beans with quinoa doesn't. Weird.
> See if you can figure out what combinations work for you and which ones don't.


Dr Fuhrman has a quote somewhere, I must try and find it, about embracing the wind and having fun with it, something about musical instruments :Joyful


----------



## stockwellcat.

So reading through this thread and the rainbow one got me interested in reading up on veganism. I am reading an Amazon book at the moment which I started last night called "Easy to be Vegan: Overcoming all the challenges of becoming Vegan". I am not far into the book (3rd Chapter) but so far so good and very interesting.

I must admit I tried doing a vegetarian diet but failed miserably to remain on the vegetarian diet because people around me would not accept my desire to try and stay on this diet. I lost all confidence in myself to try and stick at it and failed. 

I will try again as I know I need to be more head strong and focused on doing this and ignore what people are saying around me.

I just wanted to say that as I go through the book it is helping me refocus myself and I am finding how different it is being vegan than vegeatrian.


----------



## Jonescat

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Don't forget there is no actual need for beans and pulses as part of a plant based diet


Diet is very complicated but if you take away my hummus, my dal or my chilli beans we may not be friends any more!!  (rushes to padlock the pantry)


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

stockwellcat. said:


> So reading through this thread and the rainbow one got me interested in reading up on veganism. I am reading an Amazon book at the moment which I started last night called "Easy to be Vegan: Overcoming all the challenges of becoming Vegan". I am not far into the book (3rd Chapter) but so far so good and very interesting.
> 
> I must admit I tried doing a vegetarian diet but failed miserably to remain on the vegetarian diet because people around me would not accept my desire to try and stay on this diet. I lost all confidence in myself to try and stick at it and failed.
> 
> I will try again as I know I need to be more head strong and focused on doing this and ignore what people are saying around me.
> 
> I just wanted to say that as I go through the book it is helping me refocus myself and I am finding how different it is being vegan than vegeatrian.


Wow, that is brilliant news, it will be great to have you on board. Don't beat yourself up about giving up before, I think there are a few of us who have done it before and given up for a variety of reasons, me and OH were vegetarian for about 10 years and tried being vegan (only lasted about 6 weeks) but for one reason or another we drifted back to fish then poultry then meat and then would go back to being veggie again. One of the reasons this thread promotes a Whole Food Plant Based diet rather than a Vegan one as such is the word Vegan can be quite intimidating as it encompasses more than just what you eat and many of the followers can be very critical and harsh to others who are not as far along the path as they are. On this thread we have people at all different stages from meat eaters who want to reduce their consumption to full WFPB (no animal products) and many in between. One of the health videos I was watching the other day said on average it can take people 8 attempts to make a permanent change such as giving up smoking or changing their diet so as the saying goes if at first you don't succeed ........ 



Jonescat said:


> Diet is very complicated but if you take away my hummus, my dal or my chilli beans we may not be friends any more!!  (rushes to padlock the pantry)


Oh gosh no, I don't want to take them away from anyone, I would hate not having my beans but I'm very tolerant of them (and don't mind a bit of wind :Hilarious:Hilarious) and love them, I just posted that because they are not essential and I would hate for it to be a deal breaker for someone who doesn't tolerate them to feel they have to.


----------



## Lurcherlad

It's one thing being a little trumpet ..










But quite another resembling the World's largest tuba!










:Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Can't you settle for being a gentle trombone :Hilarious:Hilarious


----------



## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Don't forget there is no actual need for beans and pulses as part of a plant based diet, Dr McDougall (The Starch Solution) is quite happy for them to be left out if they are not well tolerated or liked so I wouldn't feel a need to eat them everyday.
> 
> *The McDougall Program Basics*
> 
> A diet of plant foods, including whole grains and whole-grain products (such as pasta, tortillas, and whole-grain bread), and a wide assortment of vegetables and fruit.
> Plenty of spices and usually small amounts of sugar and salt to enhance the flavor of food.
> Exercise as simple as a daily walk.
> The exclusion of animal foods, including red meat, poultry, dairy products, eggs, and fish - all of which provide toxic levels of fat, cholesterol, protein and, very often, infectious agents and harmful chemicals.
> The exclusion of all oils including olive oil, safflower oil, and corn oil. Oils are nothing more than liquid fats that increase obesity, which in turn, depresses immune function and contributes to the most common chronic diseases.
> https://www.drmcdougall.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Dr-McDougalls-Color-Picture-Book1.pdf


I certainly don't have beans or pulses every day and I much prefer my millet, barley, spelt and buckwheat which I could happily live on, rather than rice, quinoa or pasta!

With the exception of Brussels Sprouts I've always loved my vegetables particularly potatoes and will often go for something fairly bland and seasoned with herbs rather than spices. One of my favourite meals is creamed potatoes with a mix of lightly cooked vegetables such as carrots,green beans and broccoli with a really good "meaty" flavoured gravy made with onions, mushrooms, red wine, vegetable stock and marmite! Or, as I had last night roasted mushrooms, potatoes and a selection of other vegetables always including something leafy green.

I don't think it matters what "mix" (for lack of a better word) of healthy vegan/vegetarian food you eat, providing you have a wide variety. There's so much more to choose from compared to before when I ate meat and two veg that I very rarely eat the same thing twice in a period of 3 or 4 weeks. Tonight I'm having black bean, butternut, sweet potato and kale dopiaza with brown rice and quinoa, cucumber, mint raita and diced mango with lemon juice.



Lurcherlad said:


> It's one thing being a little trumpet ..
> 
> View attachment 336416
> 
> 
> But quite another resembling the World's largest tuba!
> 
> View attachment 336415
> 
> 
> :Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious


Now if you're clever you could turn it into a great money making enterprise ... something like this perhaps?










Just a thought!


----------



## Guest

Speaking of raw garlic (on the eat the rainbow thread), I made a really yummy salad dressing today. I put fresh baby spinach, a small handful of pecans, a small handful of walnuts, lemon juice, several cloves of garlic and a few garbanzos, sorry, chick peas  Pulsed it all really well in the food processor and it made an ugly but delicious topping to a salad of tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, romaine, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives and more garbanzos. 
If I can keep the kids out of it, that will make a good lunch tomorrow.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

What do you all think of this for a Christmas dinner?






I really like the look of it and it looks pretty easy to make, might give it a dummy run first and see what its like. We are not having visitors so it doesn't have to be anything flash.


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## Cleo38

Reading the above posts by @ouesi & @rottiepointerhouse has started to make me feel hungry again .... but will note them for a meal another day!


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## ShibaPup

7lbs lost in a week :Wideyed

ETA - I am so shocked! I've eaten more than I usually do - not been hungry once, haven't been tired and grumpy either when usually I have been in the past when changing my eating habits.


----------



## Guest

ShibaPup said:


> 7lbs lost in a week :Wideyed
> 
> ETA - I am so shocked! I've eaten more than I usually do - not been hungry once, haven't been tired and grumpy either when usually I have been in the past when changing my eating habits.


Awesome!!

I was looking at myself in the video I posted from 5+ years ago, before I started being more serious about eliminating processed food. I look totally different now...
More recently I've dropped weight since this summer, though how much is upping my running mileage and how much is diet change is hard to say. 
But I totally hear you on the not being hungry or tired or grumpy  It's so nice to be able to eat something, think "oh wow this is so good" and know you can tuck in to as much of it as you like.

Interestingly, I find that we are so used to obesity at this point, that 'normal' weight is considered too thin. Recently I've had a few comments implying I'm too thin. I'm 5'9" and a US size 8. Not exactly emaciated LOL! And I feel awesome!


----------



## ShibaPup

ouesi said:


> Awesome!!
> 
> I was looking at myself in the video I posted from 5+ years ago, before I started being more serious about eliminating processed food. I look totally different now...
> More recently I've dropped weight since this summer, though how much is upping my running mileage and how much is diet change is hard to say.
> But I totally hear you on the not being hungry or tired or grumpy  It's so nice to be able to eat something, think "oh wow this is so good" and know you can tuck in to as much of it as you like.
> 
> Interestingly, I find that we are so used to obesity at this point, that 'normal' weight is considered too thin. Recently I've had a few comments implying I'm too thin. I'm 5'9" and a US size 8. Not exactly emaciated LOL! And I feel awesome!


I haven't upped my exercise - in fact I've probably done less than I normally do :Hilarious

My family are all obese, they've all warned me against losing weight "you'll catch your death and have no weight to fight it with", "you don't want to get too skinny - you'll look awful"

I'm double the weight I should be... my BMI is in the 40s. It's not about how I look - it's about my health and how I feel. I'm in my early 20s - I shouldn't be struggling with physical tasks, easily getting out of breath, be aching or stiff.


----------



## Guest

ShibaPup said:


> My family are all obese, they've all warned me against losing weight "you'll catch your death and have no weight to fight it with", "you don't want to get too skinny - you'll look awful"


I wonder how much of that is a type of self-preservation? Safety in numbers and don't leave the ranks? IDK... maybe I'm overthinking it. But I do know that any time I've lost weight, there is a fair few who tell me either directly or indirectly that I shouldn't.

The latest (just today) was about how 'older' women don't look good too thin because it ages the face to be thin. Uh... okay... :Hilarious:Hilarious


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ShibaPup said:


> I haven't upped my exercise - in fact I've probably done less than I normally do :Hilarious
> 
> My family are all obese, they've all warned me against losing weight "you'll catch your death and have no weight to fight it with", "you don't want to get too skinny - you'll look awful"
> 
> I'm double the weight I should be... my BMI is in the 40s. It's not about how I look - it's about my health and how I feel. I'm in my early 20s - I shouldn't be struggling with physical tasks, easily getting out of breath, be aching or stiff.


Firstly well done on the weight loss, I'm so pleased you are not only enjoying eating this way and seeing the benefits from it too. Unfortunately a lot of people do find it threatening for many reasons, when you are sick and suffering from the ill effects of your eating habits and someone tries to break ranks its tempting to try and drag them back in rather than support them and consider joining them. I remember a few years back when I lost 3.5 stone, one of my best friends who was more overweight than me constantly told me it didn't suit me, I was too thin and it made me look old. I'm afraid we did drift apart because I found that draining. Even my poor old Mum at 80 gets her friends making fun of her and telling her she needs a good steak and some cake to build her up because she is too thin (she isn't vegan just trying to eat better). She is naturally slim anyway but has a lot of chronic health problems so actually the last thing she needs is saturated animal fat and white flour/sugar. Hopefully you have a thick enough skin that the comments will bounce off you and make you all the more determined to show people how easy it is to improve your health and wellbeing without going hungry and feeling deprived


----------



## Cleo38

I've now lost a stone since stating this new way of eating & feel so much better, still want to lose another one though then I will be at my ideal weight. I want to stat doing more cardio exercise but need to think about what is best for me, something that I will enjoy rather than feel I am enduring!

I have found a vegan cheese that is actually quite nice when grilled so my cheese cravings are met .... I even have a block of 'normal'cheese in the fridge (as Roxy has her painkillers in a cube of cheese) but haven't even been tempted to sneak a small bit once!

I've also been experimenting with milks in tea & coffee & have found rice milk is by far the best in tea but love oat or almond when made as lattes, I never used to really drink milky drinks before but I actually prefer lattes when made with non-dairy milk

I'm actually really enjoying having to think more about what I eat & don't find it a chore at all. Am out with my IPO club for a Christmas meal at the weekend so will be eating dairy (there are no vegan options for the main) but am not stressing about it as I don't want to get all fussy about it as I used to (I was militant at one time!!) .... am trying to think of something I am missing but can't think of anything atm


----------



## Elles

I make my coffee with oat milk and prefer it too. I use just oat milk, heat it up and add to coffee, so it’s lovely and milky, but light and not sticky. Much better than with dairy. I should probably buy shares in it, I’m getting through litres.


----------



## LinznMilly

It was my birthday yesterday, and amongst other pressies was a new blender, which I asked for. Way more powerful than the last one, and it's already been christened twice. :Woot (although I am still working my way through the larger bottle).

With the weather the way it is, the only thing for dinner, is a veggie stew, plenty of leafy greens - cabbage and lettuce, edamame beans, root veg, onions, seasoned with paprika. I'm sure there was more in there, but can't think of anything atm.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> It was my birthday yesterday, and amongst other pressies was a new blender, which I asked for. Way more powerful than the last one, and it's already been christened twice. :Woot (although I am still working my way through the larger bottle).
> 
> With the weather the way it is, the only thing for dinner, is a veggie stew, plenty of leafy greens - cabbage and lettuce, edamame beans, root veg, onions, seasoned with paprika. I'm sure there was more in there, but can't think of anything atm.


Happy Birthday for yesterday, so pleased to hear about the blender - you will have great fun making soups, salad dressings and sauces in that I'm sure. Shout if you want any recipes.

I made this minestrone soup for our lunch today, I added a teaspoon of paprika to the recipe. It was lovely, can't wait to finish it off tomorrow.






Also made a vegetable Bryani for our dinner which I left in the oven on timer so the house smelt lovely when we got in from walking the dogs.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Website of the people who wrote the book on Alzheimer's I'm currently reading - there is an assessment you can take to determine your risk and what to do to lower it.

http://teamsherzai.com


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## Magyarmum

Elles said:


> I make my coffee with oat milk and prefer it too. I use just oat milk, heat it up and add to coffee, so it's lovely and milky, but light and not sticky. Much better than with dairy. I should probably buy shares in it, I'm getting through litres.


I've really struggled to find a substitute for milk in my coffee and tea, but at long last have finally cracked it with Buckwheat "milk". It's a milky coffee colour and tastes slightly sweet and in tea/coffee tastes similar to milk. The downside is that I can only buy it at Tesco which is 50 miles away and at this time of year not a particularly pleasant drive. I have discovered though that Spar in my local town (a 12 mile drive) sells Spelt "milk" which although not as nice is an acceptable alternative.

http://www.thebridgesrl.com/

http://essentialvegan.uk/2015/11/18/provamel-spelt-and-rice-drink/

Natumi also do a spelt "milk" and The Bridge Buckwheat one you can buy online from Amazon UK


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## Elles

I buy my oat milk in bulk from the Internet. I don’t drink tea though. I suppose you can’t make tea with all milk like you can coffee? I only like my coffee made with all oat milk, just a splash like you’d have in tea wouldn’t be enough. 

I hadn’t heard of spelt or buckwheat milk.


----------



## Cleo38

Just seen this on Facebook,I don't watch Masterchef but this looks like a very interesting & inventive dish completely going against all the usual elements for a desert. It seems the judges were very impressed although maybe one not so keen as the others but still a great example of a vegan dish that can meet expectations but without the standard ingredients https://www.livekindly.co/masterche...il&utm_term=0_8051ea5750-70ae8be9c5-122250165


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> Just seen this on Facebook,I don't watch Masterchef but this looks like a very interesting & inventive dish completely going against all the usual elements for a desert. It seems the judges were very impressed although maybe one not so keen as the others but still a great example of a vegan dish that can meet expectations but without the standard ingredients https://www.livekindly.co/masterche...il&utm_term=0_8051ea5750-70ae8be9c5-122250165


I saw it, he is a very exciting chef who does try to make all of his dishes healthier than the usual Masterchef fare. They also had a lady on the general series (this one is for professionals) who did vegan street food and got through to the final although didn't win. I don't think Matt is vegan although from his website he certainly has been in the past and it looks like a lot of his recipes are

https://www.chefmattcampbell.com/cookbook

I do think its time these programmes set a better example, the amount of butter and cream and salt they cover everything in makes my eyes pop and particularly irritating is the way they refer to the vegetable element of the dish as the garnish :Grumpy A plate of meat cooked in 3 different ways with a sprinkle of watercress or one carrot is not a balanced dish, even worse if there is more than one vegetable they often say I can't see the xyz on this plate is needed or brings anything to the dish :Jawdrop I'm shouting at the screen it brings some bloody fibre and some antioxidants and some phytonutrients and some much needed colour to a plate of beige. Greg Wallace also lost a lot of weight a couple of years back when he was an ambassador for weight watchers but seems to have piled it all back on with a dangerously large belly.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

For anyone getting a bit anxious about the upcoming Christmas and time spent with family/friends/colleagues there are some good tips here from Rip Esselstyn

https://www.forksoverknives.com/tip...&utm_term=Tips-for-Visiting-Family#gs.0Ba41e4


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## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> For anyone getting a bit anxious about the upcoming Christmas and time spent with family/friends/colleagues there are some good tips here from Rip Esselstyn
> 
> https://www.forksoverknives.com/tip...&utm_term=Tips-for-Visiting-Family#gs.0Ba41e4


From the link;



> 1. Always offer to bring a dish or two to share.


This year, given the fact that I always bring or make my own meals, my mum has stipulated that, for either Christmas/New Year (I forget which :Wacky ) we're all to bring something that we would all like to eat, because "it's not fair on you, Lindsay, if you have to bring your own, and I do everyone else's". I was quite touched by that ... for about a nanosecond, when I realised that she could easily substitute the "you", for "me" :Hilarious :Hilarious

And yes, I do offer to share, but only my SIL will try. 

Speaking of SIL - I finished my copy of Super Immunity on Saturday, and gave it to her in Sunday.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> From the link;
> 
> This year, given the fact that I always bring or make my own meals, my mum has stipulated that, for either Christmas/New Year (I forget which :Wacky ) we're all to bring something that we would all like to eat, because "it's not fair on you, Lindsay, if you have to bring your own, and I do everyone else's". I was quite touched by that ... for about a nanosecond, when I realised that she could easily substitute the "you", for "me" :Hilarious :Hilarious
> 
> And yes, I do offer to share, but only my SIL will try.
> 
> Speaking of SIL - I finished my copy of Super Immunity on Saturday, and gave it to her in Sunday.


Have you decided what you are going to take yet? Luckily its only me and OH so we can eat what the heck we like. Its funny though, My Mum is not coming to us (I'm sure its nothing to do with the lack of turkey, christmas pudding, mince pies, sausage rolls, pigs in blankets, trifle, chocolates and booze :Hilarious:Hilarious) yet people keep asking her what we (me and OH) will be eating. I'm sure some people think we eat gruel and lettuce leaves all day :Hungry


----------



## Guest

The other nice thing about bringing your own dish is that you're introducing people to WFPB eating who might otherwise not have had the opportunity. 
We have 4 events in the next two weeks that I have to bring food to. I'm going to bring the vegan shepherd's pie to one (maybe 2), and a roasted sweet potato and squash dish I make.
I make yummy garlic mashed potatoes with almond milk (no butter) that has now become a requested item at our Christmas gathering. Vegan mashed potatoes, who knew they could be so good


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Have you decided what you are going to take yet? Luckily its only me and OH so we can eat what the heck we like. Its funny though, My Mum is not coming to us (I'm sure its nothing to do with the lack of turkey, christmas pudding, mince pies, sausage rolls, pigs in blankets, trifle, chocolates and booze :Hilarious:Hilarious) yet people keep asking her what we (me and OH) will be eating. I'm sure some people think we eat gruel and lettuce leaves all day :Hungry


I'm going to try to perfect my homemade vegan pizza. Thinking about doing that for tea, tonight, actually. :Hungry

Funny you should mention lettuce leaves - I have 2 of them in the smoothie I'm drinking :Woot (along with blueberries, an apple, pomegranate seeds, cranberries - only a couple of those, though, because I tasted one for the first time yesterday and it's safe to say I'm not a fan of the whole berry :Yuck and cherries :Smuggrin )


----------



## Magyarmum

One of my DIL's has been a vegan since she was around 11 years old. We've known her family from when both she and my son were teenagers and most years celebrated Christmas and birthdays together. Meals like Christmas dinner were always a combination of vegan dishes as well as ones suitable for meat eaters so that no one had to go without! The same whenever they came to eat with me, I always cooked at least one vegan dish and salads or cooked vegetable plus a separate meat dish.

It's not difficult and actually a lot of fun sorting out a menu that's going to be acceptable to everyone!

I'm on my own as usual but even so I do like to cook something special for my Christmas meal. I liked the idea for the stuffed butternut but the problem is I'd most likely be eating it until Easter, it's so large! I'm thinking of making a mushroom wellington instead with roast potatoes and a selection of veggies to make it Christmassy! And then I'm going to commit a mortal sin by having some of the Christmas pudding that I bought before I became a "veggie" !

https://www.deliciouseveryday.com/mushroom-wellington/


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## LinznMilly

Magyarmum said:


> One of my DIL's has been a vegan since she was around 11 years old. We've known her family from when both she and my son were teenagers and most years celebrated Christmas and birthdays together. Meals like Christmas dinner were always a combination of vegan dishes as well as ones suitable for meat eaters so that no one had to go without! The same whenever they came to eat with me, I always cooked at least one vegan dish and salads or cooked vegetable plus a separate meat dish.
> 
> It's not difficult and actually a lot of fun sorting out a menu that's going to be acceptable to everyone!
> 
> I'm on my own as usual but even so I do like to cook something special for my Christmas meal. I liked the idea for the stuffed butternut but the problem is I'd most likely be eating it until Easter, it's so large! I'm thinking of making a mushroom wellington instead with roast potatoes and a selection of veggies to make it Christmassy! And then I'm going to commit a mortal sin by having some of the Christmas pudding that I bought before I became a "veggie" !
> 
> https://www.deliciouseveryday.com/mushroom-wellington/


Not Christmas, but I'm glad I'm not the only one. My mum's partner bought me some sweets that contain geletin for my b/day and I didn't have the heart to refuse them. :Sorry


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> I'm going to try to perfect my homemade vegan pizza. Thinking about doing that for tea, tonight, actually. :Hungry
> 
> Funny you should mention lettuce leaves - I have 2 of them in the smoothie I'm drinking :Woot (along with blueberries, an apple, pomegranate seeds, cranberries - only a couple of those, though, because I tasted one for the first time yesterday and it's safe to say I'm not a fan of the whole berry :Yuck and cherries :Smuggrin )


Dr Fuhrman has some quite nice smoothie recipes - I've tried a couple of them

Blended Mango - 1 ripe mango peeled & chopped or 10 oz frozen mango chunks, 1 cup of spinach, 2 cups of chopped romaine lettuce, a quarter cup of non dairy milk, 1 tablespoon of ground flax. I loved it with the frozen fruit as it makes it lovely and cold and fresh.

Chocolate cherry - 3 cups of chopped kale (which was a bit overpowering so I would use less or use or spinach if I made it again), third of a cup of non dairy milk, a third of a cup of pomegranate juice (you can buy that in the supermarkets now) 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder and 1 cup frozen cherries.


----------



## Guest

LinznMilly said:


> Not Christmas, but I'm glad I'm not the only one. My mum's partner bought me some sweets that contain geletin for my b/day and I didn't have the heart to refuse them. :Sorry


That's why I like the WFPB label better. I'm not 100% vegan. I try, and when I prepare food for myself there is no meat or dairy, though I still use honey. Eating out, I don't stress about ingredients. In general I opt away from cheese and cream sauces, and obvious uses of meat and dairy, but I don't turn it in to a stressful situation for me (or whoever is with me). Last night OH and I ate out at an Italian restaurant and the salad had Parmesan lightly sprinkled on it. I didn't fuss. I scraped off what I could and just ate it. The beauty of WFPB eating is that you're healing your body with every WFPB meal, so going off track isn't going to hurt you. 
Ethically of course I can't support dairy, but sadly no matter how vegan we live our lives, the industry is supported though our taxes and purchases in other departments. (Meatonomics is on my list to read next.)


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> That's why I like the WFPB label better. I'm not 100% vegan. I try, and when I prepare food for myself there is no meat or dairy, though I still use honey. Eating out, I don't stress about ingredients. In general I opt away from cheese and cream sauces, and obvious uses of meat and dairy, but I don't turn it in to a stressful situation for me (or whoever is with me). Last night OH and I ate out at an Italian restaurant and the salad had Parmesan lightly sprinkled on it. I didn't fuss. I scraped off what I could and just ate it. The beauty of WFPB eating is that you're healing your body with every WFPB meal, so going off track isn't going to hurt you.
> Ethically of course I can't support dairy, but sadly no matter how vegan we live our lives, the industry is supported though our taxes and purchases in other departments. (Meatonomics is on my list to read next.)


A lot of people do eat WFPB because they already have health problems though. It really breaks my heart reading some of the stories on the relevant forums where people have had serious health issues which they have turned around completely only to have their efforts undermined or even sabotaged by other people including loved ones. One lady I remember had suffered for years from a debilitating chronic health problem (a form of arthritis) and had been bed bound for a couple of years, lost her job etc then found her way to WFPB and completely recovered over a relatively short time and got back to work. Her in laws were constantly undermining her and would put cheese on all the salads and add other dairy or meat products to dishes despite knowing how important it was for her not to have them. I certainly wouldn't risk a flare up of any health issue for the sake of keeping the peace but would probably just say thank you and take the item but not eat it.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> A lot of people do eat WFPB because they already have health problems though. It really breaks my heart reading some of the stories on the relevant forums where people have had serious health issues which they have turned around completely only to have their efforts undermined or even sabotaged by other people including loved ones. One lady I remember had suffered for years from a debilitating chronic health problem (a form of arthritis) and had been bed bound for a couple of years, lost her job etc then found her way to WFPB and completely recovered over a relatively short time and got back to work. Her in laws were constantly undermining her and would put cheese on all the salads and add other dairy or meat products to dishes despite knowing how important it was for her not to have them. I certainly wouldn't risk a flare up of any health issue for the sake of keeping the peace but would probably just say thank you and take the item but not eat it.


True, as happens to people with severe allergies as well. A dear friend of mine has the kind of peanut allergy where she will end up in anaphylactic shock if she eats even the smallest trace of a peanut. She's forever refusing food, especially baked foods, and it's a little ridiculous how offended people get when she does. Like, hello! This can KILL her, and you're letting yourself get butthurt because she won't try your cupcake?


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## rottiepointerhouse

*Boosting Moods with Foods*
Written By Michael Greger M.D. FACLM on December 12th, 2017

https://nutritionfacts.org/2017/12/...-24208457&mc_cid=7653eacd2a&mc_eid=53363da263


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> True, as happens to people with severe allergies as well. A dear friend of mine has the kind of peanut allergy where she will end up in anaphylactic shock if she eats even the smallest trace of a peanut. She's forever refusing food, especially baked foods, and it's a little ridiculous how offended people get when she does. Like, hello! This can KILL her, and you're letting yourself get butthurt because she won't try your cupcake?


On the IThrive docuseries about Diabetes he met a lady with a family history of Diabetes, her Mum died of it, her Mum's siblings all died of it and I think that the lady's own siblings had died of it or I should say died of the complications of it. She told such a sad story of how when her Mum was still alive and getting sicker and sicker she used to make such cruel comments to her (the lady in the film) like "who do you think you are that you will be any different to us" "you can eat those fancy foods and do yoga all you like but it will get you too because its in your genes" etc etc. It seems so alien to me that any parent would almost wish the same disease they have suffered from on their child but they do :Grumpy


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## rottiepointerhouse

@LinznMilly thought you might be interested in this article, she mentions the course I did last year too 

http://nutritionstudies.org/eczema-asthma-gone-thanks-plant-based-lifestyle/

oh and this one

http://nutritionstudies.org/eczema-cure-plant-based-diet-saved-skin/


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## LinznMilly

Well, SIL says she's reading Super Immunity, which is a refreshing change, seeing as the last book I lent her never did get read. She's up to Chapter 5 and would have done an all nighter with it, except she was tired. (Excuses, excuses  :Hilarious ). Said she's blown away with it. If the look on her face was anything to go by, she must have been.


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## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Well, SIL says she's reading Super Immunity, which is a refreshing change, seeing as the last book I lent her never did get read. She's up to Chapter 5 and would have done an all nighter with it, except she was tired. (Excuses, excuses  :Hilarious ). Said she's blown away with it. If the look on her face was anything to go by, she must have been.


:Jawdrop well just goes to show you never know who may be receptive to taking some of the information on board. I hope she enjoys the rest of the book and implements at least some of it.


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## rottiepointerhouse

This is so exciting and I hope something similar starts over here. @ouesi have you seen this? Its by the makers of the film Plantpure Nation - Nelson Campbell is the son of Prof T Colin Campbell.

https://healingamericatogether.com

http://healingamericatogether.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/HA-WebFlyer.pdf

https://healingamericatogether.com/tour-schedule/


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## ShibaPup

Maybe it's because I'm having a bad day but little snidey comments about my diet are bothering me :Eggonface

"I couldn't do it - I need proper food", "How many people could do what you're doing? Not anyone I know!", "You're going to make yourself really ill", "Have this cake/crips/chocolate" :Banghead

*sigh* Wish they'd keep their uninformed noses out, I'm not force feeding it to them. I don't care what they like to eat or don't like. I get to stuff my face on a variety of foods that I enjoy, feel full, feel better, have more energy and lose weight at the same time! Apparently that really bothers some people.:Facepalm


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## Cleo38

ShibaPup said:


> Maybe it's because I'm having a bad day but little snidey comments about my diet are bothering me :Eggonface
> 
> "I couldn't do it - I need proper food", "How many people could do what you're doing? Not anyone I know!", "You're going to make yourself really ill", "Have this cake/crips/chocolate" :Banghead
> 
> *sigh* Wish they'd keep their uninformed noses out, I'm not force feeding it to them. I don't care what they like to eat or don't like. I get to stuff my face on a variety of foods that I enjoy, feel full, feel better, have more energy and lose weight at the same time! Apparently that really bothers some people.:Facepalm


I honestly don't know why so many people feel they have a right to an opinion on things that don't concern them. Try to ignore them .... or ask them about their qualifications in nutrition?!!


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## rottiepointerhouse

ShibaPup said:


> Maybe it's because I'm having a bad day but little snidey comments about my diet are bothering me :Eggonface
> 
> "I couldn't do it - I need proper food", "How many people could do what you're doing? Not anyone I know!", "You're going to make yourself really ill", "Have this cake/crips/chocolate" :Banghead
> 
> *sigh* Wish they'd keep their uninformed noses out, I'm not force feeding it to them. I don't care what they like to eat or don't like. I get to stuff my face on a variety of foods that I enjoy, feel full, feel better, have more energy and lose weight at the same time! Apparently that really bothers some people.:Facepalm


One of the tricks Doug Lisle (Author of the Pleasure Trap/psychologist) suggests when dealing with people who want to derail you or undermine what you are doing is "getting along without going along" - he suggests one way to deal with them is to say "Well it seems to be suiting me at the moment, I feel great so I'm going to carry on for the time being". That isn't an approach I've needed to take because as you might have guessed I'm not very good at avoiding confrontation and tend to meet fire with fire (but I am working on it  ) However I know of lots of people on the WFPB forums who use it and report that is takes the wind out of peoples sails.

http://esteemdynamics.org/about-dr-doug-lisle/


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## Guest

ShibaPup said:


> Maybe it's because I'm having a bad day but little snidey comments about my diet are bothering me :Eggonface
> 
> "I couldn't do it - I need proper food", "How many people could do what you're doing? Not anyone I know!", "You're going to make yourself really ill", "Have this cake/crips/chocolate" :Banghead
> 
> *sigh* Wish they'd keep their uninformed noses out, I'm not force feeding it to them. I don't care what they like to eat or don't like. I get to stuff my face on a variety of foods that I enjoy, feel full, feel better, have more energy and lose weight at the same time! Apparently that really bothers some people.:Facepalm


It's a very weird thing how people can react to others making positive change. 
I find it helps to remember that for all of us change is hard, change is scary, change is suspect. Even if it's positive change. So those opposing any change on your part are being 100% normal humans. It's really about them and their fear of change than about you 

Granted, that still doesn't make the comments any more annoying. I find saying something mostly neutral like "I feel great" where there's not much to say about what you're eating. 
A lot of time though, I just change the subject.

But it's hard when you're so proud of your accomplishments, and your regained health to have someone throw a wet blanket over it all. That's why threads like this are important where you can get that support and encouragement. 

Just keep reminding yourself how good you feel, how worth it this is.


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## Matrod

ShibaPup said:


> Maybe it's because I'm having a bad day but little snidey comments about my diet are bothering me :Eggonface
> 
> "I couldn't do it - I need proper food", "How many people could do what you're doing? Not anyone I know!", "You're going to make yourself really ill", "Have this cake/crips/chocolate" :Banghead
> 
> *sigh* Wish they'd keep their uninformed noses out, I'm not force feeding it to them. I don't care what they like to eat or don't like. I get to stuff my face on a variety of foods that I enjoy, feel full, feel better, have more energy and lose weight at the same time! Apparently that really bothers some people.:Facepalm


It's quite sad really what people view as proper food  I get mixed views from people at work, some are genuinely interested in what I'm eating & the others ask how I stay so trim while stuffing their faces with cake :Banghead


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## Guest

Matrod said:


> It's quite sad really what people view as proper food


What breaks my heart is people with real illnesses, genuinely trying to get healthier, and between the misinformation and mixed messages, their food choices end up just as bad as before.

I have a friend finishing up breast cancer treatments, and she knows she needs to eat healthier. So she keeps posting recipes on FB to try to include more veggies in her meals. Every single one, yes, has veggies, but they're doused in cream or cheese or both. To the point that there is more dairy than veggie in the dish. I don't want to discourage her, but at the same time, my mind goes to what I know about dairy and breastcancer. And here she is actually trying. 
It's so frustrating....


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## catz4m8z

Matrod said:


> the others ask how I stay so trim while stuffing their faces with cake :Banghead


odd...Im pretty sure most people I know are wondering why Im so fat if Im a vegan!LOL:Shy 
Although my mother did ask the other day 'so you must have to take tons of supplements coz your diet must be deficient in loads of things!' Yeah, coz all that fruit, veg, wholegrains and beans are so lacking in nutrients.:Yawn

Ultimate in lazy cooking tonight...tin of baby new potatoes, tin of black beans, frozen peas, sweetcorn, spinach and some broccoli and carrots all chucked in a pan. Small dollop of vegan garlic and herb cream cheese mixed in as a sauce-ish! Really tasty though (and the left overs will get smooshed and given to the dogs with their breakfast in the morning).


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## Cleo38

Has anyone had any of the BOL vegetable pots or soups? I am considering getting a few of these for lunch options for work. Although I am really making most of my meals as much as I can but really do have limited time & whilst shepherds pies, casseroles, chillis etc I can manage I really don't think I can fit in soups/salads as well. These are on offer atm so I'm quite tempted as they look really nice


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## rottiepointerhouse

Wow just look at this family and their transformation - somebody posted this on the WFPB forum in response to my post above about Healing America (# 1126)

https://www.plantpurenation.com/blo...-plantpure-challenge-winner-derick-harrington


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## Jonescat

For those that like traditional food at Christmas the Metro just put this together

http://metro.co.uk/2017/12/12/how-t...l&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Some of those look so good and shouldn't frighten any non-vegans at your table


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## noushka05

Jonescat said:


> For those that like traditional food at Christmas the Metro just put this together
> 
> http://metro.co.uk/2017/12/12/how-t...l&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer
> 
> Some of those look so good and shouldn't frighten any non-vegans at your table


They do look good. I'm definitely having a go at some of these so thank you for sharing the link.


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## rona

Cleo38 said:


> I honestly don't know why so many people feel they have a right to an opinion on things that don't concern them. Try to ignore them .... or ask them about their qualifications in nutrition?!!


Hahaha, this is funny on this thread

SORRY


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## Cleo38

rona said:


> Hahaha, this is funny on this thread
> 
> SORRY


Really ... why is that ? :Watching


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## rottiepointerhouse

rona said:


> Hahaha, this is funny on this thread
> 
> SORRY


No I'm SORRY that you think its funny when other people try to undermine someone who is trying their best to avoid the chronic health issues that mean 50% of the adult population of this country are on prescription drugs.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Dr Greger making ice cream - he is so funny


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## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> *Boosting Moods with Foods*
> Written By Michael Greger M.D. FACLM on December 12th, 2017
> 
> https://nutritionfacts.org/2017/12/...-24208457&mc_cid=7653eacd2a&mc_eid=53363da263


Just now getting a chance to read this.

I've been reading a lot about gut bacteria and mental health and yes, it all does make sense. 
It's all connected. You eat well, you have more energy, have more energy, you do more, you do more, you sleep better... And a healthier gut bacteria affects brain chemistry and helps that work better too.

How cool would it be if we could start treating mental health issues like anxiety and depression with food instead of screwing with brain chemistry through pharmaceutical drugs that have some pretty serious side effects? It makes me happy just to think about how many people that could help


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## Guest

Oh and related to the above, I read something by Dr. Greger about nutritional yeast and mood as well as immune function. Immune function and mood are very correlated as well. Also makes perfect sense, the better you feel, the less susceptible you are to infections... 

I really don't like nutritional yeast, just opening the container almost makes me gag. Smells like my teenage son's sweaty socks after they've sat in the laundry for too many days if you ask me :Yuck
BUT, I've found that if I add it to something more watery (like salsa) I don't mind it at all (as long as I don't smell it while I'm mixing it in). And bonus, this brand of NY is fortified with B12, so a good dose of fungus and bacteria :Hilarious:Hilarious


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## Cleo38

ouesi said:


> Oh and related to the above, I read something by Dr. Greger about nutritional yeast and mood as well as immune function. Immune function and mood are very correlated as well. Also makes perfect sense, the better you feel, the less susceptible you are to infections...
> 
> I really don't like nutritional yeast, just opening the container almost makes me gag. Smells like my teenage son's sweaty socks after they've sat in the laundry for too many days if you ask me :Yuck
> BUT, I've found that if I add it to something more watery (like salsa) I don't mind it at all (as long as I don't smell it while I'm mixing it in). And bonus, this brand of NY is fortified with B12, so a good dose of fungus and bacteria :Hilarious:Hilarious


I bought my first tub of nutritional yeast this week & whilst the initial smell put me off it was actually a really great additional ingredient to a stew I made.

I actually have to have B12 injections but it does sound like it has other health benefits that are beneficial


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## Guest

Cleo38 said:


> I bought my first tub of nutritional yeast this week & whilst the initial smell put me off it was actually a really great additional ingredient to a stew I made.
> 
> I actually have to have B12 injections but it does sound like it has other health benefits that are beneficial


Should be interesting to see how eating WFPB affects that


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## Cleo38

ouesi said:


> Should be interesting to see how eating WFPB affects that


Not sure as I have a form of pernicious anaemia although they think it's just that I don't produce intrinsic factor rather than it being destroyed by antibodies. Am not sure I will ever be 'cured' but it is easily manageable now they know what it wrong. I thought I had early Alzheimer's originally.


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## catz4m8z

Cleo38 said:


> I bought my first tub of nutritional yeast this week & whilst the initial smell put me off it was actually a really great additional ingredient to a stew I made.
> 
> I actually have to have B12 injections but it does sound like it has other health benefits that are beneficial


I just love the smell! I tend to sprinkle it on everything, esp love it on spag bol or chilli. TBH with that and the amount of plant milk hot chocolate I drink Im probably bursting at the seams with B12! LOL:Hilarious


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## Cleo38

catz4m8z said:


> I just love the smell! I tend to sprinkle it on everything, esp love it on spag bol or chilli. TBH with that and the amount of plant milk hot chocolate I drink Im probably bursting at the seams with B12! LOL:Hilarious


I am drinking so much oat milk now as am having a few lattes throughout the day .... bloody lovely!!!


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## rottiepointerhouse

I'm trying to think of a way to get nutritional yeast and marmite in the same dish :Hungry I add it to all sorts of things, pesto, salad dressing, on top of some meals, on beans on toast etc. I used to make a Dijon mustard/mushroom mixture to have on baked potatoes with it in too.


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## Guest

Cleo38 said:


> Not sure as I have a form of pernicious anaemia although they think it's just that I don't produce intrinsic factor rather than it being destroyed by antibodies. Am not sure I will ever be 'cured' but it is easily manageable now they know what it wrong. I thought I had early Alzheimer's originally.


Oh gosh! Glad you have it under control now!


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## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> I just love the smell!


You're crazy! :Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious
To me it smells like a gym bag full of sweaty clothes. :Hungover


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## Cleo38

ouesi said:


> Oh gosh! Glad you have it under control now!


Yes, it's easily manageable now I have my diagnosis. I was having such problems with memory & getting confused easily. Such a relief that it was all sorted with one injection every few weeks


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## LinznMilly

I think we have a convert in the making. :Smug

SIL was raving about _Super Immunity_ last night, saying much the same thing as I have been trying to say. :Woot layful


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## Guest

Apparently this is now available in the UK, I use their creamers for coffee and they're lovely  
https://www.califiafarms.com/uk


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Apparently this is now available in the UK, I use their creamers for coffee and they're lovely
> https://www.califiafarms.com/uk


Looks like Sainsburys are stocking them if anyone wants to try them. .


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## rottiepointerhouse

Have just ordered myself a Nutri Ninja blender thingy as a Christmas treat (we don't buy presents for each other), my old blender doesn't cope with nuts or frozen stuff very well so looking forward to making more ice cream - want to try Dr Fuhrman's chocolate hazelnut one :Hungry


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## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Have just ordered myself a Nutri Ninja blender thingy as a Christmas treat (we don't buy presents for each other), my old blender doesn't cope with nuts or frozen stuff very well so looking forward to making more ice cream - want to try Dr Fuhrman's chocolate hazelnut one :Hungry


I have a re-purposed vitamix that we got about 5 years ago, still going strong and I use it all the time. Was well worth the purchase.

Came home today with a famished teenager who needed to eat NOW, threw on some pasta and some frozen broccoli, peas, and corn. Added some tomatoes I had and just seasoned lightly with salt and garlic. Can I just say, watching your children shovel vegetables in their faces is highly satisfying 

Also scored some *real* maple syrup from Massachusetts as an early Christmas gift and the house is full of pecans that are literally falling off the trees in town. Kids have been eating oatmeal with cinnamon, apples, pecans, and maple syrup for breakfast. Super easy, fast, excellent breakfast for them. 
Hey, if you can keep teens happy on a WFPB diet, really, anyone can do it!!


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## rottiepointerhouse

@stockwellcat. are you still reading your book and trying to make some changes?


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## stockwellcat.

rottiepointerhouse said:


> @stockwellcat. are you still reading your book and trying to make some changes?


I am still reading the book around the hectic week I have had this week.

I have made one change this week and that is I have been using these two alternatives to milk, my favourite being Almond Milk:


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## stockwellcat.

Today I have decided to not have meat and instead I am having a lovely Nut Roast from Holland & Barrett.








Nut roast is one of my favourite dishes.


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## stockwellcat.

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Have just ordered myself a Nutri Ninja blender thingy as a Christmas treat (we don't buy presents for each other), my old blender doesn't cope with nuts or frozen stuff very well so looking forward to making more ice cream - want to try Dr Fuhrman's chocolate hazelnut one :Hungry


I have a Nutri Ninja and love making smoothies with it. It's well worth having one of these.


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## Guest

One bowl of oatmeal a day as effective as statin drugs without the side effects.


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> One bowl of oatmeal a day as effective as statin drugs without the side effects.


Yep, I think its time they started prescribing it on the NHS


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## ShibaPup

Is oatmeal, ready brek? :Shy


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## rottiepointerhouse

ShibaPup said:


> Is oatmeal, ready brek? :Shy


Sort of. Ready Brek is quite a processed version of it - ingredients 60% wholegrains - white flour and other additives usually anti caking type things so it cooks much faster therefore contains a bit less fibre. If you can go for old fashioned oats like Quaker which is 100 % wholegrain with more fibre so the energy is released more slowly.


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## Guest

This is what we eat, I'm pretty sure they're available in the UK also:










I put half a cup in a bowl, enough water to cover it and then nuke 'em for 2 minutes. Add fruit, nuts, and maple syrup. YUM! I eat it as a dessert, kids eat it for breakfast. 
They make a lovely topping for fruit crumbles too


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## Jonescat

stockwellcat. said:


> Today I have decided to not have meat and instead I am having a lovely Nut Roast from Holland & Barrett.
> View attachment 337428
> 
> Nut roast is one of my favourite dishes.


I like the mediterranean tomato one of those 

Can't stand nutritional yeast but each to their own 

And I can feel porridge wars coming on - these are the only thing you make porridge from. 









Is that what's in that packet?


----------



## Guest

Jonescat said:


> And I can feel porridge wars coming on - these are the only thing you make porridge from.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is that what's in that packet?


That's what's in the container of Quaker oats, no idea about the packets. 
If it's anything like the packets here, it's a bunch of stuff I can't pronounce and SOS (salt, oil, sugar). If you turn the container of Quaker oats around and read the ingredients it says "oats" and nothing else. That's how I like my food LOL


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## Jonescat

Then we are on the same page  
Our Quaker packets look like this so didn't know what your container had in it


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## rottiepointerhouse

A lot of the American members on the WFPB forums use steel cut oats but I've looked and not seen them here, they are apparently the most unadulterated form although sounds like they take ages to cook so I will stick with my Quaker Oats. I've just taken a nice pot of frozen berries out of the freezer to have on my breakfast oats, by then they are defrosted and there is a nice juice. I don't need any sugar/sweetner with it. Yum yum can't wait for breakfast (although I rarely eat it before 12 - 1 so quite a long wait yet.


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## Magyarmum

We can't get Quaker Oats over her so I normally buy a German make, either their fine or coarse oat flakes according to what I want them for. I usually make the larger coarser flakes into muesli with lots of toasted seeds, nuts and dried fruit like apple, apricot and raisins. An easy breakfast which I'll have with sliced banana and some plant milk. The finer flakes I'll use for porridge or overnight oats. My favourite though is my morning bowl of muesli!

https://bevasarlas.tesco.hu/groceries/en-GB/products/2004010002526


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## Jonescat

I make muesli with naked barley flakes and quinoa as well as oats.Naked barley is an ancient grain on its way back that has great nutritional value.

https://hodmedods.co.uk/blogs/news/naked-barley-arrives-at-the-bean-store-at-last


----------



## ShibaPup

Does anyone here take any supplements/vitamins? I'm thinking B12 might be a good idea and DHA/EPA - found a brand called Together that make wholevits which look good but I have no idea.


----------



## Siskin

I have overnight oats every morning made with a low cal, fat free and no added sugar yoghurt and a little water and add blueberries. Really enjoy this and it keeps me going til lunch


----------



## Siskin

ShibaPup said:


> Does anyone here take any supplements/vitamins? I'm thinking B12 might be a good idea and DHA/EPA - found a brand called Together that make wholevits which look good but I have no idea.


I've taken B12 for some time as it's a useful supplement for older people. Recently started taking an iron supplement as I don't eat enough iron rich foods ( don't like many of them) and I noticed I was showing a number of signs of being iron deficient.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ShibaPup said:


> Does anyone here take any supplements/vitamins? I'm thinking B12 might be a good idea and DHA/EPA - found a brand called Together that make wholevits which look good but I have no idea.


Yes I take B12 as all vegans should (and a pretty large percentage of the general population too) and an algae based DHA/EPA. Some people manage without the DHA if they have a good intake of nuts/seeds etc but a lot of people don't have the enzyme necessary to convert ALA to DHA to it is worth taking a supplement in my opinion although many would say see how you get on and only take the supplement if you feel you need it.


----------



## ShibaPup

Thank you - will get some.

Weight loss - I have no idea what's happening... I weigh myself in one room and then another with 4lb difference... So I've either lost nothing - most likely I have been comfort eating :Facepalm or lost 4lbs.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ShibaPup said:


> Thank you - will get some.
> 
> Weight loss - I have no idea what's happening... I weigh myself in one room and then another with 4lb difference... So I've either lost nothing - most likely I have been comfort eating :Facepalm or lost 4lbs.


Don't worry about weight for now, focus on health and eating the most nutritious foods and the weight will come off. When you do comfort eat what sort of stuff do you go for?


----------



## ShibaPup

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Don't worry about weight for now, focus on health and eating the most nutritious foods and the weight will come off. When you do comfort eat what sort of stuff do you go for?


Really fell off the wagon over the weekend.
Crisps and chocolate... When I'm in a crappy mood or feeling sorry for myself I can't be bothered to prepare a meal so then I'll have something from the chip shop, Chinese or Indian.


----------



## Guest

ShibaPup said:


> Thank you - will get some.
> 
> Weight loss - I have no idea what's happening... I weigh myself in one room and then another with 4lb difference... So I've either lost nothing - most likely I have been comfort eating :Facepalm or lost 4lbs.


They say you should only weigh yourself once a week at most because your weight can fluctuate so much day to day, even within a day.
I've moved away from weighing myself and instead go by how my clothes fit and how I feel. I do get weighed at the doctor's office and I'll hop on the scale at home from time to time. I know I've lost weight since upping my running since this summer, but I couldn't tell you how much because I don't know where I started.


----------



## Guest

ShibaPup said:


> Really fell off the wagon over the weekend.
> Crisps and chocolate... When I'm in a crappy mood or feeling sorry for myself I can't be bothered to prepare a meal so then I'll have something from the chip shop, Chinese or Indian.


But the beauty of WFPB eating though is that there is no all or nothing. Every WFPB meal counts, and even when you "fall off the wagon" you're still getting the benefits of those good meals you ate and will eat  
So don't feel guilty or beat yourself up, just have some good veggies and grains and enjoy feeling good from that


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ShibaPup said:


> Really fell off the wagon over the weekend.
> Crisps and chocolate... When I'm in a crappy mood or feeling sorry for myself I can't be bothered to prepare a meal so then I'll have something from the chip shop, Chinese or Indian.


Oh blimey. All I can suggest is keeping some pre cooked rice (microwave pouches or frozen bags) and some frozen mixed veggies in your freezer so when you can't be bothered to cook you can ping some rice in 2 mins, add some veg and some beans from a tin. Serve with wholemeal pitta and follow with some fruit. Quick and easy but still healthy. When you are in mood make some of those little mashed banana and oat cakes I've put on this thread so you have something sweeter if you feel like comfort eating. Also keep some humus and crackers instead of crisps.


----------



## Elles

Since changing his diet, not vegan, but cut right back on animal based produce and moved towards the pick a base and cover it, eg rice, or potato, my OH has lost over a stone and doubled the distance he walked comfortably (my feet hurt, my legs ache, I’m knackered) and could do more. He was a typical full English/sunday roast/Macs/kebab with a pint or two,but now it’s cereal, beans and vegetables. Rice on Saturday, baked potato Sunday and tonight. He’s making baked potato lightly coated in olive oil and sea salt, takes about an hour in the oven and it’s scrummy. I know the wfpb experts aren’t a fan of oil, but hey ho, I wouldn’t want to complain and put him off.  :Hungry


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Elles said:


> Since changing his diet, not vegan, but cut right back on animal based produce and moved towards the pick a base and cover it, eg rice, or potato, my OH has lost over a stone and doubled the distance he walked comfortably (my feet hurt, my legs ache, I'm knackered) and could do more. He was a typical full English/sunday roast/Macs/kebab with a pint or two,but now it's cereal, beans and vegetables. Rice on Saturday, baked potato Sunday and tonight. He's making baked potato lightly coated in olive oil and sea salt, takes about an hour in the oven and it's scrummy. I know the wfpb experts aren't a fan of oil, but hey ho, I wouldn't want to complain and put him off.  :Hungry


Good for him, that is brilliant news. Every step in the right direction is an improvement and that is well worth having.


----------



## Magyarmum

Jonescat said:


> I make muesli with naked barley flakes and quinoa as well as oats.Naked barley is an ancient grain on its way back that has great nutritional value.
> 
> https://hodmedods.co.uk/blogs/news/naked-barley-arrives-at-the-bean-store-at-last


No Naked Barley over here as far as I'm aware but I often eat the pot (Scotch) Barley which I prefer to quinoa. This was my dinner on Saturday night - a "beef" stew with onions, leeks, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, mushrooms and kale cooked in vegetable stock with mixed herbs and Meridian Yeast Extract to give it a lovely meaty flavour and served with Barley.


----------



## Jonescat

Lemony blackeye bean hotpot, quinoa and salad. I am really proud of the greens - they are home grown cut and come again mustards and yummy (very hot)


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Talking of cholesterol and WFPB foods that help to lower it - this is an interesting video by Dr Greger and just shows that the plant based doctors are just as hard on studies into claims made about plant foods where substituting for something worse to prove your point is not good science.

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/ar...-24208457&mc_cid=a26dbf5877&mc_eid=53363da263


----------



## LinznMilly

Well, mam's Christmas Pressie is wrapped. She asked for the _Eat Well for Less_ book that came out this year, so I took the opportunity to "accidentally on purpose" slip in _The End of Heart Disease _with it. :Smuggrin . :Angelic

"I don't like fruit or smoothies" SIL loved the pineapple and mango smoothie I made on Sunday. :Smug I didn't actually make it for her - just wanted to see if she and the others could guess what was in it, by they all liked it anyway. :Smuggrin


----------



## Cleo38

Had my planned 'lapse' on Sunday night as it was our IPO club Christmas meal .... although turned out that if I didn't eat the accompanying cauliflower cheese with my butternut squash & nut roast then my main was vegan (although the goats cheese starter I had wasn't!!).
But I haven't felt deprived of nice food at all & didn't even want my pudding (Bailey's cheesecake) as I was quite full anyway & wasn't that fussed .... unheard of for me normally!

Anyway, for tonight's dinner I had to use up some potatoes, cabbage & spinach so made bubble & squeak but with curry powder & a bit of turmeric ....... bloody lovely!!


----------



## Guest

Cleo38 said:


> bubble & squeak


What?!
What on earth is that LOL?!


----------



## Cleo38

ouesi said:


> What?!
> What on earth is that LOL?!


Hahahaha, it's a traditional dish made using leftovers...... here was my take on it -

Fry some onions in oil with turmeric then mix with cooked cabbage, spinach, cooked carrots & mashed potatoes adding a teaspoon of curry powder
Heat some oil in a large frying pan, add the mixture & smooth it flat with a spatula.
Fry over a medium heat for about 8-10 mins or until underside is brown
Turn over & brown the other side
Serve ..... & then add loads of ketchup as I did!!


----------



## Magyarmum

ouesi said:


> What?!
> What on earth is that LOL?!


Here you go ......

https://www.thekitchn.com/cooking-with-leftovers-bubble-69257


----------



## Matrod

ouesi said:


> What?!
> What on earth is that LOL?!


Bubble & squeak is just the best thing ever, I can't believe you've never tried it :Woot

Basically it's just all the left over veg from Christmas dinner mashed up & fried till a bit crispy, traditionally it's eaten with pickles, cold meat, bread sauce etc.


----------



## Cleo38

Matrod said:


> Bubble & squeak is just the best thing ever, I can't believe you've never tried it :Woot
> 
> Basically it's just all the left over veg from Christmas dinner mashed up & fried till a bit crispy, traditionally it's eaten with pickles, cold meat, bread sauce etc.


My nan used to always make this on Boxing Day & we'd have it with her homemade picallili, pickled onions & pickled beetroot


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Avoiding a Christmas coronary


----------



## Magyarmum

If anyone's interested The Book Depository has a "Boxing Day Deal" with up to 60% off selected books, one of which is the "Meat Free Monday" cookbook reduced from £15.99 to £8.85!

https://www.bookdepository.com/Meat...m_medium=email-Service&utm_term=Book_title&ut

I'm so pleased with myself, after driving all the way to Tesco in the city only to find they'd no Buckwheat "milk" and thinking I'd have to go back to using skimmed milk instead, after hours of searching I finally found an online health food shop in Budapest which stocks it, so I've ordered 10 litres plus some amaranth seeds and some liquid smoke!

Even better, yesterday I took my laptop into the computer shop and now I've got sound once more ... I can see a lot of my Christmas being spent on catching up on all the videos RPH has posted over the past few months!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

:Joyful:Joyful That sounds like fun.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

How to avoid catching a cold this winter


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> How to avoid catching a cold this winter


That sneeze into your elbow tip ... I've been doing that for years, and people think I've got a suddenly very itchy back when I do it. :Hilarious :Smuggrin .


----------



## lullabydream

Noooo...haven't smacked on sweet potato I have the chest infection from hell!

I can't get warm, I feel grotty and sorry for myself. Pleased I have done everything on that list though as we have eaten really well even at work! 

Sorry I cough and sneeze like that because I am usually holding something..

Plus asked for handcream this Christmas due to over handwashing!


----------



## Magyarmum

lullabydream said:


> Noooo...haven't smacked on sweet potato I have the chest infection from hell!
> 
> I can't get warm, I feel grotty and sorry for myself. Pleased I have done everything on that list though as we have eaten really well even at work!
> 
> Sorry I cough and sneeze like that because I am usually holding something..
> 
> Plus asked for handcream this Christmas due to over handwashing!


Sorry to hear you're feeling so grotty. This is what my Indian friend Kay used to always make for anyone suffering from flu.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com...d-make-turmeric-milk/articleshow/47467371.cms

If you don't take milk in your diet here are a few other things you could try!

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com...ommon-cold-and-cough/articleshow/21952311.cms


----------



## lullabydream

Magyarmum said:


> Sorry to hear you're feeling so grotty. This is what my Indian friend Kay used to always make for anyone suffering from flu.
> 
> https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com...d-make-turmeric-milk/articleshow/47467371.cms
> 
> If you don't take milk in your diet here are a few other things you could try!
> 
> https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com...ommon-cold-and-cough/articleshow/21952311.cms


Thank you so much...

I have only had a few chest infections in my life...

I had pneumonia in August time so I just for piece of mind wanted to be checked out by the doctors today...but the triage nurse was a different one than usual and said it will be viral rest, fluids and pain relief! Pneumonia takes months to get over...and I was admitted twice for it..so I still not in the safe zone...so thank you will look at those!


----------



## LinznMilly

lullabydream said:


> Noooo...haven't smacked on sweet potato I have the chest infection from hell!
> 
> I can't get warm, I feel grotty and sorry for myself. Pleased I have done everything on that list though as we have eaten really well even at work!
> 
> Sorry I cough and sneeze like that because I am usually holding something..
> 
> Plus asked for handcream this Christmas due to over handwashing!


Urgh! Sorry you're feeling so grotty. Have a virtual ((hug)) . I was feeling a bit under the weather yesterday, but I think that was down to not having enough to drink (see below).

Yeah, the only thing I struggle with is keep in my fluid levels up, and it's a mental problem, because if I wait until I feel thirsty, I'm dehydrated, and my skin is as dry as the Sahara - I don't seem to have an in between, so I have to remind myself to grab a drink every couple of hours, at least.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Magyarmum said:


> Sorry to hear you're feeling so grotty. This is what my Indian friend Kay used to always make for anyone suffering from flu.
> 
> https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com...d-make-turmeric-milk/articleshow/47467371.cms
> 
> If you don't take milk in your diet here are a few other things you could try!
> 
> https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com...ommon-cold-and-cough/articleshow/21952311.cms


The second article mentions Amla, we keep Amla powder in and use it like Cinnamon in our oatmeal etc, it doesn't taste wonderful on its own but is fine mixed in with other things. Dr Greger swears by it


----------



## Guest

I swear by running at silly o'clock in the freezing cold to ward off air borne germs. I figure I freeze 'em off breathing in cold air LOL.

No, in all seriousness, I've been eating really well this winter, exercising, and I feel the best I've ever felt and have avoided every cold, flu, stomach bug etc. that has traveled though work which is a small accomplishment in itself.


----------



## Cleo38

I have a stinking cold atm, I think I picked it up when I went out the other night. Feel dreadful but have managed to get myself out with the dogs for some fresh air though. 

Ventured in to a supermarket today (first time in ages as I usually do all mine online) & whilst it is never a nice experience I was pleased to see that lots of veg is on offer at 29p so I bought several bags of carrots, spuds & parsnips which I can cook then freeze.


----------



## catz4m8z

Im sure the best thing you can do is to make sure you wash your hands plenty and try and avoid places where people cough and splutter all over you! (like those check out people who cough and hack into their hands then grab your lovely fresh produce and germify it!:Nailbiting:Shifty).
I remember when I first started nursing I caught every bug going but after 20 years I think Im probably immune to a fair amount of them!LOL


Yet another lazy CBA 'cooking' sesh today.:Shy Im calling it deconstructed shepards pie! Made several portions of mash the other day (sweet and white potatoes) and today I chucked a carton of tomatoes, tin of lentils, frozen peas, red onion and couple of spoonfuls of gravy powder in a pan. Had a big bowlful for tea and it was really nice. Now I have separate portions of mash and lentils for later (either shepards pie again, or mash and sausages, curried lentils and rice, etc).
I def wont be going WFPB for christmas though! Its my first vegan one (and going alcohol free too) so Im stuffing my face with junk food!LOL:Woot


----------



## lullabydream

LinznMilly said:


> Urgh! Sorry you're feeling so grotty. Have a virtual ((hug)) . I was feeling a bit under the weather yesterday, but I think that was down to not having enough to drink (see below).
> 
> Yeah, the only thing I struggle with is keep in my fluid levels up, and it's a mental problem, because if I wait until I feel thirsty, I'm dehydrated, and my skin is as dry as the Sahara - I don't seem to have an in between, so I have to remind myself to grab a drink every couple of hours, at least.


Thank you for the hug!

We as a rule have bottled water at work so I drink loads of that ....depending where I work I cover bases on disinfecting areas...and wear gloves, wash hands a lot!

I drank loads last night...and been having ginger tea with manuka honey to see if that helps today too!

I never usually catch anything, am usually immunes to my OH's illnesses so this must be nasty!


----------



## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> Yet another lazy CBA 'cooking' sesh today.:Shy Im calling it deconstructed shepards pie! Made several portions of mash the other day (sweet and white potatoes) and today I chucked a carton of tomatoes, tin of lentils, frozen peas, red onion and couple of spoonfuls of gravy powder in a pan. Had a big bowlful for tea and it was really nice. Now I have separate portions of mash and lentils for later (either shepards pie again, or mash and sausages, curried lentils and rice, etc).
> I def wont be going WFPB for christmas though! Its my first vegan one (and going alcohol free too) so Im stuffing my face with junk food!LOL:Woot


Sounds like my kind of cooking  
We've been subsisting on canned beans, lentils, frozen veggies, rice, quinoa, and pasta for the last few weeks. But finally have some time off, and my favorite market had purple sweet potatoes which I'm beyond excited to cook up. If you've never tried them, they're amazing!

Will also be making a couple apple pies and probably an apple crumble since I don't make my own pie crust and the store bought one is definitely not vegan or WFPB.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Came across this interesting article on another forum - its a bit old but the message is brilliant - this way of eating doesn't have to be hard, there is nothing wrong with using microwaveable or canned or frozen fruits/veg/beans/rice etc

http://web.archive.org/web/20140418.../a-bag-of-potatoes-microwaves-and-being-kind/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Rich Roll interviewing Rip Esselstyn - one you might enjoy over the holidays @ouesi


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Rich Roll interviewing Rip Esselstyn - one you might enjoy over the holidays @ouesi


LOL I just listened to it this morning on my run.  Was a great podcast.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...b3efbbe5c-192763785&ct=t(24th_Oct_Newsletter)

Chickpea protein and peanut milk for next year


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/uk-first-plant-based-nutrition-conference

UK holding its first plant based nutrition conference 23 March next year at Kings College Hospital London :Woot:Woot about time too!

*NUTRITION IN MEDICINE CONFERENCE
23rd March 2018*
*King's College Hospital, London*
Plant-based health professionals brings you the first UK conference to highlight the role of whole food plant-based nutrition in the prevention and reversal of diseases caused by lifestyle. The main purpose is to bring together health professionals and share the most up to date information in the field of nutrition, however, members of the public are warmly welcomed. We have confirmed speakers covering topics such as cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and public health. This will be the first of many conferences around the UK. Tickets can be found bought on Eventbrite

Plant based health professionals in UK website

https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com


----------



## Guest

WFPB shepherd's pie done and resting.
2 apple pies done.
Orange and purple sweet potatoes roasting in the oven.
Yum


----------



## LinznMilly

Guess what I got for Christmas?










 :Smuggrin


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@LinznMilly I can't wait to hear what you think of the Pleasure Trap  How did the books you gave family members go down?

Merry Christmas to everyone who has contributed to this thread and made it such an interesting and supportive place with lots of resources to help anyone interested in making changes to their diet and way of life.

I've just come across this article on another forum and found it really interesting so wanted to share

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/...iences-more-pain-than-other-countries/548822/


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> @LinznMilly I can't wait to hear what you think of the Pleasure Trap  How did the books you gave family members go down?
> 
> Merry Christmas to everyone who has contributed to this thread and made it such an interesting and supportive place with lots of resources to help anyone interested in making changes to their diet and way of life.
> 
> I've just come across this article on another forum and found it really interesting so wanted to share
> 
> https://www.theatlantic.com/health/...iences-more-pain-than-other-countries/548822/


SIL loves hers (_Proteinaholic_). I haven't seen mam yet to give her hers. She's not well .... again. 

I can't wait to get stuck into_ The Pleasure Trap_. I'm already reading the Forward.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> SIL loves hers (_Proteinaholic_). I haven't seen mam yet to give her hers. She's not well .... again.
> 
> I can't wait to get stuck into_ The Pleasure Trap_. I'm already reading the Forward.


Sorry to hear about your Mum but pleased to hear SIL likes Proteinaholic  I've just started reading the end of heart disease (Dr Fuhrman) to my OH.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I treated myself to this book. I'm determined to crack doing some yoga this year and rather than trying to follow a whole routine on a video (which I always struggle with) I thought I might follow learning his poses from his book - obviously much easier than those in the video as he does beginners. Oh and I don't intend to wear a kilt and flash my bare bum :Jawdrop:Joyful:Joyful


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I treated myself to this book. I'm determined to crack doing some yoga this year and rather than trying to follow a whole routine on a video (which I always struggle with) I thought I might follow learning his poses from his book - obviously much easier than those in the video as he does beginners. Oh and I don't intend to wear a kilt and flash my bare bum :Jawdrop:Joyful:Joyful


That video cracks me up, I love it  
Yoga is truly amazing IMHO. Remember, be gentle with yourself. Whatever you are able to do is good. It's all about what works for you and your body


----------



## LinznMilly

Prepare for a jaw drop.

Mam has thanked me for the books, and said she'll read some of Joel Fuhrman's The End of Heart Disease. She was especially interested when I told her that it's by the same author that wrote the book I lent to SIL .

:Smuggrin :Smuggrin :Woot


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> That video cracks me up, I love it
> Yoga is truly amazing IMHO. Remember, be gentle with yourself. Whatever you are able to do is good. It's all about what works for you and your body


It made me chuckle too  My sister (in the US) does a lot of yoga so we have been talking about it - she is hoping to go on a retreat to Bali in May. She has suggested I try this guy






I've tried a couple of the short sessions today (beginners) and can do a lot of it although my feet and knees are giving me a lot of trouble again at the moment so standing on one leg is out as is kneeling but I was pleased with the amount I did manage and felt more mobile/flexible afterwards.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Prepare for a jaw drop.
> 
> Mam has thanked me for the books, and said she'll read some of Joel Fuhrman's The End of Heart Disease. She was especially interested when I told her that it's by the same author that wrote the book I lent to SIL .
> 
> :Smuggrin :Smuggrin :Woot


Wow, that is such good news. I hope she enjoys it, I think it is one of his most powerful books.


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Wow, that is such good news. I hope she enjoys it, I think it is one of his most powerful books.


Even I was expecting her to hand it back to me and say it's not her thing!! Got all prepared with the "he's not actually promoting veganism - just suggesting we cut down on the meat and dairy products" line. Didn't need it.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

One for the ladies

*Talcum Powder and Fibroids*

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/ta...-24208457&mc_cid=af99005d5e&mc_eid=53363da263


----------



## Guest

Today's PSA:
If you have not yet had a chance to try purple sweet potatoes, go out and find some, cook them, eat them. You will thank me


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Today's PSA:
> If you have not yet had a chance to try purple sweet potatoes, go out and find some, cook them, eat them. You will thank me


Its lovely to find someone else who loves them  My husband thinks I'm bonkers and says no whenever I offer him one and I gave my Mum some to take home when she was here in the Autumn and she didn't like them either. I love them baked in the oven until the skin goes crispy and a bit sticky with the flesh still soft. I usually throw a load of salad and beetroot over the top with some balsamic vinegar :Hungry:Hungry


----------



## Magyarmum

ouesi said:


> Today's PSA:
> If you have not yet had a chance to try purple sweet potatoes, go out and find some, cook them, eat them. You will thank me


Are these the ones? They have them in Tesco but at 3.06$ or £2.28 a kilo I've been hesitant to buy a pack in case I don't like them!

https://bevasarlas.tesco.hu/groceries/en-GB/products/2004003276415


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Its lovely to find someone else who loves them  My husband thinks I'm bonkers and says no whenever I offer him one and I gave my Mum some to take home when she was here in the Autumn and she didn't like them either. I love them baked in the oven until the skin goes crispy and a bit sticky with the flesh still soft. I usually throw a load of salad and beetroot over the top with some balsamic vinegar :Hungry:Hungry


My daughter and I love them. I can only get them this time of year, so I really enjoy them when I can get them. I just cube them and roast them along with regular sweet potatoes. They're lovely topped over salad, rice, quinoa, mixed in with other veggies.... I just really like the taste.


----------



## Guest

Magyarmum said:


> Are these the ones? They have them in Tesco but at 3.06$ or £2.28 a kilo I've been hesitant to buy a pack in case I don't like them!
> 
> https://bevasarlas.tesco.hu/groceries/en-GB/products/2004003276415


I don't think so. 
There are purple potatoes (that to me taste just about like regular potatoes) and purple sweet potatoes which are totally different.


----------



## Cleo38

ouesi said:


> Today's PSA:
> If you have not yet had a chance to try purple sweet potatoes, go out and find some, cook them, eat them. You will thank me


They do those in a local supermarket, quite a bit more expensive but if they are worth it I will have a try of them What did you make with them?
I've watched the films Knives Over Forks & What The Health this week .... very disturbing tbh but has made me think alot more about what I'm eating & how I can make some more changes to ensure I am in better shape. Now I'm getting older the thought of illness terrifies me.

I think this has been the first Christmas where I haven't eaten loads of crap but only bought a couple of extra things (crackers & crisps so not that bad) as I am broke lately (all my money has gone on Roxy!) so no waste, no feeling sick & no extra unnecessary expense .... so all good!

I've even cut down on the booze, something I have really struggled to do previously. I love a G&T in the evening .... & although I don't really binge drink anymore I drink consistently, every night a couple of large G&T's which although I do enjoy at the time I do think this is making me more lethargic in the mornings & am not sleeping well. So ... this Christmas has not been a booze fuelled one either as I have cut back alot. I am not giving up booze completely I am not drinking in the week anymore & will just have a couple at the weekend. Again, I think it's something that has turned in to a habit & it needs to stop.

I've lost nearly 2 stone now but it's not about that really but my health. My blood pressure is still too high but I think that might be related to anxiety/stress & the alcohol. I do need to go back to doing some mindful meditation again as that really helped with my anxiety, up my cardio exercise which also should help (I have one of those elliptical strider things that I need to start using again) & cutting out the booze then I can think about stopping my medication. I really wanted to come off now but even despite the changes I have made & the weight I have lost yesterday's reading was disappointingly high


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Magyarmum said:


> Are these the ones? They have them in Tesco but at 3.06$ or £2.28 a kilo I've been hesitant to buy a pack in case I don't like them!
> 
> https://bevasarlas.tesco.hu/groceries/en-GB/products/2004003276415


Waitrose sell them here and Tesco have them sometimes - I get mine from Riverford (my organic delivery).

https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/produ...gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CN76gZTSqtgCFcc4GwodgqAAEg


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> One for the ladies
> 
> *Talcum Powder and Fibroids*
> 
> https://nutritionfacts.org/video/ta...-24208457&mc_cid=af99005d5e&mc_eid=53363da263


not that I use talc but thats actually fairly terrifying to think companies know this stuff and dont tell anybody! Makes you wonder what else we dont know about the products we use everyday.
Ive found myself moving over to natural products as much as possible, you know exactly what you are getting then!



ouesi said:


> Today's PSA:
> If you have not yet had a chance to try purple sweet potatoes, go out and find some, cook them, eat them. You will thank me


Ive never seen purple sweet potatoes, dont think I can get them here. Shame, I love the regular ones. The sweet potato vol au vents I made for xmas were amazing!

I def overdid it for xmas. Waaaay too much junk food, nobody needs that much chocolate!LOL
As my first vegan teetotal xmas it went really well though, I certainly didnt feel I missed out on anything. Some things worked better then others but I suppose it will take a few years to work out a decent festive menu.


----------



## Guest

Cleo38 said:


> They do those in a local supermarket, quite a bit more expensive but if they are worth it I will have a try of them What did you make with them?
> I've watched the films Knives Over Forks & What The Health this week .... very disturbing tbh but has made me think alot more about what I'm eating & how I can make some more changes to ensure I am in better shape. Now I'm getting older the thought of illness terrifies me.
> 
> I think this has been the first Christmas where I haven't eaten loads of crap but only bought a couple of extra things (crackers & crisps so not that bad) as I am broke lately (all my money has gone on Roxy!) so no waste, no feeling sick & no extra unnecessary expense .... so all good!
> 
> I've even cut down on the booze, something I have really struggled to do previously. I love a G&T in the evening .... & although I don't really binge drink anymore I drink consistently, every night a couple of large G&T's which although I do enjoy at the time I do think this is making me more lethargic in the mornings & am not sleeping well. So ... this Christmas has not been a booze fuelled one either as I have cut back alot. I am not giving up booze completely I am not drinking in the week anymore & will just have a couple at the weekend. Again, I think it's something that has turned in to a habit & it needs to stop.
> 
> I've lost nearly 2 stone now but it's not about that really but my health. My blood pressure is still too high but I think that might be related to anxiety/stress & the alcohol. I do need to go back to doing some mindful meditation again as that really helped with my anxiety, up my cardio exercise which also should help (I have one of those elliptical strider things that I need to start using again) & cutting out the booze then I can think about stopping my medication. I really wanted to come off now but even despite the changes I have made & the weight I have lost yesterday's reading was disappointingly high


Definitely continue to focus on the positive changes. It's a journey  
I didn't start this as a total vegan, in fact just reading my posts earlier in this thread show that. But little changes here and there become habits. I rarely use refined oil when I cook anymore, dairy is gone, and honestly I feel amazing. 
It's funny, once your body gets a taste of how good you can feel, you really do crave the good stuff and it becomes so much easier to say no to the stuff that's not going to make you feel good. Over Christmas I did have some mac&cheese casserole which I used to love. It just didn't taste the same, and I found myself more drawn to the black eyed peas and butter beans. 
I still don't call myself a vegan, rather that I eat WFPB. The idea is not what can I eliminate from my diet, but what do I need to include more of. And I find that the more of the good stuff I get in there, the less room there is for what doesn't serve me, or my health, or the environment etc


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> not that I use talc but thats actually fairly terrifying to think companies know this stuff and dont tell anybody! Makes you wonder what else we dont know about the products we use everyday.
> Ive found myself moving over to natural products as much as possible, you know exactly what you are getting then!
> 
> Ive never seen purple sweet potatoes, dont think I can get them here. Shame, I love the regular ones. The sweet potato vol au vents I made for xmas were amazing!
> 
> .


Just google purple sweet potatoes and you will see some of the places you can get them.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> They do those in a local supermarket, quite a bit more expensive but if they are worth it I will have a try of them What did you make with them?
> I've watched the films Knives Over Forks & What The Health this week .... very disturbing tbh but has made me think alot more about what I'm eating & how I can make some more changes to ensure I am in better shape. Now I'm getting older the thought of illness terrifies me.
> 
> I think this has been the first Christmas where I haven't eaten loads of crap but only bought a couple of extra things (crackers & crisps so not that bad) as I am broke lately (all my money has gone on Roxy!) so no waste, no feeling sick & no extra unnecessary expense .... so all good!
> 
> I've even cut down on the booze, something I have really struggled to do previously. I love a G&T in the evening .... & although I don't really binge drink anymore I drink consistently, every night a couple of large G&T's which although I do enjoy at the time I do think this is making me more lethargic in the mornings & am not sleeping well. So ... this Christmas has not been a booze fuelled one either as I have cut back alot. I am not giving up booze completely I am not drinking in the week anymore & will just have a couple at the weekend. Again, I think it's something that has turned in to a habit & it needs to stop.
> 
> I've lost nearly 2 stone now but it's not about that really but my health. My blood pressure is still too high but I think that might be related to anxiety/stress & the alcohol. I do need to go back to doing some mindful meditation again as that really helped with my anxiety, up my cardio exercise which also should help (I have one of those elliptical strider things that I need to start using again) & cutting out the booze then I can think about stopping my medication. I really wanted to come off now but even despite the changes I have made & the weight I have lost yesterday's reading was disappointingly high


There are so many brilliant films and lectures by the plant based doctors on Youtube (quite a lot of them on this thread). Pam Popper one of the WFPB dietitians talks about health as being a bit like a combination lock to a safe, say there are 4 numbers to get in the safe, if you don't have all the numbers right you won't get in the safe and she likens that to health. Food is one component, so is exercise, so is relaxation and so is sleep (good restorative sleep), some (such as Dr Dean Ornish in his research work on heart disease reversal and prostate cancer) also say that social support is an important element either in person or through this sort of thread.

This is from Dr Fuhrman's website

*Overview*
High blood pressure is one of the most common diseases affecting the world today. In the U.S., it is estimated that approximately one third of adults have hypertension1 and another one third who have pre-hypertension. In response to this, many are given medications to help control their blood pressure, which has led to approximately 70% of adults age 65 or older in the U.S. to be taking one or more of these medications.1

High blood pressure is a concern because it not only can be directly harmful on organs such as our heart and kidneys but also is often a sign of an underlying process affecting the arteries (atherosclerosis) and is associated with a higher risk of getting a heart attack or a stroke. Hypertension is often called "the silent killer" because, most typically, there are no symptoms noticed, but sometimes, very high blood pressure can cause dizziness or headaches.

Uncommon but significant causes of high blood pressure include problems such as kidney failure, heart failure, liver failure, sleep apnea, insomnia, and anemia. The most common category of high blood pressure, however, is called "essential hypertension," which basically means that it is related to a high sodium/salt diet, being overweight, being sedentary, and having unhealthy arteries. Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, typically advances with aging, and high blood pressure may be the only sign that this is developing. This means that most persons who have high blood pressure will see dramatic improvements in their health if they diligently modify their lifestyle, particularly their diet, to improve and even resolve high blood pressure as well as reduce the burden of atherosclerosis to lower their risk of a heart attack, premature disability, and death without resorting to medications.

*Diet*

Reducing your sodium intake alone may lower your blood pressure.1 I recommend those with high blood pressure reduce their daily intake of sodium to a maximum of 400 mg of added sodium daily (in addition to what is found naturally in whole, natural foods).
Eat a Nutritarian diet style rich in a variety of micronutrient-dense vegetables, legumes, seeds, nuts, and fruits as this diet-style lowers inflammation, normalizes body weight, and lowers the burden of atherosclerosis besides merely lowering blood pressure. This is due to a number of factors related to the comprehensive array of micronutrients these foods provide, including potassium,2antioxidants, and nitrates which increase artery-dilating nitric oxide in the blood vessels.3
Include 1-2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed daily. Supplementing the diet with flax decreases systolic and diastolic blood pressure.4
If you have a chronic disease or if you are taking any medication, please talk to your doctor before and after changing your diet and lifestyle as medication and/or dietary modifications may be necessary.
Meal plan: Cardiovascular disease reversal
*Exercise*
Daily activity and all forms of exercise, particularly aerobic interval exercising,5 pushes the blood pressure down effectively. The more frequently one exercises, the more effective it is.

*Read*

_The End of Heart Disease_
Study: Improved Cardiovascular Parameters With a Nutrient-Dense, Plant-Rich Diet-Style: A Patient Survey With Illustrative Cases
Published in the _American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine_ in 2015, this study included over 400 participants with hypertension and demonstrated a 26 point average reduction of systolic blood pressure.6

*Other Considerations*
If you are overweight, a Nutritarian diet style will help you reach your ideal weight, and losing weight will also lower blood pressure. As you make efforts to reach the dietary and exercise goals, you will not only be lowering your blood pressure, but also reducing your risk of heart disease, stroke, dementia, and cancer simultaneously.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@Cleo38 you might find these interesting


----------



## Cleo38

rottiepointerhouse said:


> @Cleo38 you might find these interesting


Thanks, will have a look at these. I knew it was really high yesterday as I had a headache, then I see the numbers when I do a reading & it makes me panic .... which then makes it worse! I really do need to get it under control but I don't think constantly checking it helps


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> Thanks, will have a look at these. I knew it was really high yesterday as I had a headache, then I see the numbers when I do a reading & it makes me panic .... which then makes it worse! I really do need to get it under control but I don't think constantly checking it helps


This one is really good too






I do my BP a couple of times a day and the machine gives an average reading over the past couple of weeks so the odd higher one doesn't bother me. Mine only spikes up when I get stressed so learning not to react to situations I could just walk away from and deal with work related stress better are the things I'm trying to work on.


----------



## Gemmaa

Ooh, my copy of the How Not to Die cookbook just arrived...and it looks really good!

...need to get me a spiralizer :Woot


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Gemmaa said:


> Ooh, my copy of the How Not to Die cookbook just arrived...and it looks really good!
> 
> ...need to get me a spiralizer :Woot


Mine too :Hungry:Hungry


----------



## LinznMilly

Not strictly about plant based eating (and yet, it is in a way), but I feel like a failure today. 

My skin has been so dry lately, that I've given up and put my bandages on. Only from my calfs (calves?) downward, which is an acheivement in itself, really seeing as I'm usually half-mummified,  but I was hoping to get back on track with diet alone.  It's working for the rest of my body, but my legs always have been the worst, and do take longer to heal, but I'm sick of the discomfort and pain, and the bandages are an immediate relief.

The trouble is, even my legs aren't as bad as they have been historically, and applying the bandages to my skin as it is now, would have been laughable to me 2 years ago, so I have come very far, but . . . Ho hum.

Hopefully it won't be go long.

Sorry for the downer, but I needed to get that off my chest.


----------



## Paddypaws

Gemmaa said:


> Ooh, my copy of the How Not to Die cookbook just arrived...and it looks really good!
> 
> ...need to get me a spiralizer :Woot


I have tried so many different spiralisers and none of them were any good! So now I just stick with my simple mandolin and slice things instead.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Not strictly about plant based eating (and yet, it is in a way), but I feel like a failure today.
> 
> My skin has been so dry lately, that I've given up and put my bandages on. Only from my calfs (calves?) downward, which is an acheivement in itself, really seeing as I'm usually half-mummified,  but I was hoping to get back on track with diet alone.  It's working for the rest of my body, but my legs always have been the worst, and do take longer to heal, but I'm sick of the discomfort and pain, and the bandages are an immediate relief.
> 
> The trouble is, even my legs aren't as bad as they have been historically, and applying the bandages to my skin as it is now, would have been laughable to me 2 years ago, so I have come very far, but . . . Ho hum.
> 
> Hopefully it won't be go long.
> 
> Sorry for the downer, but I needed to get that off my chest.


Sorry to hear this but please don't feel like a failure you are doing everything you can to get to the cause and eliminate it. Not everyone manages that straight away, for the majority of people just removing dairy and eggs does the trick but for others its more of a process of elimination to find if there is another trigger. When Christmas and New Year are out of the way maybe think about doing an elimination diet so you can see if there is something else triggering yours. I know for some nightshades can be a problem especially in people who are dairy intolerant but I don't know whether they affect eczema.


----------



## Cleo38

LinznMilly said:


> Not strictly about plant based eating (and yet, it is in a way), but I feel like a failure today.
> 
> My skin has been so dry lately, that I've given up and put my bandages on. Only from my calfs (calves?) downward, which is an acheivement in itself, really seeing as I'm usually half-mummified,  but I was hoping to get back on track with diet alone.  It's working for the rest of my body, but my legs always have been the worst, and do take longer to heal, but I'm sick of the discomfort and pain, and the bandages are an immediate relief.
> 
> The trouble is, even my legs aren't as bad as they have been historically, and applying the bandages to my skin as it is now, would have been laughable to me 2 years ago, so I have come very far, but . . . Ho hum.
> 
> Hopefully it won't be go long.
> 
> Sorry for the downer, but I needed to get that off my chest.


Do you know what I felt exactly the same the other day when I took a reading of my BP & was so high .... I really beat myself up about it but in reality it's not my fault, I am making changes & the changes I have implemented are making me feel so much better so I do have to accept that it will take time .... I am so impatient that this is where I struggle!

Concentrate on the positives, see what things have improved & look at this as a long term plan. So sorry to hear you are struggling but am sort of glad you posted this as it makes me realise that I am too hard on myself at times as well & need to look at well I am doing.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Its only natural to feel like a failure some of the time but hopefully we can all appreciate how far we have come and keep on the right path to avoid regression and hopefully see further improvements. My feet and knees are terrible again at the moment, when I first went plant based they cleared up wonderfully and I was pain free then a series of bad orthotics caused my feet to deteriorate and as they have got worse and worse so have my ankles and knees, at times I've felt like an old lady hobbling about and I feel bad/frustrated that I haven't been able to reduce the inflammation with my diet. Look at the state of me



Things did improve for a while after that photo was taken as I went to yet another new podiatrist and had more new orthotics but they have got worse again recently as have my knees. They were talking hydrocortisone injections last time which I told them in no uncertain terms I will NOT be having (yes I am an awkward patient  ) I know deep down the orthotics caused the problem but I have a tiny nagging voice sometimes asking me if I've done enough and berating me for not losing the extra 30 pounds Dr Fuhrman told me to even though my BMI is in the normal range. I've been going back over what I eat to make sure I haven't sneaked something in and all I can find is I'm not having my turmeric daily like I did religiously at first so I'm changing that straight away.


----------



## Guest

LinznMilly said:


> Not strictly about plant based eating (and yet, it is in a way), but I feel like a failure today.
> 
> My skin has been so dry lately, that I've given up and put my bandages on. Only from my calfs (calves?) downward, which is an acheivement in itself, really seeing as I'm usually half-mummified,  but I was hoping to get back on track with diet alone.  It's working for the rest of my body, but my legs always have been the worst, and do take longer to heal, but I'm sick of the discomfort and pain, and the bandages are an immediate relief.
> 
> The trouble is, even my legs aren't as bad as they have been historically, and applying the bandages to my skin as it is now, would have been laughable to me 2 years ago, so I have come very far, but . . . Ho hum.
> 
> Hopefully it won't be go long.
> 
> Sorry for the downer, but I needed to get that off my chest.


Oh I'm so sorry you're struggling 
I agree with the others, focus on the positives  You've come so far, and every little change adds up


----------



## Cleo38

Sorry to hear your having problems as well @rottiepointerhouse, hopeyou see some impovements soon.

I am the same with my weight, my doctor (who is bloody fantastic & promotes a plant based diet but I sort of chose to ignore that bit when I saw her last time!!) told me that with my back problems I need to be at the lower end of my weight range rather than right at the top (although I was over at one point) to ensure better mobility. 
Deep down I knew this, I keep my dogs at lower weight levels (Roxy who has severe HD & spondylosis & Archer for his high activity/impact IPO exercises) to ensure they are as fit & healthy as possible as I know excess weight can cause problems but I suppose due to periods of depression, or when I was not as mobile as I wanted to be or periods when I was having alot of more pain then I over ate or comfort ate to sort of make myself feel better. I also think that for me there are certain foods that make me binge eat, white bread & butter is (was!) my downfall & that's sort of what made me want to give up carbs as I couldn't seem to eat them sensibly.

That seems to have stopped now, I can eat carbs as part of a normal meal plan & not binge eat ... maybe because I am making better choices & feel better about myself as well as the food itself being better.

I know my BP is better today as I feel so much better, some days when it is so high I can feel it as I have constant tingling in my arms & a headache. I think a combination of better food & less booze is really starting to make me feel so much better. I woke up this morning & I actually felt energised, I can't actually remember the last time I felt like that. My back pain has improved alot over the past few days as well, my mood is better, & I don;t feel tired all the time ...... I know that these are all linked & things have a knock on effect as when I am feeling really tired or down my back pain is far worse .. but then the chronic pain will also have a effect on my mood ..... fingers crossed this continues


----------



## Guest

Cleo38 said:


> I woke up this morning & I actually felt energised, I can't actually remember the last time I felt like that. My back pain has improved alot over the past few days as well, my mood is better, & I don;t feel tired all the time ...... I know that these are all linked & things have a knock on effect as when I am feeling really tired or down my back pain is far worse .. but then the chronic pain will also have a effect on my mood ..... fingers crossed this continues


Wonderful! 
I absolutely believe food and mood are related, and with more and more research on gut bacteria and the connection to what's going on in our brains, I think we will have even more information about how what you eat affects not only your physical health but mental health as well.

I too think that being on the lower end (though not too low) of BMI is beneficial, IF you get there eating a lot of nutrient rich food, not by starving yourself. For me it definitely makes a difference in my back and my feet. That and to keep moving. The older I get the stiffer I get LOL!

Not really WFPB related, but yesterday I had an acupuncture treatment and it was pretty cool. Was incredibly relaxing and I felt relaxed the whole rest of the day. I don't have any major issues (was really just the guinea pig for OH who I would like to try acupuncture for his migraines), so nothing earth shattering to report, but it was definitely something I'll do again. Especially if my PF flares up again.


----------



## ShibaPup

Glad I looked in this thread today - I've been struggling recently, I think my hormones hate me! Been doubled up in absolute agony with bloat, that makes me physically sick.

I don't know if it's just a coincidence or because I've started taking algae based 352mg of Omega 3, DHA 207mg, EPA 123mg, DPA 22mg and Vitamin B12 (as Methylcobalamin) 20μg (800%), Iron 9mg (64%), Zinc 7mg (70%), Calcium 280mg (35%), Iodine 120μg (80%), Beta Carotene 1000μg.

Feeling fine now though, so will see what happens.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> Sorry to hear your having problems as well @rottiepointerhouse, hopeyou see some impovements soon.
> 
> I am the same with my weight, my doctor (who is bloody fantastic & promotes a plant based diet but I sort of chose to ignore that bit when I saw her last time!!) told me that with my back problems I need to be at the lower end of my weight range rather than right at the top (although I was over at one point) to ensure better mobility.
> Deep down I knew this, I keep my dogs at lower weight levels (Roxy who has severe HD & spondylosis & Archer for his high activity/impact IPO exercises) to ensure they are as fit & healthy as possible as I know excess weight can cause problems but I suppose due to periods of depression, or when I was not as mobile as I wanted to be or periods when I was having alot of more pain then I over ate or comfort ate to sort of make myself feel better. I also think that for me there are certain foods that make me binge eat, white bread & butter is (was!) my downfall & that's sort of what made me want to give up carbs as I couldn't seem to eat them sensibly.
> 
> That seems to have stopped now, I can eat carbs as part of a normal meal plan & not binge eat ... maybe because I am making better choices & feel better about myself as well as the food itself being better.
> 
> I know my BP is better today as I feel so much better, some days when it is so high I can feel it as I have constant tingling in my arms & a headache. I think a combination of better food & less booze is really starting to make me feel so much better. I woke up this morning & I actually felt energised, I can't actually remember the last time I felt like that. My back pain has improved alot over the past few days as well, my mood is better, & I don;t feel tired all the time ...... I know that these are all linked & things have a knock on effect as when I am feeling really tired or down my back pain is far worse .. but then the chronic pain will also have a effect on my mood ..... fingers crossed this continues


How amazing that you have a doctor who even knows what a plant based diet is let alone promotes one :Woot I'm sure you will get there with your blood pressure too as you start to see more and more benefits from the changes you are making. Do you add any flaxseed to your diet? Dr Greger swears by it

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/flax-seeds-for-hypertension/

I buy it like this and add a tablespoon to my morning porridge and sometimes use it to thicken soups or sauces.

https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/produ...gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CPvcpfbIr9gCFVM6GwodggMIIw


----------



## LinznMilly

Thanks for the support, guys. I really appreciate it. Sorry so many of you are suffering with your own problems, too. 

All week I've been happy and in a good mood, so it's come as a bit of a shock to hit this low, especially when my skin is so much better than it has been for about 8 years. I think part of my problem was tiredness, because the problems with my skin keep me up at night, and I know these past couple of nights have been worse than usual.

I've spoken to my mum about it, and I'm going to hers for dinner tonight.


----------



## Cleo38

ouesi said:


> Wonderful!
> I absolutely believe food and mood are related, and with more and more research on gut bacteria and the connection to what's going on in our brains, I think we will have even more information about how what you eat affects not only your physical health but mental health as well.
> 
> I too think that being on the lower end (though not too low) of BMI is beneficial, IF you get there eating a lot of nutrient rich food, not by starving yourself. For me it definitely makes a difference in my back and my feet. That and to keep moving. The older I get the stiffer I get LOL!
> .


Yes, definitely by eating properly & not 'dieting' as such .... I've given up on that idea as they just don't work. I eat when I am hungry now & don't really stick to times as such. Alot easier as I am off work atm but instead of waiting until I am starving I need to make sure I eat regularly. Today tho I've not had my 'lunch' until 4pm as I had breakfast (porridge with a few sunflower seeds, sultanas & dried apricots) then a couple of oat milk coffees which really filled me up & I was doing lots of stuff with the dogs so was on the go alot of the day.

Finally sat down & had a hummus wrap filled with red cabbage & onion salad, a grated carrot & a handful of cherry tomatoes on the side. Finished with & a lovely soya milk yoghurt with mango sauce. If I'm hungry later then I can have some soup



rottiepointerhouse said:


> How amazing that you have a doctor who even knows what a plant based diet is let alone promotes one :Woot I'm sure you will get there with your blood pressure too as you start to see more and more benefits from the changes you are making. Do you add any flaxseed to your diet? Dr Greger swears by it
> 
> https://nutritionfacts.org/video/flax-seeds-for-hypertension/
> 
> I buy it like this and add a tablespoon to my morning porridge and sometimes use it to thicken soups or sauces.
> 
> https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/linwoods-flaxseed/381469-53658-53659?source=sho_&utm_source=google+shopping&utm_medium=organic+gs&utm_campaign=google+shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyaqE9Miv2AIVzp3tCh0SRgAGEAQYBSABEgLcTvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CPvcpfbIr9gCFVM6GwodggMIIw


No I don't currently but that's definitley something I can start doing though,interesting read.

Yes, my doctor is fantastic. She runs a clinic at the surgery trying to promote healthy plant based eating & exercise rather than just handing out medication. She was the one who got me into mindful meditation as she promotes that & yoga ..... I am very lucky to have someone like that & alot of people feel the same as she is always so booked up despite doing so many late evening session as well


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Interesting little leaflet or booklet from Viva about the myths of white meat

https://www.vivahealth.org.uk/sites/default/files/White_Meat_Myths.pdf

This really jumped out at me

a medium-sized chicken contains almost a pint of fat

In fact, meat and meat products, including chicken and turkey in all their guises, are the leading source of fat in our diet, including the equally unhealthy trans fats. Not only are we eating meat in unprecedented amounts (see Figure 1) but *modern farming methods have ensured that its fat content has doubled*. Professor Michael Crawford of London Metropolitan University found that *chicken contains as much fat, gram for gram, as a Big Mac.* He analysed chicken thigh meat from several supermarkets - even organic suppliers - and found they* contain more than twice as much fat as they did back in 1940, a third more calories *and a third less protein. Someone eating a 100 gram portion of chicken would get 207 calories from fat and only 64 from protein - and this wasn't the breadcrumbed type which is even higher in fat.


----------



## catz4m8z

ShibaPup said:


> Glad I looked in this thread today - I've been struggling recently,


Me too! Not that Im glad to hear people are having problems but it is nice to hear that you arent the only one struggling with the diet change!
I know my weight has gone back up and with the weather I also know Im exercising less then I should. The vegan thing is still easy (the ethics of eating/using animal products was a real epiphany for me) but I struggle with the WFPB side of it, thanks to decades of yoyo dieting and emotional eating.
Still new year soon so it will be back trying to improve my health little at a time!:Shy



rottiepointerhouse said:


> I buy it like this and add a tablespoon to my morning porridge and sometimes use it to thicken soups or sauces.
> https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/linwoods-flaxseed/381469-53658-53659?source=sho_&utm_source=google+shopping&utm_medium=organic+gs&utm_campaign=google+shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyaqE9Miv2AIVzp3tCh0SRgAGEAQYBSABEgLcTvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CPvcpfbIr9gCFVM6GwodggMIIw


I really cant get on with milled flaxseed, it doesnt taste right to me in foods. I do use flaxseed oil capsules instead of fish oil though and I think it makes me less creaky!
I buy the milled stuff for the dogs food though. On a possibly related note Ive noticed lately that Hannah has gone from hopping all the time on her LP leg to hardly at all. No change in her lifestyle except the diet. Could the anti-inflammatory properties of a vegan diet work for dogs too?? (no idea but it is interesting!).


----------



## Cleo38

Out of interest, does anyone do their own sprouting seeds? Just seen some lovely looking recipes for salads using these & they look so easy to do


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> Out of interest, does anyone do their own sprouting seeds? Just seen some lovely looking recipes for salads using these & they look so easy to do


I normally buy the mung bean sprouts from Tesco because I love them in a stir fry. Last week they didn't have any so I bought some sprouts called "retekmag" instead. Turned out they were radish sprouts and when I tasted them were really peppery hot and quite addictive! So much so that I want to buy a simple germinator to make my own. I can buy a whole range of seeds plus the germinator which only costs £4.55 from the online health shop I order my Buckwheat "milk".

https://bioszallito.hu/Elelmiszerek_Csirak_buzafu-menu-611

https://bioszallito.hu/Csiraztato_tal__muanyag_4_reszes_-termek-50698


----------



## Cleo38

Magyarmum said:


> I normally buy the mungo bean sprouts from Tesco because I love them in a stir fry. Last week they didn't have any so I bought some sprouts called "retekmag" instead. Turned out they were radish sprouts and when I tasted them were really peppery hot and quite addictive! So much so that I want to buy a simple germinator to make my own. I can buy a whole range of seeds plus the germinator which only costs £4.55 from the online health shop I order my Buckwheat "milk".
> 
> https://bioszallito.hu/Elelmiszerek_Csirak_buzafu-menu-611
> 
> https://bioszallito.hu/Csiraztato_tal__muanyag_4_reszes_-termek-50698


They sound lovely, I grew some radishes a few years ago & they were really hot & peppery, so much nicer than the bland,watery ones in the shops.

Looks pretty cheap & easy to do which is always good ....... definitely going to do this


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> Me too! Not that Im glad to hear people are having problems but it is nice to hear that you arent the only one struggling with the diet change!
> I know my weight has gone back up and with the weather I also know Im exercising less then I should. The vegan thing is still easy (the ethics of eating/using animal products was a real epiphany for me) but I struggle with the WFPB side of it, thanks to decades of yoyo dieting and emotional eating.
> Still new year soon so it will be back trying to improve my health little at a time!:Shy
> 
> I really cant get on with milled flaxseed, it doesnt taste right to me in foods. I do use flaxseed oil capsules instead of fish oil though and I think it makes me less creaky!
> I buy the milled stuff for the dogs food though. On a possibly related note Ive noticed lately that Hannah has gone from hopping all the time on her LP leg to hardly at all. No change in her lifestyle except the diet. Could the anti-inflammatory properties of a vegan diet work for dogs too?? (no idea but it is interesting!).


I love it - it gives porridge some body and I even like it on shredded wheat and fresh berries. I have to stop myself adding it to everything - I love the little banana and oatmeal cake things I make with it added too. Have you watched any of the videos by Doug Lisle (The Pleasure Trap author) about emotional/addictive eating?


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I love the little banana and oatmeal cake things I make with it added too. Have you watched any of the videos by Doug Lisle (The Pleasure Trap author) about emotional/addictive eating?


The banana and oatmeal things sound nice! I havent really looked at any research about it TBH, not sure its going to tell me anything I dont already know!
Its annoying coz I usually manage about 4-6 months of eating really well (which should be enough to change bad habits) but then I go off the rails....again!:Banghead

Just put in an order for Sainsbury today to stock up on my grains, beans and veggies. After xmas I feel like I need some simple, healthy one pot meals.


----------



## Matrod

Cleo38 said:


> Out of interest, does anyone do their own sprouting seeds? Just seen some lovely looking recipes for salads using these & they look so easy to do


I do, I use this one https://www.ukjuicers.com/biosnacky...MIgJChvJKw2AIVbLXtCh2WcABxEAQYASABEgLNq_D_BwE, I got it from my local health food shop. I usually do different seeds on each layer then have a heap of each with a meal. Radish seeds are my absolute favourite


----------



## Guest

Feeling quite proud of myself at the moment. I’ve ditched dairy milk (previously still had it in tea) and mostly dropped cheese - my big downfall is pizza though. I’ve been following a bit of a detox diet plan for the last few days which is vegan and doing really well with it, apart from the aforementioned pizza! It’s given me lots of easy, tasty meal ideas.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> The banana and oatmeal things sound nice! I havent really looked at any research about it TBH, not sure its going to tell me anything I dont already know!
> Its annoying coz I usually manage about 4-6 months of eating really well (which should be enough to change bad habits) but then I go off the rails....again!:Banghead
> 
> Just put in an order for Sainsbury today to stock up on my grains, beans and veggies. After xmas I feel like I need some simple, healthy one pot meals.


I think it was in one of Doug Lisle's talks that he said it takes the average person 8 - 9 attempts to make permanent significant changes such as giving up smoking/drinking or making dietary changes so be proud that you managed to make the vegan transition and keep working on the healthy options, you will get there eventually. I'm just lucky that my favourite things to eat are the healthy options and I'm really not attracted to cakes/biscuits/crisps/fried foods etc.


----------



## Jonescat

I used to use this one a lot until I dropped it and it took a long time to find a nother jar that fitted. Now I need to get back in to the habit. 
https://www.googleadservices.com/pa...hUKEwizlorGoLDYAhVkIMAKHZPRAb0Q9aACCDI&adurl=

I kept it by the sink and everytime that I used the sink would give the seeds a rinse, which kept them very fresh and lovely.


----------



## Cleo38

Thanks for the links @Matrod & @Jonescat , definitely something I am going to try


----------



## Cleo38

McKenzie said:


> Feeling quite proud of myself at the moment. I've ditched dairy milk (previously still had it in tea) and mostly dropped cheese - my big downfall is pizza though. I've been following a bit of a detox diet plan for the last few days which is vegan and doing really well with it, apart from the aforementioned pizza! It's given me lots of easy, tasty meal ideas.


That's great news. I found my cups of tea the hardest thing to give up (as such) &that was the only dairy I had for a couple of weeks before I fully stopped. I think it was @Lurcherlad who suggested I try rice milk which I did & it was the best of all the plant based milks for tea (I have oat or soya milk for coffee or cereal)

And cheese was also my downfall ... cheese on toast (thick slices of white bead with a spread of marmite then covered with loads of cheese) was always my fave comfort food but I've actually not missed it at all. I've had vegan/healthier version a couple of times (using a light covering of grated vegan cheese on wholemeal bread) & it was surprisingly really nice.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Really interesting short video with some graphs showing how we have never "tried the low fat diet and it failed" as is often suggested by low carb/high fat followers. Shows the difference in calorie intake (up by 500 a day) and where those extra calories come from since the 1970's.


----------



## LinznMilly

Better day today, although skin is still a bit dry. Bandages are off though. 

Just over a week ago, I came across Apple and Parsnip soup, being advertised by the local supermarket cafe. Unfortunately, by the time we'd finished shopping and sat down at the café, the soup wasn't available for the day.

Long story short, after trying parsnips for the first time on Monday (I had a very sheltered upbringing  ), I became determined to make my own, and bought some parsnips today.

Had to resort to a bit of googling for the recipe, but eventually came across this one, which I adapted to suit my needs;

http://m.tesco.com/mt/legacy.realfo...parsnip-and-apple-soup-with-apple-crisps.html

:Hungry :Hungry


----------



## Magyarmum

LinznMilly said:


> Better day today, although skin is still a bit dry. Bandages are off though.
> 
> Just over a week ago, I came across Apple and Parsnip soup, being advertised by the local supermarket cafe. Unfortunately, by the time we'd finished shopping and sat down at the café, the soup wasn't available for the day.
> 
> Long story short, free trying parsnips for the first time on Monday (I had a very sheltered upbringing  ), I became determined to make my own, and bought some parsnips today.
> 
> Had to resort to a bit of googling for the recipe, but eventually came across this one, which I adapted to suit my needs;
> 
> http://m.tesco.com/mt/legacy.realfo...parsnip-and-apple-soup-with-apple-crisps.html
> 
> :Hungry :Hungry


You should also try roasting them along with carrots and potatoes ... very yummy! I sometimes boil them together with potatoes and mash them, makes a nice change from plain old mashed potato!


----------



## Cleo38

Magyarmum said:


> You should also try roasting them along with carrots and potatoes ... very yummy! I sometimes boil them together with potatoes and mash them, makes a nice change from plain old mashed potato!


I love parsnips, I bought a load when they were on special offer before Christmas & made a batch of mash (potatoes, parsnips & carrots) which I have in the freezer.

Am so excited as I bought a spiralizer from Amazon which arrived today - can't wait to use it!


----------



## LinznMilly

Magyarmum said:


> You should also try roasting them along with carrots and potatoes ... very yummy! I sometimes boil them together with potatoes and mash them, makes a nice change from plain old mashed potato!


Sounds nice. I usually buy carrots in the form of mixed veg bags, but next time I go shopping, I'll be sure to pick some fresh ones up.


----------



## Magyarmum

LinznMilly said:


> Sounds nice. I usually buy carrots in the form of mixed veg bags, but next time I go shopping, I'll be sure to pick some fresh ones up.


Some more parsnip recipes for you to try ....

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/top-10-ways-parsnips



Cleo38 said:


> I love parsnips, I bought a load when they were on special offer before Christmas & made a batch of mash (potatoes, parsnips & carrots) which I have in the freezer.
> 
> Am so excited as I bought a spiralizer from Amazon which arrived today - can't wait to use it!


Talking to my son over Christmas he told me he'd bought several kilos of potatoes and parsnips as they were on special at 19p a kg, only to find when he got home my DIL had done the same ... they'll be eating parsnips for some time to come!

They're quite expensive in Hungary at the moment they're around £2.45 a kg compared to 54p for a kilo of carrots and they're not the nice fat ones you get in the UK. Ours are long and extremely skinny!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I really must get a few extra pounds off to get my BMI towards the lower end of the normal range for the sake of my feet and knees so I'm re reading this book which I did read quite a long time ago and have given to other people who have found it really helpful - @Lurcherlad your post in the New Year Resolution thread reminded me about it.










*The End of Dieting : How to Live for Life*

We're fatter, sicker and hungrier than ever, and the diet industry - with its trendy weight-loss protocols and eat-this-not that ratios of fat, carbs and protein - offers only temporary short-term solutions at the expense of our permanent long-term health. As a result, we're trapped in a cycle of food addiction, toxic hunger and overeating. In The End of Dieting, Dr Joel Fuhrman, a doctor and the New York Times bestselling author of Eat to Live and The End of Diabetes, shows us how to break free from this vicious cycle once and for all. Dr Fuhrman lays out in full all the dietary and nutritional advice necessary to eat our way to a healthier and happier life. At the centre of his revolutionary plan is his trademark health formula: Health = Nutrients/Calories. Foods high in nutrient density, according to Dr Fuhrman, are more satisfying than foods high in calories. They eliminate our cravings for fat, sweets and carbs. The more nutrient-dense food we consume, the more our bodies can function as the self-healing machines they're designed to be. Weight will drop, diseases can reverse course and disappear and overall our lives can be longer and healthier. The core of The End of Dieting is an easy to follow programme that kickstarts your new life outside of the diet mill: . Simple meals for 10 days, to retrain your taste buds and detox . Gourmet flavourful recipes . A two-week programme, to flood your body with nutrients The End of Dieting is the book we have been waiting for - a proven, effective and sustainable approach to eating that lets us prevent and reverse disease, lose weight and reclaim our right to excellent health.


----------



## Guest

Just saw this on FB and thought it was awesome. It's 10 minutes but oh man, so well worth the watch. No idea who this guy is, but he does a great job.


----------



## Guest

ouesi said:


> Just saw this on FB and thought it was awesome. It's 10 minutes but oh man, so well worth the watch. No idea who this guy is, but he does a great job.


I just watched it - very thought provoking!

I wonder if someone can help me with something. Every time I mention that I'm not eating meat to my mum she tells me that it's important to eat a small amount of meat for iron. I know this isn't true, but I don't know enough about WFPB diet yet to have a strong reply. Can someone give me an easy answer I can use?


----------



## Magyarmum

ouesi said:


> Just saw this on FB and thought it was awesome. It's 10 minutes but oh man, so well worth the watch. No idea who this guy is, but he does a great job.


I've just watched it. Luckily it has subtitles because the sound's gone off again on my laptop! I could scream because it was only just over a week ago that the computer shop sorted it out for me and since then all I've done is switch my laptop on and off ... nothing else ... ugh!

I think this is the fellow you're talking about @ouesi ... http://arff.org/education



McKenzie said:


> I just watched it - very thought provoking!
> 
> I wonder if someone can help me with something. Every time I mention that I'm not eating meat to my mum she tells me that it's important to eat a small amount of meat for iron. I know this isn't true, but I don't know enough about WFPB diet yet to have a strong reply. Can someone give me an easy answer I can use?


Morning @ McKenzie ... It's just after 6 in the morning and I was woken up around half an hour ago by the little black devil gruffling to be let out!

It's not necessary to eat meat to get sufficient iron. I suffered from serious anemia even though I ate meat every day! Two articles you might find interesting.

https://www.vegetariantimes.com/health-and-nutrition/ask-the-nutritionist-how-can-i-get-enough-iron

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/iron-deficiency-anaemia/treatment/


----------



## Cleo38

Good video @ouesi. I still remember the day when I found out what meat actually was,, sounds odd but no one really told me it was dead animals. I think I was about 4 (I wasn't at school I know that) & was round at my nan's house & I asked abut the shepherd's pie she was making. It was like they (the adults in my family) were hiding something from me as when I had asked about meat before they had always been slightly evasive but as a child you don't always pick up on this quickly.

I had always really loved animals so it was kept from me what I was eating, until this one day when I asked exactly what mince was & how it was 'made' & my mum told me ...... I remember being horrified & immediately looked at my family as if they were murderers. I was so upset & from that day never ate meat.

Maybe if they had been honest with me I might have felt differently but for me it was such a horrific discovery which I never forgot.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

McKenzie said:


> I just watched it - very thought provoking!
> 
> I wonder if someone can help me with something. Every time I mention that I'm not eating meat to my mum she tells me that it's important to eat a small amount of meat for iron. I know this isn't true, but I don't know enough about WFPB diet yet to have a strong reply. Can someone give me an easy answer I can use?


This is a post I made much earlier in the thread about iron



rottiepointerhouse said:


> "Compared with people who eat meat, vegetarians tend to consume more iron (as well as more of most nutrients) but the iron in plant foods is not absorbed as efficiently as the heme iron in meat. Whilst this can be an advantage in preventing iron overload, about one in thirty menstruating women in the US lose more iron than they take in, which can lead to anaemia. Women who eat plant-based diets do not appear to have higher rates of iron deficiency anaemia than women who eat a lot of meat but all women of childbearing age need to ensure adequate iron intake.
> 
> Those diagnosed with iron deficiency should talk with their doctors about first trying to treat it with diet as iron supplements have been shown to increase oxidative stress. The healthiest sources of iron are whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and green leafy vegetables. Avoid drinking tea with meals as that can inhibit iron absorption. The amount of vitamin C in a single orange can enhance iron absorption as much as 3 to 6 fold so those trying to boost their iron absorption should reach for some fruit instead of a cup of tea".
> 
> So beans, lentils and greens are rich sources of iron and having some fruit for extra vitamin C will help with absorption
> 
> Some more info
> 
> https://www.drfuhrman.com/learn/health-concerns/4/anemia
> 
> Here is a list of some healthy iron-rich foods to include:
> 
> 
> Leafy green vegetables
> Legumes (particularly soybeans, lentils, and chickpeas)
> Quinoa
> Sesame seeds and tahini (sesame seed butter)
> Nuts (particularly cashews and almonds)
> Dried fruit (particularly prunes and apricots)


Hope that helps


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Just saw this on FB and thought it was awesome. It's 10 minutes but oh man, so well worth the watch. No idea who this guy is, but he does a great job.


He is brilliant, I've seen some of his stuff before but that is a great thought provoking video presented so professionally. He is the humane educator for the animal rights foundation of Florida. People like him really do give me hope for the future


----------



## catz4m8z

Cleo38 said:


> I had always really loved animals so it was kept from me what I was eating, until this one day when I asked exactly what mince was & how it was 'made' & my mum told me ...... I remember being horrified & immediately looked at my family as if they were murderers. I was so upset & from that day never ate meat.
> 
> Maybe if they had been honest with me I might have felt differently but for me it was such a horrific discovery which I never forgot.


I imagine it was a shock to find out where meat came from in that case!
I always knew. I would go hunting/fishing with my family, see the animal killed, watch or help it being prepared and cooked then happily eat it! Didnt really occur to me as being a problem as the animal was running around free one minute and dead the next, vegan options weren't readily available in the 70's and we probably couldnt afford them anyways.
Now though my animal products are going to be coming from a factory farm which is a horrific thing to put a living creature through and there are so many vegan options that to kill an animal just for your own pleasure basically sounds so, so wrong. Going vegan this year feels like the best thing I ever did!


----------



## Guest

McKenzie said:


> I know this isn't true, but I don't know enough about WFPB diet yet to have a strong reply. Can someone give me an easy answer I can use?












I tend to reach for the green leafies and dried fruit especially for my daughter when I think she could use some more iron. Never had an issue with deficiency, even when I was gestating twins 

Iron is plentiful in plants and we tend to do better with non heme iron anyway:
https://nutritionfacts.org/2017/06/15/plant-versus-animal-iron/


----------



## Cleo38

catz4m8z said:


> I imagine it was a shock to find out where meat came from in that case!
> I always knew. I would go hunting/fishing with my family, see the animal killed, watch or help it being prepared and cooked then happily eat it! Didnt really occur to me as being a problem as the animal was running around free one minute and dead the next, vegan options weren't readily available in the 70's and we probably couldnt afford them anyways.
> Now though my animal products are going to be coming from a factory farm which is a horrific thing to put a living creature through and there are so many vegan options that to kill an animal just for your own pleasure basically sounds so, so wrong. Going vegan this year feels like the best thing I ever did!


See I don't have a problem with that way of eating at all, not something I could do but it's sort of how it should be & not as messed up as eating meat has become with so much intensive farming.

When I was at infant & junior school I remember there was me & a couple of Indian kids who were veggies & that was it. I think the other children thought it was a bit odd but it wasn't a big deal really .... but tbh all food seemed to be so awful in the 70's & there wasn't really any vegetarian options as such, just the same meal without the meat.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

another very short video about iron @McKenzie


----------



## Jonescat

Dark chocolate has lots of iron.  so does cocoa.


----------



## catz4m8z

Hurrah! my long time vegetarian friend has said she is going to try and cut down on her animal products this year. Not sure if I'll convince her of going vegan (big fan of chocolate and cheese) but any reduction is going to be a good thing.

Just jumped on the scales and Ive put 8Ibs on in the last 2 months. TBH thats pretty average for me on a binge!LOL:Hilarious


----------



## Guest

Okay this is kind of weird and out-there but bear with me.
Some time ago when OH was looking at cheese (and why we shouldn't eat it) he came across a video (that he now can't find) where the guy was saying that many people get a pain in their spine/shoulder blade area and think it's a muscle pull but it's actually a gall bladder nerve point and that it's often linked to too much fat in a recent meal. 
At the time I was having that pain that I used to get intermittently, no apparent rhyme or reason to it. I kind of pooh pooed OH but did start paying attention to what I had eaten when the pain came and damn if there wasn't a correlation with high fat meals (usually cheese pizza) and that shoulder pain. 

Since going full WFPB I haven't had that pain. Until this morning when I woke up with it. And yup, last night I ate Chinese food out with friends. I had the stir fried veggies and brown rice, but they were still stir fried in a lot of oil obviously. Definitely learning my lesson!

In good news though, did a 10 mile run in freezing (literally) temps, with a 10mph headwind that made it feel even colder and I couldn't feel my face, but I got out there and did it, and now after a warm shower and warm beans and greens in my belly, feel really good and happy to start the New Year feeling like my body is working and cooperating. 
Off to do a short First Day hike in about an hour  

No joke about the energy you get on this type of eating!


----------



## Cleo38

Bloody hell @ouesi that is good going .... I wish I enjoyed running but I don't. In fact I don't think I am built for running! I can walk miles but run? NO!!!!

Very interesting about the pain, I wonder how many other aches & pains we rarely pay attention to are acually alot more significant than we realise & we should be monitoring & looking at reasons why they are occurring not just disregarding them as they appear 'minor'.

I am actually quite proud of myself as this is the first Christmas that I haven't stuffed my face with rubbish food & ended up feeling bloated, fat & dreadful. I didn't 'diet' at all but I didn't eat rubbish, I actually didn't want to tbh. I ate well & enjoyed everything, didn't over eat (not by consciously stopping myself)

As I have cut down on my alcohol intake today was the first NYD that I can remember where I didn't have a hangover. Instead of knocking back a bottle of wine & a few beers I had a lovely wholemeal pasta bake, a few squares of dark chocolate & 2 G&T's .... unheard of for me!

So as I wasn't suffering today I took the dogs out for an extra long walk as it was a lovely day & then did some tracking this afternoon. We are all shattered now but have had a great (& healthier) start to the year .... hope it continues!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Okay this is kind of weird and out-there but bear with me.
> Some time ago when OH was looking at cheese (and why we shouldn't eat it) he came across a video (that he now can't find) where the guy was saying that many people get a pain in their spine/shoulder blade area and think it's a muscle pull but it's actually a gall bladder nerve point and that it's often linked to too much fat in a recent meal.
> At the time I was having that pain that I used to get intermittently, no apparent rhyme or reason to it. I kind of pooh pooed OH but did start paying attention to what I had eaten when the pain came and damn if there wasn't a correlation with high fat meals (usually cheese pizza) and that shoulder pain.
> 
> Since going full WFPB I haven't had that pain. Until this morning when I woke up with it. And yup, last night I ate Chinese food out with friends. I had the stir fried veggies and brown rice, but they were still stir fried in a lot of oil obviously. Definitely learning my lesson!
> 
> In good news though, did a 10 mile run in freezing (literally) temps, with a 10mph headwind that made it feel even colder and I couldn't feel my face, but I got out there and did it, and now after a warm shower and warm beans and greens in my belly, feel really good and happy to start the New Year feeling like my body is working and cooperating.
> Off to do a short First Day hike in about an hour
> 
> No joke about the energy you get on this type of eating!


Wow I haven't heard about that shoulder blade pain before, very interesting. I know my OH used to get a lot of neck pain, he used to complain about not being able to turn his head properly when driving to check the road was clear before coming out of a side turning, within a short time of going plant based that went and has never come back. He had quite a few strange little things that disappeared like regular burst blood vessels in his fingers that would turn into big bruises and also in his eyes giving him bloodshot eyes.


----------



## catz4m8z

ouesi said:


> No joke about the energy you get on this type of eating!


No offence @ouesi but I dont think it quite works that well for everyone! You seem to be one of the success stories to use as an example though!
Even when I was doing all WFPB I still would of been crap at running (I was into it a few years ago with a personal trainer and I get pooped really easily and tend to run at what would be a fast walking speed for most people!):Shy. Also still struggling with weight loss and food cravings so sadly I havent magically lost all my extra weight through going vegan.:Shifty
Having said that though I may not be super healthy but I certainly feel much better then I did this time last year and I lost alot more weight then I put back on so its def been worth doing.
I think for some people though its a slower process....small steps leading to better health.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> No offence @ouesi but I dont think it quite works that well for everyone! You seem to be one of the success stories to use as an example though!
> Even when I was doing all WFPB I still would of been crap at running (I was into it a few years ago with a personal trainer and I get pooped really easily and tend to run at what would be a fast walking speed for most people!):Shy. Also still struggling with weight loss and food cravings so sadly I havent magically lost all my extra weight through going vegan.:Shifty
> Having said that though I may not be super healthy but I certainly feel much better then I did this time last year and I lost alot more weight then I put back on so its def been worth doing.
> I think for some people though its a slower process....small steps leading to better health.


Out of interest what is the longest period of time you have done completely WFPB with no vegan junk foods? I know when we first started we were still having a small amount of vegan cheese, some vegan yoghurt and I was making cakes using vegan margarine or olive oil. I didn't start to lose weight until I ditched all of that and became totally on board, particularly once I started looking at nutrient dense foods. Now I can honestly say I don't eat anything at all that isn't WFPB compliant and haven't done for about a year. I still couldn't go running because my knees and feet wouldn't stand it but I do have plenty of energy and feel so well. Touch wood this is also the first year neither of us have had a cold.


----------



## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> No offence @ouesi but I dont think it quite works that well for everyone! You seem to be one of the success stories to use as an example though!
> Even when I was doing all WFPB I still would of been crap at running (I was into it a few years ago with a personal trainer and I get pooped really easily and tend to run at what would be a fast walking speed for most people!):Shy. Also still struggling with weight loss and food cravings so sadly I havent magically lost all my extra weight through going vegan.:Shifty
> Having said that though I may not be super healthy but I certainly feel much better then I did this time last year and I lost alot more weight then I put back on so its def been worth doing.
> I think for some people though its a slower process....small steps leading to better health.


Oh absolutely, every improvement is still that - an improvement and well worth it.

And yes, while I do think we all need to get out there and move, I don't think we all need to do the same kind of moving. I've always loved running, even as a kid I would run just for the sheer joy of it. I'm not particularly fast (at all) but I have one of those bodies that adapts well to distance. OH is much faster than me, but he breaks really easily and adding distance just breaks his body down.

I think just being outside in nature while you move is one of the best medicines too. My routes are very rural, like today even though I was running on the road, I saw a grand total of 3 cars, and 6 deer LOL


----------



## Cleo38

catz4m8z said:


> No offence @ouesi but I dont think it quite works that well for everyone! You seem to be one of the success stories to use as an example though!
> Even when I was doing all WFPB I still would of been crap at running (I was into it a few years ago with a personal trainer and I get pooped really easily and tend to run at what would be a fast walking speed for most people!):Shy. Also still struggling with weight loss and food cravings so sadly I havent magically lost all my extra weight through going vegan.:Shifty
> Having said that though I may not be super healthy but I certainly feel much better then I did this time last year and I lost alot more weight then I put back on so its def been worth doing.
> I think for some people though its a slower process....small steps leading to better health.


We are all different, I am NEVER going to be a runner. It's not something that appeals to me & I am old enough to know by now that forcing myself to do things I dislike (especially with exercise) just won't work long term.

I also think that sometimes old habits die hard, certain cravings will be harder to overcome for some people as maybe certain foods made us feel good at times where we were struggling, or gave us a boost we needed, comforted us, whatever. I was talking to my sister about this the other day (as she has had a massive health/fitness over haul) & we were discussing about how things do sort of come together at times even after years of trying. When I used to smoke I gave up countless times, I always caved in & started again as the cravings were terrible. Even though the period of physical addiction had passed the mental cravings were awful & even months after quitting I would be in pain or crying some days as I felt so terrible.

I must have tried to quit properly about 10 times in a 5 year period but then one day coming out of work that was it, I lit a cigarette had one puff & put it out. I didn't smoke another one & never had a craving. No idea why, that was about 13yrs ago & I've never been tempted to have another one. Maybe it was my time, maybe things were just right for me that day .... I just think for some of us the journey is different & we should accept that otherwise we end up feeling disappointed in ourselves.


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Out of interest what is the longest period of time you have done completely WFPB with no vegan junk foods? .


I think 4 months?? I seem to have some kind of internal clock that lets me 'be good' for about that long then the gremlins start whispering in my ear!LOL:Hilarious
But some things do stick though and I managed to completely give up fizzy drinks (after drinking nothing but) a few years ago. This year Im aiming to give up alcohol and sweets as Im not keen on booze and why have sweets when nuts or dried fruit is just as nice?



ouesi said:


> I think just being outside in nature while you move is one of the best medicines too.


Totally agree! About 10 years ago I actually managed to lose all my weight and was out jogging every day, eating a mostly WFPB diet and it really made a difference. I had suffered quite badly with depression all my life and it was always in the background but after getting tons of fresh air and fresh food it was like my brain just rewired itself. Ive been down a few times since then but never like I used to be. 
IMO more Doctors should prescribe WFPB, fresh air and nature before reaching for the pills.


----------



## lullabydream

catz4m8z said:


> I think 4 months?? I seem to have some kind of internal clock that lets me 'be good' for about that long then the gremlins start whispering in my ear!LOL:Hilarious
> But some things do stick though and I managed to completely give up fizzy drinks (after drinking nothing but) a few years ago. This year Im aiming to give up alcohol and sweets as Im not keen on booze and why have sweets when nuts or dried fruit is just as nice?
> 
> Totally agree! About 10 years ago I actually managed to lose all my weight and was out jogging every day, eating a mostly WFPB diet and it really made a difference. I had suffered quite badly with depression all my life and it was always in the background but after getting tons of fresh air and fresh food it was like my brain just rewired itself. Ive been down a few times since then but never like I used to be.
> IMO more Doctors should prescribe WFPB, fresh air and nature before reaching for the pills.


As this may be relevant to this...and the losing weight in the new year thread @ouesi started...

If your GP or any mental health practitioner...or counsellor in my area suggests it...you can get free gym membership for I think 6-12 weeks in my area.

In fact all mental health/counsellors offer this as protocol as far as I am aware of...so if you are going through some talking therapy you may not be ready at the beginning but at the end you can take up the offer.

They also suggest the local walking group too...for people with mental health conditions. Which meet once or twice a week...doing various length walks.

They did have volunteers at both the gym and walking groups, to help those like a buddy system...but it depends on volunteers and some go on to gain qualifications or get jobs so I think they currently are thin on the ground.

The GP referral to the gym was if you fit a certain weight criteria but they did open it up to anyone.. but am not 100% sure if the goal posts have changed...I say gym but it includes classes and swimming.

They did offer so many free weeks at slimming clubs...however I know someone who runs one and says referrals don't often work as most do it as it's free, and because their doctor advises them too..so once payment comes in to play they loose interest so to speak...so as far as I know dietician referrals are better but can be hard to get advice from at times...so I would say they work on life style changes as this thread states and I think that's what's needed for most...

I love how people have looked back here and seen how their diets have improved so to speak...as I know it's often from talking my self to a nutritionist ages ago that it's usually about slight changes if you are healthy...so initially change one meal to what you want...keep that up change another to more healthier one. All in one can be a massive change and feel more like a diet! 
Apologises for the waffle!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> I think 4 months?? I seem to have some kind of internal clock that lets me 'be good' for about that long then the gremlins start whispering in my ear!LOL:Hilarious
> But some things do stick though and I managed to completely give up fizzy drinks (after drinking nothing but) a few years ago. This year Im aiming to give up alcohol and sweets as Im not keen on booze and why have sweets when nuts or dried fruit is just as nice?


I think you are like me though and those of us who have lost and regained, lost and regained do take longer to lose weight - Dr Fuhrman explains it better than me - in his book "The End of Dieting". I know I mentioned this once before but if you are happy to pm me your address I will send you a copy, quite understand if you prefer not to though


----------



## LinznMilly

I have also been good over the festive period and haven't gorged myself on sweets, chocolate or junk food.

Still ended up with a bit of a head cold :Grumpy


----------



## LinznMilly

LinznMilly said:


> Still ended up with a bit of a head cold :Grumpy


I had to sit on my hands when I made this statement, because it's not the full story.

Yes, I've had a head cold, but it hasn't lingered as long as usual. Fell ill on Sunday, got worse from about 5pm, by 10, I was in bed. Woke up yesterday, feeling considerably better, hit the cold with forest fruit smoothies, with particular emphasis on blueberries and strawberries, and a veggie stir fry for lunch, and continued to improve.

The reason why I didn't want to say anything at that time was because the last time I said that, it backfired and I was worse the following morning.

Today, however, I'm even better - not 100%, but closer to full health than I am to being as ill a I was at dinner time Sunday.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Glad you are feeling better @LinznMilly

Interesting article about "clean protein"

https://bluezones.com/2018/01/clean...199095005&mc_cid=0256e25332&mc_eid=97f9300fe5


----------



## Guest

LinznMilly said:


> I had to sit on my hands when I made this statement, because it's not the full story.
> 
> Yes, I've had a head cold, but it hasn't lingered as long as usual. Fell ill on Sunday, got worse from about 5pm, by 10, I was in bed. Woke up yesterday, feeling considerably better, hit the cold with forest fruit smoothies, with particular emphasis on blueberries and strawberries, and a veggie stir fry for lunch, and continued to improve.
> 
> The reason why I didn't want to say anything at that time was because the last time I said that, it backfired and I was worse the following morning.
> 
> Today, however, I'm even better - not 100%, but closer to full health than I am to being as ill a I was at dinner time Sunday.


Wonderful. And I totally get it about not wanting to jinx yourself


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Glad you are feeling better @LinznMilly
> 
> Interesting article about "clean protein"
> 
> https://bluezones.com/2018/01/clean...199095005&mc_cid=0256e25332&mc_eid=97f9300fe5


Yeah, the clean meat thing is really fascinating to me. 
I don't miss meat, haven't eaten it since I was a kid and didn't enjoy it then, but there are just too many people who aren't ever going to give up their meat. This sounds like a really viable solution. Sam Harris had the head of this company on one of his podcasts and it was really interesting. Right now it's prohibitively expensive, but they're getting the costs down every day. I think within my lifetime, certainly within my kids' lifetime we might see this as a regular thing.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Don't laugh - in addition to starting some very basic yoga and trying to keep up my floor exercises I do for my back and knees, I've started a very basic Tai Chi routine - its only 5 mins per day and strange as it seems so gentle but you do feel like you have done some exercise afterwards. I will be working my way through the modules with this lady and will see where it takes me.


----------



## catz4m8z

ouesi said:


> Yeah, the clean meat thing is really fascinating to me.
> I don't miss meat.


I keep hoping that this will take off. I dont miss meat either but Id like a cat again one day and a guilt free way to feed it!



rottiepointerhouse said:


> Don't laugh


Not laughing....I have a beginners Tai Chi DVD on my Amazon wishlist! It looks like a nice gentle exercise/meditation type of thing.

Feel like Im getting back on track abit now. Porridge, homemade veggie soup and wholewheat pasta with black eyed beans and tons of veg (cheated with jar of tomato pasta sauce though. TBH I think I would be happy being a vegan who is 80-90% WFPB. I cant survive without the odd bit of naughtiness here and there!:Hungry


----------



## Cleo38

Made myself a version of the Ethiopian cabbage recipe tonight adding parsnips as well seeing as I had some left over.

Was lovely & exactly what I needed after being out in the cold today with the dogs.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Very interesting article from the mastering diabetes team about the effects of excess dietary fat on insulin sensitivity

http://www.masteringdiabetes.org/how-fat-kills-beta-cells/


----------



## AmyRedd

I’m hoping to eat less meat this year. I could quite happily be a pescatarian but cooking for OH makes that awkward so for now I’m settling for being a flexitarian (as it’s apparently now called?)

I’m slim but always seem to have a blob at the bottom of my stomach that is so stubborn. No matter how much exercise I do it will not shift so I’m hoping by cutting down on meat and dairy I may finally get the hint of some abs... we shall see

FIL got me a food processor for Xmas so I finally made some sweet potato brownies the right way. I’ve made avocado brownies and sweet potato brownies without the food processor before but they never came out right. This time OH tried one and declared they were okay for not real brownies but I’ve since noticed some are missing from the fridge so they must be a success 

What are everyone’s favourite recipes for this year? I’m going to sneak a few veggie dinners in without OH noticing (obviously he’ll notice when he’s eats it but hopefully he’ll be enjoying it by then so won’t complain haha) so I’m thinking things like bean chilli, veggie shepherds pie, curry with squash etc


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## rottiepointerhouse

I'm so glad I don't like eating out :Jawdrop

A chef who claimed that she "spiked a vegan" has resigned.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-42552755


----------



## Cleo38

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I'm so glad I don't like eating out :Jawdrop
> 
> A chef who claimed that she "spiked a vegan" has resigned.
> 
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-42552755


I was reading about that .... what was she thinking posting something like that?! Apparently it wasn't as bad as it sounded & wasn't meat she gave them but a pizza with cheese on, as was ordered by one of the party after she had spent time preparing vegan food for them & was annoyed about it ... or so her husband said.

It seems she'd had a few drinks then posted this silly comment, what professional suicide!


----------



## Matrod

I had bean chilli (minus the chilli) with polenta bites topped with avocado, sprouted seeds, dill & sauerkraut, I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a meal so much from start to finish


----------



## Cleo38

Wow, that looks lovely @Matrod. Funny, I was reading recipes using polenta last night as I've never ever cooked that for myself.


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## Matrod

Cleo38 said:


> Wow, that looks lovely @Matrod. Funny, I was reading recipes using polenta last night as I've never ever cooked that for myself.


I have varying success with it, I cooked the polenta on the hob, added some seasoning & cumin then baked them in little mounds in the oven for 15 minutes. They're great in soups & stews too.


----------



## Guest

Matrod said:


> I had bean chilli (minus the chilli) with polenta bites topped with avocado, sprouted seeds, dill & sauerkraut, I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a meal so much from start to finish
> 
> View attachment 340643


That looks gorgeous! Yum!


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I'm so glad I don't like eating out :Jawdrop
> 
> A chef who claimed that she "spiked a vegan" has resigned.
> 
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-42552755


Death threats are taking things too far, but otherwise, she got everything she deserves IMHO. The fact that it was dairy she added, not meat, is actually worse. For all she knows, the vegan could be like me - veggie for ethical reasons, vegan for health/allergy as well as ethical reasons.

Drink or no drink, she's a complete moron and I hope the vegan in question sues her for damages.


----------



## Jonescat

I encountered the Leon chain yesterday for the first time. Goodness the food was good. I had Brazilian black beans for just under £4 - the recipe and a picture is on their web site here -
http://leonrestaurants.co.uk/magazine/blog/brazilian-black-bean-stew/
- it came served on short grain brown rice, with fresh herbs on top (coriander and mint) and was in a cardboard box rather than plastic ( although you should take your own cutlery with you ). And it was delicious. So I managed a single use plastic free and whole food vegan day which isn't always easy when I am out and about


----------



## Magyarmum

Jonescat said:


> I encountered the Leon chain yesterday for the first time. Goodness the food was good. I had Brazilian black beans for just under £4 - the recipe and a picture is on their web site here -
> http://leonrestaurants.co.uk/magazine/blog/brazilian-black-bean-stew/
> - it came served on short grain brown rice, with fresh herbs on top (coriander and mint) and was in a cardboard box rather than plastic ( although you should take your own cutlery with you ). And it was delicious. So I managed a single use plastic free and whole food vegan day which isn't always easy when I am out and about


You don't know how lucky you are to find somewhere you can eat whilst your'e out. Even though there are 7 fast food places in the shopping mall where I shopped yesterday, not one of them does anything remotely vegetarian, unless you count chips! I usually take a homemade calzone with me that I can eat in the car, but was in such a hurry to get out, I forgot! Unfortunately, although I don't eat a large quantity I've always been someone who suffers if I miss a meal which is what happened yesterday and as a result today I'm feeling totally washed out, which for me is the normal reaction,

I finally got a food processor and blender ... long story! I ordered one online in November but when it arrived it didn't work, so sent it back. The company sent it to the manufacturer who returned it to me saying it was functioning properly ... which it wasn't! Sent it back but with holidays in between only learnt this week that I'm getting my money refunded. Anyway yesterday bought a different make from the hypermarket and now can't wait to try it out, but first have meat to cook for my two carnivores who don't appreciate their mum going vegetarian!


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## rottiepointerhouse

Dr Greger's Daily Dozen video is top of his most popular/watched videos of 2017 - I pretty much base what I "Try" to eat in a day on his Daily Dozen especially when I first started as it was an easy way of crowding out the less healthy stuff. I particularly like the plate he shows at the end.

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/dr-gregers-daily-dozen-checklist/?mc_cid=b572f22f94&mc_eid=[UNIQID]


----------



## Cleo38

Funny that since I have changed my eating habits; nearly a plant based diet, stopped eating the crap I was eating previously, not monitored my food, not worried about calories the more weight I have lost & the more I am starting to understand my body alot better in regard to hunger or fulfillment.

Previously I was the sort of person who would either deny myself biscuits then eat a whole packet, I sort of went between either being really hungry or stuffed .... neither actually being a nice feeling.

I have been working from home today so could eat sort of when I felt like it so did ... a lovely breakfast of grilled cherry tomatoes on some wholemeal toast with hummus, a brown rice salad with spinach & beetroot for lunch, a soya yoghurt as a snack but now it's come to dinner time & I actually don't feel that hungry which NEVER happens with me .... so instead I might have some carrot sticks with more hummus later if I fancy something.


----------



## grumpy goby

Jonescat said:


> I encountered the Leon chain yesterday for the first time. Goodness the food was good. I had Brazilian black beans for just under £4 - the recipe and a picture is on their web site here -
> http://leonrestaurants.co.uk/magazine/blog/brazilian-black-bean-stew/
> - it came served on short grain brown rice, with fresh herbs on top (coriander and mint) and was in a cardboard box rather than plastic ( although you should take your own cutlery with you ). And it was delicious. So I managed a single use plastic free and whole food vegan day which isn't always easy when I am out and about


My Dad has the Leon Fast Vegetarian book, and made a couple of recipes from it while I visited last month.... everything he made was yummy! (His wife is vegetarian, not vegan..they like their cheese!). I am actually looking to get it to compliment the Rose Eliott book we have.

We have a bean, potato and broccoli madras with brown rice for dinner (yum!) - and had a Veg and bean sprout Stir Fry for lunch.

Still not properly veggie or vegan, but we do eat very well on our meat free days


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Who would have thought raw brussel sprout salad would be so yummy and oven roasted kale is my new favourite thing


----------



## Blaise in Surrey

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Dr Greger's Daily Dozen video is top of his most popular/watched videos of 2017 - I pretty much base what I "Try" to eat in a day on his Daily Dozen especially when I first started as it was an easy way of crowding out the less healthy stuff. I particularly like the plate he shows at the end.
> 
> https://nutritionfacts.org/video/dr-gregers-daily-dozen-checklist/?mc_cid=b572f22f94&mc_eid=[UNIQID]


Love this!

I have a silly question.....
Is there any way to prepare greens (kale, cabbage) that ensures I won't be eating insects with my vegetables? When I was a child I sat through an excruciating meal (we had guests) watching my father unknowingly consume greenfly with his lettuce :-(( Since then I have rarely eaten any greens, and have never had any prepared by others. Trouble is, if I do prepare them myself it takes me absolutely ages washing out every little crinkle in every single leaf! Advice please (and "get over it" just won't cut it I'm afraid).


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Blaise in Surrey said:


> Love this!
> 
> I have a silly question.....
> Is there any way to prepare greens (kale, cabbage) that ensures I won't be eating insects with my vegetables? When I was a child I sat through an excruciating meal (we had guests) watching my father unknowingly consume greenfly with his lettuce :-(( Since then I have rarely eaten any greens, and have never had any prepared by others. Trouble is, if I do prepare them myself it takes me absolutely ages washing out every little crinkle in every single leaf! Advice please (and "get over it" just won't cut it I'm afraid).


Glad you liked it, I've been using it for the past couple of years and it really helped us make the transition.

As for bugs the consensus of opinion seems to be chop up the greens and soak in some cold water with either salt or white vinegar then give a good shake in a colander. I've never had a problem and don't do that myself and really have never come across bugs. My Riverford stuff is often covered in mud and that can be a pain to get off so they are clean enough to go in the fridge.


----------



## Magyarmum

I can't speak for Tesco in the UK, but Tesco Hungary only sell the packets of spinach and kale both of which have already been washed. I've never found any bugs on mine and use them straight from the packet.

https://bevasarlas.tesco.hu/groceries/en-GB/products/2004020045306


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## Jonescat

Allotment veg can bring lots of bugs with it, and I use water/salt and water/lemon juice to soak it first, and then a really good inspection. I hadn't thought about vinegar so that is a good alternative.

Muddy veg is really good - this is my private theory and has no science behind it, but I think mud keeps the moisture in the veg, and the moisture is a good part of the reason that fresh veg tastes so good.


----------



## Guest

Is The Pleasure Trap worth buying?


----------



## Guest

Also, I’ve been eating 100% vegetarian and mostly vegan for the past 2 weeks and over the past few days I’ve been feeling a bit uncomfortable after meals. I can’t quite put my finger on what it is - perhaps indigestion? Is this a natural part of changing diet? I’m definitely not over-eating.


----------



## Matrod

Blaise in Surrey said:


> Love this!
> 
> I have a silly question.....
> Is there any way to prepare greens (kale, cabbage) that ensures I won't be eating insects with my vegetables? When I was a child I sat through an excruciating meal (we had guests) watching my father unknowingly consume greenfly with his lettuce :-(( Since then I have rarely eaten any greens, and have never had any prepared by others. Trouble is, if I do prepare them myself it takes me absolutely ages washing out every little crinkle in every single leaf! Advice please (and "get over it" just won't cut it I'm afraid).


I eat organic so there is often a lot of life in my veg, I give my greens a good shake outside which gets rid of a lot & then I give it a thorough inspection & any hangers on are removed & rehomed outside, it takes me a while sometimes but I can't knowingly kill anything. I used to be really fussy about insects on my food but I'm a lot better now. Try big open leaf veg that are easier to deal with like sprout tops or cabbage.


----------



## LinznMilly

McKenzie said:


> Is The Pleasure Trap worth buying?


Yes, because it explains why the Western diet is so popular, why we're attracted to junk food, and why doctors and patients alike want the the "quick fix" of a diagnosis and pill/surgery treatment as opposed to lifestyle overhaul, and (I'm not up to this bit yet, so I can't talk from experience but....) how to overcome them. They do use animal analogies to get their point across, though, so I'd recommend watching Doug Lisle's TED talk first;





Many of the plant based doctors swear by it.


----------



## Guest

LinznMilly said:


> Yes, because it explains why the Western diet is so popular, why we're attracted to junk food, and why doctors and patients alike want the the "quick fix" of a diagnosis and pill/surgery treatment as opposed to lifestyle overhaul, and (I'm not up to this bit yet, so I can't talk from experience but....) how to overcome them. They do use animal analogies to get their point across, though, so I'd recommend watching Doug Lisle's TED talk first;
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Many of the plant based doctors swear by it.


Oh wow that was really interesting! Thanks!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

McKenzie said:


> Also, I've been eating 100% vegetarian and mostly vegan for the past 2 weeks and over the past few days I've been feeling a bit uncomfortable after meals. I can't quite put my finger on what it is - perhaps indigestion? Is this a natural part of changing diet? I'm definitely not over-eating.


What sort of uncomfortable? does it feel more in your belly like a bloated feeling or more in the upper part of the GI tract like a burning? It could just be the extra fibre particularly if you are eating more beans than before, sometimes cruciferous vegetables can have a similar effect. The advice is usually to back off those foods a bit and bring them in gradually such as beans a tablespoon at a time, if you are comfortable increase to 2 and so on. There is more bulk to eating this way too so I try to avoid drinks other than sips of water with my meal. It will take your gut bacteria a while to adjust too so hopefully it will settle down.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Yes, because it explains why the Western diet is so popular, why we're attracted to junk food, and why doctors and patients alike want the the "quick fix" of a diagnosis and pill/surgery treatment as opposed to lifestyle overhaul, and (I'm not up to this bit yet, so I can't talk from experience but....) how to overcome them. They do use animal analogies to get their point across, though, so I'd recommend watching Doug Lisle's TED talk first;
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Many of the plant based doctors swear by it.


Doug Lisle is brilliant and the Pleasure Trap was one of those books where I kept having light bulb moments about so many things we do. As for family perhaps try and lower your expectations about the changes you want them to make to avoid disappointment  I have the same issues with my Mum, she has read several of the books now - she has just finished Dr Fuhrman's The End of Diabetes , she has made some small changes which I'm proud of like giving up most of the cows milk (not all she likes it in her tea and she drinks a lot of tea) for soya and cutting most red and processed meats and eating more beans. So whilst I am dismayed that she still views cakes and crisps as suitable things to eat I'm also very grateful for the changes she has made.

Sadly we are up against so many different forces which keep people doing what they have always done - its so much easier to believe it isn't down to something like diet/lifestyle because then you don't have to make changes and changes are scary/hard. The IThrive documentary series on Diabetes was so interesting in that respect, the guy John being morbidly obese with complications of diabetes talking to Doug Lisle about why even though he has met all the experts and has all this knowledge and knows his life is at risk he still gets drawn into a fast food takeaway, picks up soda and chocolate at the petrol station or without thinking demolishes a whole bread basket of white crusty bread with butter and herb flavoured olive oil in an Italian restaurant while waiting for his main course to arrive and then ate a second basket. For some people so many other factors come in to play like fitting in with friends, traditions, emotions. I consider myself very lucky I've never been an emotional eater, I only view food as something to provide nutrition and stop me being hungry so its not something I've ever used for comfort or to relieve boredom so I think that has helped me to make the changes in a very matter of fact way because I don't have emotional attachments to certain foods.


----------



## Blaise in Surrey

Okay.... just done an online shop: all vegan.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Blaise in Surrey said:


> Okay.... just done an online shop: all vegan.


Good for you. Hope you get on OK with it this week but shout if you need any help.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I can highly recommend the video series I linked to early on Tai Chi for beginners - 5 minutes a day. I've been doing it every day and sometimes do a bit more by going back over the previous ones. Its so relaxing but you also feel like you have exercises afterwards even though you have done very little. Here is module 1 again






You can get the rest here from the channel

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxkLLizyaKhpeeZjK27Leqw


----------



## Blaise in Surrey

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Good for you. Hope you get on OK with it this week but shout if you need any help.


Thanks. I've even printed out the food chart and put it on the fridge door! I'm clearly going to have to face my fear of 'greens'!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Blaise in Surrey said:


> Thanks. I've even printed out the food chart and put it on the fridge door! I'm clearly going to have to face my fear of 'greens'!


I've got Dr Greger's Daily Dozen on a big wipe board in my kitchen which we tick off as we have them. Visitors think we are a bit bonkers but who cares


----------



## Magyarmum

Blaise in Surrey said:


> Okay.... just done an online shop: all vegan.


My online shop was delivered late yesterday afternoon. I stocked up on chickpeas, quinoa, buckwheat, rye, spelt, millet, cornmeal and cornflour as well as some packets of seasoning and soya sauce plus matzo ball and frikadeller mixtures. The whole lot cost £28 which I don't think is too bad!


----------



## Jonescat

Dinner tonight - wholewheat noodles with sukiyaki sauce and veg, and a side of braised squash and leeks. Very easy to cook, and so much healthier than the local takeaway


----------



## LinznMilly

Looks lovely @Jonescat . 

I had homemade vegan lasagne for lunch and dinner, and have made parsnip and Apple stew for lunch (and probably dinner  ) tomorrow.

I think I might know the answer to this question, but i'll ask anyway; why do so many people seem to have trouble with wholewheat/Brown bread?

My mum's partner's mum loves it, but she says it gives her the runs, so her son, mum's partner (sounds obvious that my mum's partner is this woman's son, but she has another son in Blackpool  ) has switched her over to white bread/buns.

She's not the first person I know to say that either. My mum says the same (no surprise there).

At the back of my mind, I'm thinking it's to do with their bodies not being used to the fibre in wholewheat bread?


----------



## Guest

LinznMilly said:


> Looks lovely @Jonescat .
> 
> I had homemade vegan lasagne for lunch and dinner, and have made* parsnip and Apple stew* for lunch (and probably dinner  ) tomorrow.


That sounds amazing! Do you have a recipe?


----------



## LinznMilly

McKenzie said:


> That sounds amazing! Do you have a recipe?


I often don't follow a recipe - quite often I just throw things together and hope for the best , but you could follow this one for apple and parsnip soup (which I did follow and adapt last week),, and just not blend it;

http://m.tesco.com/mt/legacy.realfo...parsnip-and-apple-soup-with-apple-crisps.html

I really fancy doing the apple crisps at some point, too.


----------



## Royoyo

It must be lasagne season @LinznMilly because I also had it for lunch and dinner yesterday.

I made this one, followed the exact recipe apart from adding the black beans in as I find it dries the lasagne out too much, also didn't add the cumin or pre cook my pasta sheets. But it is absolutely DELICIOUS, it's seriously the nicest lasagne I have ever had and I love lasagne, it was one of my favourites when I was a meat eater. I also added spinach to mine!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Looks lovely @Jonescat .
> 
> I had homemade vegan lasagne for lunch and dinner, and have made parsnip and Apple stew for lunch (and probably dinner  ) tomorrow.
> 
> I think I might know the answer to this question, but i'll ask anyway; why do so many people seem to have trouble with wholewheat/Brown bread?
> 
> My mum's partner's mum loves it, but she says it gives her the runs, so her son, mum's partner (sounds obvious that my mum's partner is this woman's son, but she has another son in Blackpool  ) has switched her over to white bread/buns.
> 
> She's not the first person I know to say that either. My mum says the same (no surprise there).
> 
> At the back of my mind, I'm thinking it's to do with their bodies not being used to the fibre in wholewheat bread?


If she is fine with white bread (gluten) it seems likely it is just the extra fibre that she isn't used to or an excuse to stick with the white stuff.


----------



## Jonescat

Oat and barley bread can have a lesser effect as it is soluble fibre and is processed differently (wheat is insoluble). 
https://patient.info/health/irritable-bowel-syndrome-leaflet/features/ibs-diet-sheet

So maybe just switch the kind of bread and see if it works? Oat bread is available in supermarkets.


----------



## Guest

I would vote for the extra fiber too. 
Some people are so fiber deficient in their diet that even small additions to the nonexistent fiber makes their systems go haywire.

When I first met my husband he was living off baloney sandwiches on white bread with mustard. A small bowl of oatmeal would give him the runs. 
These days he eats a huge bowl of oatmeal every morning, whole wheat bread, brown rice, and multiple servings of beans or lentils every day with zero issues.

Today's lunch:
Brown and black lentils cooked in cumin, celery seed, and garlic. Added cooked onions and fresh spinach. Poured that over top of some brown rice I had already cooked up. Gorgeous comfort food after a frigid run


----------



## Magyarmum

Last night I had shepherds pie of root veggie, red lentils and mushrooms topped with a potato/sweet potato mash. I finished the rest off tonight with some garlicky roasted baby bok choy. It's the first time I've cooked bok choy like this and have to say it was rather yummy!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Free presentation by Dr Greger tomorrow

https://www.forksoverknives.com/how...=mailchimp&utm_term=Greger-Webinar#gs.rB9i20E

In this eye-opening webinar, Dr. Michael Greger will share the groundbreaking scientific evidence behind the only diet that can prevent and reverse many of the causes of chronic diseases, disability, and premature death.

The vast majority of these diseases can be prevented through simple diet and lifestyle changes. In _How Not to Die,_ Dr. Michael Greger examines the 15 top causes of death in America-including heart disease, various cancers, diabetes, Parkinson's, high blood pressure, and more-and explains how food choices and other lifestyle changes do more than prescription drugs and surgeries to add years to your life.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

And what a transformation

https://www.forksoverknives.com/ove...imp&utm_term=overcame-life-of-meat#gs.xLHnMrA


----------



## Blaise in Surrey

rottiepointerhouse said:


> And what a transformation
> 
> https://www.forksoverknives.com/ove...imp&utm_term=overcame-life-of-meat#gs.xLHnMrA


Wow!


----------



## Guest

I was really looking forward to reading The Pleasure Trap while I’m still on holiday but I can’t get it on kindle and if I buy the book it will take at least 2 weeks to get here :Arghh


----------



## catz4m8z

Magyarmum said:


> Last night I had shepherds pie of root veggie, red lentils and mushrooms topped with a potato/sweet potato mash.


Snap! I had shepards pie last night! Mine was lentils, peas and onions with a potato, swede and carrot topping. Proper winter food.

Also got to watch everyone at work order lovely meaty kebabs from the local take away.....they smelt gross, I really wasn't missing anything!


----------



## Guest

I just finished watching forks over knives and found myself nodding lots!

My digestion seems to have settled itself down. I’m really noticing that I’m feeling full for longer which is great.


----------



## LinznMilly

catz4m8z said:


> Snap! I had shepards pie last night! Mine was lentils, peas and onions with a potato, swede and carrot topping. Proper winter food.
> 
> Also got to watch everyone at work order lovely meaty kebabs from the local take away.....they smelt gross, I really wasn't missing anything!


I feel the same. The greasy smell coming from the canteen in the local Tesco as I walk past makes me feel positively nauseous. :Vomit As do the ready meals and meat products that the rest of my family enjoy.

Urgh. Now I feel sick.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Yes it is an unfortunate or should I say fortunate side effect of going WFPB that the smell of cooking meat and fat really does make you feel ill. Just before Christmas we went to a big garden centre which has a restaurant and the smell seemed to permeate the whole place even outside, at first it smelt like offal so perhaps steak & kidney was on the menu, later it smelt like over baked cheese that had burnt. I used to enjoy cheese but now it really does smell overwhelmingly of vomit which if anyone has read Dr Barnard's book on cheese is not surprising. 

I've managed to drop a couple more pounds, its funny what we do out of habit without thinking. I've always had two things for breakfast so hot or cold cereal and berries followed by toast or a portion of nuts. Last week I decided to drop off the second part and just have the oatmeal and berries thinking if I'm hungry I will have the nuts or toast later on. I wasn't so I didn't, feeling just as full until late afternoon.


----------



## Blaise in Surrey

Well, my fridge is now full of a variety of greens 

Suggestions for cooking them please, in a way that will ensure I buy them again :Hilarious


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Blaise in Surrey said:


> Well, my fridge is now full of a variety of greens
> 
> Suggestions for cooking them please, in a way that will ensure I buy them again :Hilarious


What have you got to give us some ideas and how healthy are you aiming to be? Are you cutting out oil or happy to use it?


----------



## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> Snap! I had shepards pie last night! Mine was lentils, peas and onions with a potato, swede and carrot topping. Proper winter food.
> 
> Also got to watch everyone at work order lovely meaty kebabs from the local take away.....they smelt gross, I really wasn't missing anything!


Last week when I did a big shop at the hypermarket I couldn't find anything suitable to eat ... and I was really hungry! Rather foolishly I bought a ham and egg sandwich thinking I could take the ham out just eat the bread and egg. I took one bite of it and OMG it made me feel quite ill and I ended up throwing it away!

Dinner tonight was African stew with toasted chickpeas, white and sweet potatoes, carrots and kale cooked in Berbere spiced tomato sauce which I had with homemade pitta with nigella seeds. There's only one make of pitta bread over here which crumbles as soon as you try to cut so I now make my own. My next "trick" is to make some naan which I love and could eat all day long!


----------



## Jonescat

Blaise in Surrey said:


> Well, my fridge is now full of a variety of greens
> Suggestions for cooking them please, in a way that will ensure I buy them again :Hilarious



Braise them with garlic in stock
Slice really thin and use them in risotto or put a handful in your soup just before the end of the cooking

Steam them, add any of tamari, chilli oil, lemon juce, gomasio (tahini and salt), herbs
Colcannon - Irish dish of potato, onion and cabbage - only in Winter though 

Yummy salad - celery, white cabbage, apple, walnuts and a touch of vegan mayo
Ethiopian cabbage from earlier in the thread (post #68)
Just please don't overboil them - no school cabbage!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

4 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 main meals with a pudding for £15.00 all look really quick & easy too.


----------



## Magyarmum

Blaise in Surrey said:


> Well, my fridge is now full of a variety of greens
> 
> Suggestions for cooking them please, in a way that will ensure I buy them again :Hilarious


One of my favourite ways of cooking spinach is saute it with mushrooms. No exact quantities but for one serving .....

Saute half a finely sliced onion and a clove of crushed garlic until they start to go "golden"
Add some finely sliced button mushrooms (or you can use cremini or oyster mushrooms if you prefer).
Season with a pinch of herbes de Provence, salt and pepper, When they are cooked through ..
Add your spinach and stir until wilted. Serve as a side dish.

and, you can make it into a pasta sauce or have it as topping for jacket potatoes by chopping the spinach before you add it to the pan. Then mix cornflour with either vegetable broth or unsweetened plant drink and stir it into the mushroom/spinach mix.

Last night I had a jacket potato topped with it, roast bok choy (I'm becoming addicted to them) and baked tomatoes stuffed with a Bulgur, and veggie mix. I tried out one of the vegan croquette mixes I bought to make the stuffing and added finely chopped courgettes, green pepper and onion. It turned out and tasted very nice.


----------



## Blaise in Surrey

Thanks so much for the various ideas - I'll start trying them this evening 

The 'greens' that I have are cavolo nero (which I've never knowingly eaten!)), baby leaf greens (whatever they are!) and green pak choi.

Question for @rottiepointerhouse please: the wonder doctor says that we should have three servings of greens PER DAY!!!! Really????? Greens for breakfast? (Please don't talk about kale smoothies - I have my limits :Hilarious.)


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Blaise in Surrey said:


> Thanks so much for the various ideas - I'll start trying them this evening
> 
> The 'greens' that I have are cavolo nero (which I've never knowingly eaten!)), baby leaf greens (whatever they are!) and green pak choi.
> 
> Question for @rottiepointerhouse please: the wonder doctor says that we should have three servings of greens PER DAY!!!! Really????? Greens for breakfast? (Please don't talk about kale smoothies - I have my limits :Hilarious.)


You have picked some of less common ones to get started with  He says one serving of cruciferous veg and two of greens so I would have some watercress and/or rocket in a salad or you could add watercress and/or rocket to a sandwich which would be one or two servings. For dinner I would have a mix of steamed broccoli (or cauliflower) and kale with balsamic vinegar added at the table or add handfuls of baby spinach to a curry or stew (I usually do that half an hour from the end of cooking so they don't disappear entirely) or the pak choi and cavolo nero finely chopped added to a stir fry. Don't worry too much about always getting the right combination of vegetables Dr Greger recommends as it is just a guide to help you with a framework for the day.


----------



## Blaise in Surrey

Thanks; that's helpful. I was beginning to risk morphing into a rabbit!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Blaise in Surrey said:


> Thanks; that's helpful. I was beginning to risk morphing into a rabbit!


You might find this interesting - just dropped in my inbox and made me think of you as it has some different ideas

https://bluezones.com/2018/01/news-...199095005&mc_cid=bd4071e523&mc_eid=97f9300fe5


----------



## Guest

I am ecstatic!!!!!

A coworker came to me after a meeting yesterday and said her cardiologist had told her she needs to - wait for it - go on a WFPB diet!!!! Told her to watch FoK and read the info, and start eating that way!! Apparently she can't take blood pressure or cholesterol lowering drugs because of other drugs she's on for cancer treatments (now in remission). 
I am SO excited a doctor actually told her to do this plan specifically, and two, that she came to ME and said "I need your help." 

She's very worried about her weight watcher's programe. Apparently there is a "point" system, and already some of the meals I suggested (plain old beans and rice for crying out loud) are too high in points? Is anyone familiar with the WW point system and what she's talking about? 
Like according to her, WW would rather she eat eggs for breakfast than oatmeal with dried fruit 

Also, should I lend her a copy of "The Starch Solution" or "Proteinaholic" first? She's *very* skeptical of not eating meat, and how she's going to cook for her family etc.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I am ecstatic!!!!!
> 
> A coworker came to me after a meeting yesterday and said her cardiologist had told her she needs to - wait for it - go on a WFPB diet!!!! Told her to watch FoK and read the info, and start eating that way!! Apparently she can't take blood pressure or cholesterol lowering drugs because of other drugs she's on for cancer treatments (now in remission).
> I am SO excited a doctor actually told her to do this plan specifically, and two, that she came to ME and said "I need your help."
> 
> She's very worried about her weight watcher's programe. Apparently there is a "point" system, and already some of the meals I suggested (plain old beans and rice for crying out loud) are too high in points? Is anyone familiar with the WW point system and what she's talking about?
> Like according to her, WW would rather she eat eggs for breakfast than oatmeal with dried fruit
> 
> Also, should I lend her a copy of "The Starch Solution" or "Proteinaholic" first? She's *very* skeptical of not eating meat, and how she's going to cook for her family etc.


Brilliant news that a cardiologist has recommended she follow a WFPB diet.

Here are a couple of resources you might consider for her

https://www.pcrm.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/health/vsk.pdf

https://www.drmcdougall.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Dr-McDougalls-Color-Picture-Book1.pdf

Either of the books you mentioned would be good but I would also highly recommend Dr Fuhrman's "The End of Heart Disease"






and of course there is Dr Lim's video which seemed to get a lot of people interested in this way of eating when I posted it way back in the early part of this thread






As for WW I'm afraid she will need to forget about that and focus on WFPB as they really are not compatible. The points system whilst allowing free fruit and veg will come down too hard on the grains and beans. Perhaps try giving her a couple of days menu plans of what you might eat like oatmeal and berries for breakfast, vegetable & bean soup for lunch with wholemeal bread or a black bean, salsa and avocado wrap and the FOK shepherds pie for dinner.

FOK have lots of videos of recipes which I find are helpful when you first start to tackle foods you might not be familiar with

I can't get the link to their channel to work but you can follow it from one of these by clicking on subscribe then going to their video list


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

If she likes WW and wants to follow a plan you could always consider the Engine 2 Plan - there is a subscription fee but I would imagine it is cheaper than WW

https://mealplanner.engine2.com


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Oh and this is a brilliant video by a cardiologist






Robert Ostfeld is a cardiologist and Director of Preventive Cardiology. He is the founder and Director of the Cardiac Wellness Program at Montefiore Health System and Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He earned his Masters in Epidemiology from Harvard School of Public Health, MD from Yale University School of Medicine and is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease and Echocardiography. Dr. Ostfeld has authored or co-authored dozens of articles about cardiovascular disease, and several about the relationship between periodontal disease and atherosclerosis. Patients enrolled at the Montefiore Einstein Cardiac Wellness Program are experiencing dramatic improvements in their health, via making some key diet and lifestyle changes under the care and guidance of the program's experts. Many of these patients who had been diagnosed with heart or blood vessel disease, are losing weight, lowering their cholesterol and blood pressure, improving their energy levels and even reversing type 2 diabetes. The program brings a unique nutrition-centered approach to the management of cardiovascular disease, aiming to prevent and reverse heart disease with a whole-food plant-based diet.


----------



## Magyarmum

Blaise in Surrey said:


> Thanks so much for the various ideas - I'll start trying them this evening
> 
> The 'greens' that I have are cavolo nero (which I've never knowingly eaten!)), baby leaf greens (whatever they are!) and green pak choi.
> 
> Question for @rottiepointerhouse please: the wonder doctor says that we should have three servings of greens PER DAY!!!! Really????? Greens for breakfast? (Please don't talk about kale smoothies - I have my limits :Hilarious.)


Don't worry there's no way I can manage to eat the amount recommended because although I enjoy my food I'm full quite quickly. I'm not a "snacker" either and very rarely eat between meals. I find it difficult to fit fruit into my diet particularly apples and pears because again I can't manage to get through a whole one, so unless I have bananas or blueberries with my morning muesli, fruit tends to get neglected!

Some recipes for cavolo nero to give you some ideas

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-cook-cavolo-nero

And more for baby bok choy. My favourite is to roast it like the first recipe in the list.

http://www.vegkitchen.com/vegan-food-hacks/seared-baby-bok-choy/

Have fun!


----------



## Guest

Thanks RPH, I've forwarded her some info, but at this point I might be overwhelming her a bit  
So far so good though! 

Just really excited that it was a cardiologist who said "watch this documentary, and eat WFPB" so cool!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Thanks RPH, I've forwarded her some info, but at this point I might be overwhelming her a bit
> So far so good though!
> 
> Just really excited that it was a cardiologist who said "watch this documentary, and eat WFPB" so cool!


No problem, I didn't expect you to bombard her with it all, I find some people respond better to books, some just won't bother to read them but will watch a video and some just can't go it alone and need the structure of a guide or programme so the more tools in your armoury the better 

From what I can gather from quite a few of the cardiologists they are running programmes in various hospitals now - Dr Ostfeld mentions in the video that they show Forks over Knives on the hospital TV and have a WFPB menu available so that they can get patients on the right track before they even leave hospital. Kim Williams 2016 chair of the American College of Cardiology also said "There are two types of cardiologists, vegans and those who haven't read the research".

I've just made a lovely big batch of red lentil, sweet potato and spinach curry which will do us for the next two nights. It smells so good.


----------



## Blaise in Surrey

Here's my report . (Oh, and I used my new steamer for the first time - love it! So much tidier and quieter than all those saucepans rattling away!)

Didn't like the bok choy as I found it slightly bitter (but will try roasting it as recommended). The spring greens or whatever they are were fine. The cavalo nero I absolutely LOVED! Even though it's a tad crinkly :Hilarious.

Now, all you clever dietary people, find me a way to enjoy turmeric please. I really believe in using it but, however I cook/include it, I just do not like the taste....


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Kim Williams 2016 chair of the American College of Cardiology also said "There are two types of cardiologists, vegans and those who haven't read the research".


Just wish it had trickled down to the NHS!LOL It still seems to be seen as a 'faddy' diet rather then a sensible way to live your life.

Tea tonight for me was a bowl of marinated tofu, sweetcorn, spinach, courgette, red onion, garlic, in a tomato sauce with a side of home made chips (no oil, just oven baked with some smoked paprika on top).
Trying to get back into the habit of having porridge for breakfast in the mornings too, oats really are fantastic for keeping your blood sugar stable.
I dont think Im going to be giving up my toasted white bread products though until winter is over.....but if the worst thing I eat is a bagel then I can live with that!


----------



## LinznMilly

Blaise in Surrey said:


> Now, all you clever dietary people, find me a way to enjoy turmeric please. I really believe in using it but, however I cook/include it, I just do not like the taste....


Really? :Wideyed I don't think turmeric has much of a taste, personally. Maybe I just don't add enough to taste, but I shake it twice on pasta dishes and the amount in, on and around ( :Hilarious ) the pan seems quite a lot.  [shrugs]


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Blaise in Surrey said:


> Here's my report . (Oh, and I used my new steamer for the first time - love it! So much tidier and quieter than all those saucepans rattling away!)
> 
> Didn't like the bok choy as I found it slightly bitter (but will try roasting it as recommended). The spring greens or whatever they are were fine. The cavalo nero I absolutely LOVED! Even though it's a tad crinkly :Hilarious.
> 
> Now, all you clever dietary people, find me a way to enjoy turmeric please. I really believe in using it but, however I cook/include it, I just do not like the taste....


I can't say as I'm a fan of bok choy either, I did use it a few times in stir frys - separating the leaves from the bulb part and cooking the leaves for less time but I found it a bit stringy and as there as so many others that I love I don't buy it anymore and prefer purple sprouting broccoli in stir frys.

I tend to use turmeric in curries/stews/soups and add it to the water I cook rice in which turns the rice a nice colour too  I find it quite strong too and it can give a cats pee smell afterwards if you have a lot of it :Wacky When I make soup (a serving of 4) I add about half a teaspoon, same to curry/stew.



catz4m8z said:


> Just wish it had trickled down to the NHS!LOL It still seems to be seen as a 'faddy' diet rather then a sensible way to live your life.
> 
> Tea tonight for me was a bowl of marinated tofu, sweetcorn, spinach, courgette, red onion, garlic, in a tomato sauce with a side of home made chips (no oil, just oven baked with some smoked paprika on top).
> Trying to get back into the habit of having porridge for breakfast in the mornings too, oats really are fantastic for keeping your blood sugar stable.
> I dont think Im going to be giving up my toasted white bread products though until winter is over.....but if the worst thing I eat is a bagel then I can live with that!


Give it time - we are years behind the US so it will happen here too. @Cleo38 has a GP who recommends WFPB and there is going to be a conference for health care professionals at Kings sometime soon. Just look at how the numbers for veganuary are growing year on year and so main stream media are starting to do serious interviews with some of the vegan communities here.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Some nice ideas here for Buddha Bowls - trendy way of dishing up your food - a plate will do just as well :Hilarious:Hilarious She uses too much oil and salt for my liking but I might try them with a few variations


----------



## Jonescat

This might help for recipes if she wants to stick to WW until she gets her head around WFPB
http://www.veganweightwatchers.com/


----------



## sarybeagle

Hi, dipping my toes in a little. 
I've begun playing around with my attitude to food and my overall diet. Probably as it's January lol.
Anyways. I have been using soya milk as a dairy alternative for several years now. 
However recently I've begun to react to it. I think it's this, i can't tolerate dairy well at all recently too.
I get god awful cramps and pain in my guts around 30 mins after eating said stuff.
Is this something common with soya? Any recommendations for a soya alternative that i can try and see after a while if it try it again, what happens. 

I love veggies of any kind and they make up the biggest % of my evening meal.

I've begun filling up very quickly and being unable to eat as much as previously as well as not being hungry until 4/5pm.

The past 5 days I've started taking golden paste. It certainly an acquired taste! But the dogs don't mind it so I'm trying to get on with it. How do others take it? 
I've heard Gary Barlow has it in milk? No good for me right now lol. 

That's it for now or I'll never catch up with this xx


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I'll have a look around for anything about adverse reactions to soya milk - haven't heard of it causing the problems you mention but that doesn't mean it isn't in your case. I would suggest giving completely non dairy a try for a couple of weeks to see if that makes any difference to you.

This might help with looking at alternatives. I personally use oat milk because its the only one I like in hot drinks and as I only use a small amount per day I don't worry too much about the sugar effect.

http://nutritionstudies.org/plant-based-doctors-take-on-choosing-plant-based-milk/


----------



## LinznMilly

sarybeagle said:


> Hi, dipping my toes in a little.
> I've begun playing around with my attitude to food and my overall diet. Probably as it's January lol.
> Anyways. I have been using soya milk as a dairy alternative for several years now.
> However recently I've begun to react to it. I think it's this, i can't tolerate dairy well at all recently too.
> I get god awful cramps and pain in my guts around 30 mins after eating said stuff.
> Is this something common with soya? Any recommendations for a soya alternative that i can try and see after a while if it try it again, what happens.
> 
> I love veggies of any kind and they make up the biggest % of my evening meal.
> 
> I've begun filling up very quickly and being unable to eat as much as previously as well as not being hungry until 4/5pm.
> 
> The past 5 days I've started taking golden paste. It certainly an acquired taste! But the dogs don't mind it so I'm trying to get on with it. How do others take it?
> I've heard Gary Barlow has it in milk? No good for me right now lol.
> 
> That's it for now or I'll never catch up with this xx


Another vote for oat milk here, too.


----------



## Guest

I like oat milk and rice milk.


----------



## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I'll have a look around for anything about adverse reactions to soya milk - haven't heard of it causing the problems you mention but that doesn't mean it isn't in your case. I would suggest giving completely non dairy a try for a couple of weeks to see if that makes any difference to you.
> 
> This might help with looking at alternatives. I personally use oat milk because its the only one I like in hot drinks and as I only use a small amount per day I don't worry too much about the sugar effect.
> 
> http://nutritionstudies.org/plant-based-doctors-take-on-choosing-plant-based-milk/


I can't tolerate soya milk. It gives me the most terrible stomach cramps. I found it extremely difficult to find a plant milk that I like in my tea or coffee. It's not available yet in the UK but Buckwheat milk is by far the best as to me at least it tastes much the same as dairy milk. Spelt or Barley are also acceptable alternatives although not as thick and creamy as Buckwheat. If you want to try it you can make it at home.

http://www.lovinglyplantbased.com/buckwheat-milk.html



Blaise in Surrey said:


> Here's my report . (Oh, and I used my new steamer for the first time - love it! So much tidier and quieter than all those saucepans rattling away!)
> 
> Didn't like the bok choy as I found it slightly bitter (but will try roasting it as recommended). The spring greens or whatever they are were fine. The cavalo nero I absolutely LOVED! Even though it's a tad crinkly :Hilarious.
> 
> Now, all you clever dietary people, find me a way to enjoy turmeric please. I really believe in using it but, however I cook/include it, I just do not like the taste....


If you can taste the turmeric then you're using too much. You actually need very little to give food some colour

I had an Indian friend when I lived in South Africa who was a marvellous cook and I learnt a lot from her about Indian food. When you're making a curry, you should add the turmeric, curry powder and spices, when the onions are practically cooked. You have to let it cook for 2 or 3 minutes to take away the "raw" taste before adding anything else. It gives your curry or stew a mellow well rounded flavour.

@sarybeagle I've had "golden milk" many times for a sore throat or flu. It works really well! Here's a recipe using plant milk,

http://svasthaayurveda.com/golden-milk-recipe/


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## Lexiedhb

Thought I might try adding more beans and pulses into one's diet, I'm fairly sure it's due to your messages subliminally getting through rph!!!. Things I have learnt. Butter beans are odd, and not altogether nice.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lexiedhb said:


> Thought I might try adding more beans and pulses into one's diet, I'm fairly sure it's due to your messages subliminally getting through rph!!!. Things I have learnt. Butter beans are odd, and not altogether nice.


:Hilarious:Hilarious I would by lying if I said they were my favourite but I don't mind them in a spicy casserole with lots of paprika

1 onion
2 cloves garlic
butternut squash
1 leek
tin chopped tomatoes
tin butterbeans
vegetable stock
4 teaspoons caraway seeds (bashed)
6 teaspoons smoked paprika
add some spinach towards the end of cooking


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## rottiepointerhouse

Magyarmum said:


> I can't tolerate soya milk. It gives me the most terrible stomach cramps. I found it extremely difficult to find a plant milk that I like in my tea or coffee. It's not available yet in the UK but Buckwheat milk is by far the best as to me at least it tastes much the same as dairy milk. Spelt or Barley are also acceptable alternatives although not as thick and creamy as Buckwheat. If you want to try it you can make it at home.
> 
> http://www.lovinglyplantbased.com/buckwheat-milk.html
> 
> /QUOTE]
> 
> Thats interesting, I haven't heard of that before and will mention it to my Mum as she has been using soya milk and complains of "tummy issues" quite a lot and usually blames the vegetables.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Look at this amazing transformation - so good to see him helping other people too (This guy was featured on one of the summits earlier in the year)

https://www.today.com/video/meet-th...ds-by-eating-plants-and-running-1130102339890


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## rottiepointerhouse

https://nutritionfacts.org/2018/01/...-24208457&mc_cid=70a81e46b4&mc_eid=53363da263

The dietary guidelines recommend that we choose meals or snacks that are high in nutrients but lower in calories to reduce the risk of chronic disease. By this measure, the healthiest foods on the planet-that is, the most nutrient dense-are vegetables, which contain the most nutrient bang for our caloric buck. What would happen if a population centered their entire diet around vegetables, like the Okinawa Japanese? They end up having among the longest lives in the world.

Of course, any time you hear about long-living populations, you have to make sure it's validated because it may be hard to find birth certificates from the 1890s. But validation studies suggest that, indeed, Okinawans really did live that long.

As I discuss in my video The Okinawa Diet: Living to 100, the traditional diet in Okinawa is based on vegetables, beans, and other plants. There's a common misconception that their traditional diet included a substantial contribution from fish or other meat, but if you look at their actual dietary intake that doesn't seem to be the case. The U.S. military ran Okinawa until it was given back to Japan in 1972, so we have actual data on what Okinawans were eating from the U.S. National Archives.

If you look at the traditional diets of more than 2,000 Okinawans, it breaks down as follows: Only 1% of their diet was fish, less than 1% of their diet was other meats, and less than 1% was dairy and eggs, so it was more than 96% plant-based and more than 90% _whole food_ plant-based as they ate few processed foods. And their diet was not just whole food plant-based; most of their diet was made up of vegetables, one vegetable in particular: sweet potatoes. The Okinawan diet was centered on purple and orange sweet potatoes.

Eating a 90+% whole food plant-based diet makes it a highly anti-inflammatory and highly antioxidant diet. If you measure the level of oxidized fat within their systems, there is compelling evidence of less free radical damage. Maybe Okinawans just have genetically better antioxidant enzymes? No, their antioxidant enzyme activity is the same as other populations. What may be making the difference is all the extra antioxidants they were getting from their mostly vegetable diet.

Okinawa has 8 to 12 times fewer heart disease deaths than the United States, 2 to 3 times fewer colon cancer deaths, 7 times fewer prostate cancer deaths, and 5½ times lower risk of dying from breast cancer.

Some of this protection may be because they were only eating about 1,800 calories a day. They were actually eating a greater mass of food, but whole plant foods are calorically dilute. There's also a cultural norm not to stuff oneself. The plant-based nature of the diet may trump the caloric restriction, though, because the one population that lives even longer than the Okinawa Japanese doesn't just eat a 98% meat-free diet, they eat 100% meat-free. The Adventist vegetarians in California have perhaps the highest life expectancy of any formally described population. Adventist vegetarian men and women live to be about 83 and 86, respectively, which is comparable to Okinawan women, but better than Okinawan men. The best of the best were Adventist vegetarians who also had healthy lifestyles, such as being exercising nonsmokers. They live to 87 and nearly 90, on average. That's 10 to 14 years longer than the general population. They have 10 to 14 extra years on this Earth by making simple lifestyle choices.

And this is happening now, in modern times, whereas Okinawan longevity is now a thing of the past. Okinawa now hosts more than a dozen KFC restaurants. Okinawans' saturated fat levels have tripled. They went from eating essentially no cholesterol to a few Big Macs' worth. They tripled their sodium and are now as potassium-deficient as Americans, getting less than half of the recommended minimum daily intake of 4,700 mg a day. In just two generations, Okinawans have gone from the leanest Japanese to the fattest. As a consequence, there has been a resurgence of interest from public health professionals in getting Okinawans to eat the Okinawan diet too.


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## Guest

I watched a Netflix dock yesterday called ‘hungry for change’. It wasn’t specifically about a WFPB diet, but it came to that conclusion. It was about the science behind why we get fat and what goes into processed food etc. Not groundbreaking but interesting nonetheless.


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## Magyarmum

For dinner tonight I had Buckwheat and Butternut Squash burgers with a jacket potato, baby button mushrooms, Madar and (bought) spicy fermented mixed vegetables. Delish!


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## Lexiedhb

Can I ask you " bean munchers"  what do you class as a " portion" of beans/ lentils? I'm of the mindset, probably wrongly, that they're healthy right so you can eat loads of em. Is a can for one meal - with nothing else but veg too much?


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## rottiepointerhouse

http://nutritionstudies.org/whole-food-plant-based-diet-guide/

This is quite a nice guide for people first starting out with this WOE.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Lexiedhb said:


> Can I ask you " bean munchers"  what do you class as a " portion" of beans/ lentils? I'm of the mindset, probably wrongly, that they're healthy right so you can eat loads of em. Is a can for one meal - with nothing else but veg too much?


I generally use one can (400 g) of beans in a dish that has 4 servings but that would be with loads of veggies and a source of carbs such as rice/pasta or potato. The lentil/sweet potato and spinach curry I made last night (more for tonight too rool) had 250 g of red lentils - 4 servings but I wouldn't normally use that many beans, red lentils just seem to disappear :Joyful


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## Cleo38

Wow, that clip is amazing @rottiepointerhouse, just shows how much determination some people have to change their lives. \

I feel so much better lately & although am aching from my recent exercise it's a good ache, & I also feel proud of myself that I am actually doing something I never, ever thought I would.

The real test will be taking my BP readings but am going to wait another few weeks as I end up getting worried about it so that doesn't help & I don't want to start feel defeated again if it'snot as low as I'd like.

Also I bought a soup maker today so am going to have a go with it tomorrow .... can't wait!


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## Lexiedhb

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I generally use one can (400 g) of beans in a dish that has 4 servings but that would be with loads of veggies and a source of carbs such as rice/pasta or potato. The lentil/sweet potato and spinach curry I made last night (more for tonight too rool) had 250 g of red lentils - 4 servings but I wouldn't normally use that many beans, red lentils just seem to disappear :Joyful


So I reckon it's probably ok, as I wouldn't have rice/pasta or potato with it? Trying to eat more beans/ pulses for lunch, as if I just have veg I'm ravenous by about 4pm...... Which leads to cramming all manner of crap in my face!


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## rottiepointerhouse

Lexiedhb said:


> So I reckon it's probably ok, as I wouldn't have rice/pasta or potato with it? Trying to eat more beans/ pulses for lunch, as if I just have veg I'm ravenous by about 4pm...... Which leads to cramming all manner of crap in my face!


Yes I would think its OK as long as they aren't giving you too much wind :Jawdrop I posted somewhere about the 2nd meal effect but I can't find it - it was about how the resistant starch in beans reduces the effect of the glycaemic load of the next meal.


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## Lexiedhb

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Yes I would think its OK as long as they aren't giving you too much wind :Jawdrop I posted somewhere about the 2nd meal effect but I can't find it - it was about how the resistant starch in beans reduces the effect of the glycaemic load of the next meal.


Cast iron constitution here! Lol - very little effects it but maybe I should just add even more veg and go half a can - for my co workers benefit- just in case! 
Black beans are defo the way forward......


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## rottiepointerhouse

Lexiedhb said:


> Cast iron constitution here! Lol - very little effects it but maybe I should just add even more veg and go half a can - for my co workers benefit- just in case!
> Black beans are defo the way forward......


Black beans and chick peas are my favourite although I am loving the soup I make most days now with cannellini beans (Navy to the Americans). I also keep a bag of frozen soya beans in the freezer to chuck in stir frys as you can just use what you want. Have you tried roasting some chick peas in the oven after coating them in herbs/spices?


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## catz4m8z

Lexiedhb said:


> Cast iron constitution here! Lol - very little effects it but maybe I should just add even more veg and go half a can - for my co workers benefit- just in case!
> Black beans are defo the way forward......


I tend to stick to portion sizes on the packets so half a tin of beans per portion. Having said that if you have a portion of beans and a portion of carbs by the time you add a shedload of veg its usually too much to eat for 2 and stretches into 3 or 4 portions!
The rice and beans I made for lunch was for 2 days but I ended up splitting it into 3. (also made the super lazy decision of 'seasoning' it with a spoonful of nut butter...well, it always tasted alright in the dogs home made food so WTH! and it was pretty tasty!).:Shy


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## Lexiedhb

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Black beans and chick peas are my favourite although I am loving the soup I make most days now with cannellini beans (Navy to the Americans). I also keep a bag of frozen soya beans in the freezer to chuck in stir frys as you can just use what you want. Have you tried roasting some chick peas in the oven after coating them in herbs/spices?


I'm quite wary of soya because of the phytoestrogens. Roasted chickpeas sound good


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## Lexiedhb

catz4m8z said:


> I tend to stick to portion sizes on the packets so half a tin of beans per portion. Having said that if you have a portion of beans and a portion of carbs by the time you add a shedload of veg its usually too much to eat for 2 and stretches into 3 or 4 portions!
> The rice and beans I made for lunch was for 2 days but I ended up splitting it into 3. (also made the super lazy decision of 'seasoning' it with a spoonful of nut butter...well, it always tasted alright in the dogs home made food so WTH! and it was pretty tasty!).:Shy


I'm just super greedy!!!! But would have a "portion of carbs" - well extra carbs as clearly beans contain carbohydrates.


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## Guest

Lexiedhb said:


> Can I ask you " bean munchers"  what do you class as a " portion" of beans/ lentils? I'm of the mindset, probably wrongly, that they're healthy right so you can eat loads of em. Is a can for one meal - with nothing else but veg too much?


I have no idea what is considered a serving, but it's not at all out of the ordinary for me to have a whole can of lentils heated up with spices and some spinach and maybe bell peppers added to it. I just eat it like a bowl of soup.


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## Guest

sarybeagle said:


> Hi, dipping my toes in a little.
> I've begun playing around with my attitude to food and my overall diet. Probably as it's January lol.
> Anyways. I have been using soya milk as a dairy alternative for several years now.
> However recently I've begun to react to it. I think it's this, i can't tolerate dairy well at all recently too.
> I get god awful cramps and pain in my guts around 30 mins after eating said stuff.
> Is this something common with soya? Any recommendations for a soya alternative that i can try and see after a while if it try it again, what happens.
> 
> I love veggies of any kind and they make up the biggest % of my evening meal.
> 
> I've begun filling up very quickly and being unable to eat as much as previously as well as not being hungry until 4/5pm.
> 
> The past 5 days I've started taking golden paste. It certainly an acquired taste! But the dogs don't mind it so I'm trying to get on with it. How do others take it?
> I've heard Gary Barlow has it in milk? No good for me right now lol.
> 
> That's it for now or I'll never catch up with this xx


A friend of mine is allergic to soya and I think he gets a similar reaction

He likes hemp milk. But there are loads of different milks you can try depending on what you like - rice milk, coconut milk, oat milk, there's also cashew milk and hazelnut milk - you can also make them yourself - my sister posted this video on facebook (her feed is entirely of vegan recipes, its torture as they all look too good!) https://www.facebook.com/avirtualvegan/videos/vb.943587332365868/1738662632858330/?type=2&theater But you can make almond milk too - and its not too hard or complicate either!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse




----------



## Magyarmum

Lexiedhb said:


> Thought I might try adding more beans and pulses into one's diet, I'm fairly sure it's due to your messages subliminally getting through rph!!!. Things I have learnt. Butter beans are odd, and not altogether nice.


Butter beans are great cooked with loads of garlic and served with something like assorted roast veggies!

Again no quantities but ...

Saute a medium sized sliced onion with 3 or 4 large crushed cloves of garlic. (more if you're a garlic lover)!
When golden, add the butter beans and stir well.
Mix some cornflour with plant milk and stir into the bean mix,
Add sufficient plant milk to make the sauce creamy but not runny.
Add chopped parsley
Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

You can use haricot or flageolet beans instead!


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## sarybeagle

I LOVE butter beans. I use them as often as I can lol. In lasagna, spaghetti Bolognese, Shepard's pie, curries. 
Chick peas are also a massive yes in this house.


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## Cleo38

OMG I LOVE MY SOUP MAKER!!!! It came this morning (am working from home today) so I quickly made a trial soup .... butternut squash & sweet potato (with chill, onion, garlic, vegetable stock & seasoning) .... it is lovely!!! 

I can't believe how easy it is, chopped stuff up, chucked everything in & went to get on with my work & 20mins later delicious soup!


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## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> OMG I LOVE MY SOUP MAKER!!!! It came this morning (am working from home today) so I quickly made a trial soup .... butternut squash & sweet potato (with chill, onion, garlic, vegetable stock & seasoning) .... it is lovely!!!
> 
> I can't believe how easy it is, chopped stuff up, chucked everything in & went to get on with my work & 20mins later delicious soup!


Its one of those things you will wonder why you didn't buy years ago.


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## Cleo38

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Its one of those things you will wonder why you didn't buy years ago.


Definitely! I am not one for buying 'gadgets' as I know from friends who buy loads of things then never really use them. I did consider this for a while but am so im pressed at how quick & easy to use it is.

So easy that I made 2 other soups & they are now in batches in the freezer; vegetable/tomato soup & a leek & potato .... they taste so nice!


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## MollySmith

May I share this link? I made the festive pilau.. well a version of it with what I had in the cupboard to replace our planned meal because someone didn't put the slow cooker on today. Not me, him. Anyway, festive pilau is lush.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/series/the-new-vegan

@Cleo38 may I ask what soup maker did you get? I would like to get one as my blender jug is held together with parcel tape and there are no spares .... it has to go and I'm not sure which soup maker to buy. Thanks in advance.


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## rottiepointerhouse

MollySmith said:


> May I share this link? I made the festive pilau.. well a version of it with what I had in the cupboard to replace our planned meal because someone didn't put the slow cooker on today. Not me, him. Anyway, festive pilau is lush.
> 
> https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/series/the-new-vegan
> 
> @Cleo38 may I ask what soup maker did you get? I would like to get one as my blender jug is held together with parcel tape and there are no spares .... it has to go and I'm not sure which soup maker to buy. Thanks in advance.


Wow thank you what lovely looking recipes - I can't wait to try some of them. Do you know anything about the cook? Does she have a cook book?


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## rottiepointerhouse

@MollySmith I've found her website which also has some lovely recipes (not all vegan but easy to adapt most of them) and have ordered her book  Thanks again her food looks delicious rool

http://meerasodha.com/recipes/

can't wait to try this one

http://meerasodha.com/wild-mushroom-pilau/


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## Cleo38

MollySmith said:


> May I share this link? I made the festive pilau.. well a version of it with what I had in the cupboard to replace our planned meal because someone didn't put the slow cooker on today. Not me, him. Anyway, festive pilau is lush.
> 
> https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/series/the-new-vegan
> 
> @Cleo38 may I ask what soup maker did you get? I would like to get one as my blender jug is held together with parcel tape and there are no spares .... it has to go and I'm not sure which soup maker to buy. Thanks in advance.


Morphy Richards 501016 Soup and Smoothie Maker - Silver/Black https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01FDPZ7UE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_7m8qgiKgAaMSl

It's this one @MollySmith .... I love It! Been making various soups today


----------



## MollySmith

rottiepointerhouse said:


> @MollySmith I've found her website which also has some lovely recipes (not all vegan but easy to adapt most of them) and have ordered her book  Thanks again her food looks delicious rool
> 
> http://meerasodha.com/recipes/
> 
> can't wait to try this one
> 
> http://meerasodha.com/wild-mushroom-pilau/


She's a new discovery to me too - I was too busy being grumpy about lack of tea to think about searching for a book or website. Thanks, I'll read more!

I also have A Doctor's Kitchen too, my brother posted a copy to me the other day but I haven't read it in enough detail to say how vegan it is. It's certainly very vegetarian based.


----------



## MollySmith

Cleo38 said:


> Morphy Richards 501016 Soup and Smoothie Maker - Silver/Black https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01FDPZ7UE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_7m8qgiKgAaMSl
> 
> It's this one @MollySmith .... I love It! Been making various soups today


Oh thank you... and great to hear it's a smoothie maker too. I have fruit growing in the garden so it's always good to have that ability too. Good, that's my Secret Santa John Lewis vouchers spent!


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## Blaise in Surrey

I am loving the steamer - it’s such an easy way to eat the greens I’ve been eschewing all these years!!

However...... not everything healthy is good for you! I was blue-lighted to A&E yesterday as I had an anaphylactic reaction to vitamin B3! That’s eight hours of my life I won’t get back......


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## Cleo38

Blaise in Surrey said:


> I am loving the steamer - it's such an easy way to eat the greens I've been eschewing all these years!!
> 
> However...... not everything healthy is good for you! I was blue-lighted to A&E yesterday as I had an anaphylactic reaction to vitamin B3! That's eight hours of my life I won't get back......


 Bloody hell, are you ok now?


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## Blaise in Surrey

Cleo38 said:


> Bloody hell, are you ok now?


Yes thanks: the medics stuffed me full of antihistamine and steroids


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## rottiepointerhouse

Blaise in Surrey said:


> I am loving the steamer - it's such an easy way to eat the greens I've been eschewing all these years!!
> 
> However...... not everything healthy is good for you! I was blue-lighted to A&E yesterday as I had an anaphylactic reaction to vitamin B3! That's eight hours of my life I won't get back......


Oh no how awful for you, glad you are OK. How on earth can you have an anaphylactic reaction to a Vitamin? B3 is in quite a lot of food so how do they know it was that? or was it a supplement?


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## Jonescat

Gosh - hope you are ok @Blaise in Surrey


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## Blaise in Surrey

It was a supplement. 100mg tablets, one per day. Reputable manufacturer and reputable shop.


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## Blaise in Surrey

I’ve since discovered that the max recommended dose for women is 14mg!!!!!!!


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## rottiepointerhouse

Blaise in Surrey said:


> It was a supplement. 100mg tablets, one per day. Reputable manufacturer and reputable shop.


OK that makes sense - we need to get you to read what the plant based doctors say about taking supplements.


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## Matrod

Blaise in Surrey said:


> I am loving the steamer - it's such an easy way to eat the greens I've been eschewing all these years!!
> 
> However...... not everything healthy is good for you! I was blue-lighted to A&E yesterday as I had an anaphylactic reaction to vitamin B3! That's eight hours of my life I won't get back......


Omg, how frightening! Hope you're ok now.

I LOVE my steamer, veg tastes way nicer.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Blaise in Surrey said:


> It was a supplement. 100mg tablets, one per day. Reputable manufacturer and reputable shop.


I've been thinking about this and wondering still how it could be the actual vitamin that caused the anaphylactic reaction because surely you get small doses of the vitamin all the time in the food you eat. Have you checked out the ingredients of the supplement to see if there is anything else in it that may have caused the reaction? Did the hospital give you any advice about avoiding such a reaction again such as avoiding food that contains Vit B3?


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## rottiepointerhouse

Quite an interesting little article and short video interview with Jermain Defoe (premier league football player) by Ben Fogle. Jermain is "mostly vegan" (he eats salmon twice a week) and the film is sponsored by Quorn thus the plug for Quorn burgers but I'm pleased to see he is spreading the word - who knows some of his fans may follow his example. He also seems to echo what @ouesi says about muscle recovery times and energy levels improving.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/f...e-striker-reveals-veganism-helps-fitness.html


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## rottiepointerhouse

Dr Barnard addresses calcium in a vegan diet






and why we don't need dairy






and an interesting short one on gut bacteria


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## LinznMilly

I'm slowly broadening my legume reservoir. Lentils and peas (didn't know they counted as legumes/pulses until after going on this diet) have always been OK, but some may remember I couldn't really get away with the texture of beans ... (It is going back a while, though). Well, I've just tried black beans for the first time, largely thanks to this thread, and I didn't find the texture too awful. . . So that's edamame, black and aduki beans added to the list of beans I'll have. Wasn't keen on chickpeas or butter beans, though. :Muted


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## LinznMilly

Just been read in through the last few pages of this thread. @Blaise in Surrey what a fright that must have been for you. I'm stunned that a vitamin supplement would give you an anaphylactic shock. So glad you're OK now.


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## Magyarmum

LinznMilly said:


> I'm slowly broadening my legume reservoir. Lentils and peas (didn't know they counted as legumes/pulses until after going on this diet) have always been OK, but some may remember I couldn't really get away with the texture of beans ... (It is going back a while, though). Well, I've just tried black beans for the first time, largely thanks to this thread, and I didn't find the texture too awful. . . So that's edamame, black and aduki beans added to the list of beans I'll have. Wasn't keen on chickpeas or butter beans, though. :Muted


This gives you a pretty comprehensive list of all the legume/pulses available.

http://www.doctorsbeyondmedicine.com/listing/what-are-pulses-legumes

If beans don't suit you or you want a change from them, try grains other than rice. I'm not a great lover of rice and much prefer to have millet, buckwheat, spelt or barley instead.

https://www.thespruce.com/what-are-whole-grains-3376950


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## catz4m8z

LinznMilly said:


> Wasn't keen on chickpeas or butter beans, though. :Muted


I havent quite worked out how to do butter beans yet . Not too keen on chickpeas on their own much either, but they are nice in a curry, mashed in a sandwich filling or roasted for nibbles!
Made a nice beanloaf for tea though. Just mashed beans, grated carrot, onion, spices, oats, then some wm flour, flaxseed and soya milk to make it stay loaf shaped. Its really tasty and you can smoosh any beans you like in (was kidney and black eyed beans today)....kinda a good way to hide the beaniness if you are having trouble getting used to them!


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## Blaise in Surrey

Quick update: there are a couple of things that could be relevant to my extreme reaction. 

1. Vitamin B3 (niacin) is known to cause flushing in susceptible individuals. However, in a few cases it can cause anaphylaxis. This does not appear on any packaging I’ve seen. 
2. The maximum recommended daily dose for a woman (on most of the reputable websites I’ve found) is 14mg: the brand I bought suggests one tablet per day...... which is 100mg!!
3. The food containing the highest amount of B3 is peanuts; my major allergen!

I returned the pills to the shop today. They were shocked and hugely sympathetic, have warned all their staff and will speak to the manufacturer on Monday. 

Thanks for all your good wishes: it was all a bit unpleasant.


----------



## Matrod

LinznMilly said:


> I'm slowly broadening my legume reservoir. Lentils and peas (didn't know they counted as legumes/pulses until after going on this diet) have always been OK, but some may remember I couldn't really get away with the texture of beans ... (It is going back a while, though). Well, I've just tried black beans for the first time, largely thanks to this thread, and I didn't find the texture too awful. . . So that's edamame, black and aduki beans added to the list of beans I'll have. Wasn't keen on chickpeas or butter beans, though. :Muted


Have you tried the mixed beans? They're usually a really nice combo.


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## Jonescat

For any one keen to try British beans and pulses, Hodemedods are offering 20% off orders today and tomorrow with the code 2018BBCAWARDS. I love the red haricot and the Kabuki peas most.....

Butter beans make a very smooth hummous and are really good in bean/veggie loaves and burgers because they mash up all smooth and sticky. Because they are big they can be hard to cook right and can be gritty in the middle; the best ones easily available in the UK come from LIDL imho. I also make a bean stew with canned tomatoes or puree, garlic, onions, fennel (seeds if the bulbs are at a "ridiculously expensive" season), red pepper, carrots, squash and/or carrots, thyme or oregano, a tiny bit of molasses and stock or water.


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## Guest

So glad you are okay @Blaise in Surrey ! How very scary!!

Looks like Michael Greger is going to be on BBC Scotland? Should be good, he's such an engaging speaker and full of fun personality  
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09ldm27



rottiepointerhouse said:


> He also seems to echo what @ouesi says about muscle recovery times and energy levels improving.


Pretty much every athlete who has switched to WFPB comments on the recovery time. It really is a thing. 
Ran my half yesterday and pushed it, a little sore today, but nothing like what I have experienced in the past after a race. Recovery lunch was a delicious black bean burger and a giant salad with avocado at a very vegan friendly restaurant


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## Guest

Free presentation by Dr. Garth Davis of Proteinaholic

https://www.forksoverknives.com/lfp...ebook&utm_content=Lust-for-protein#gs.grQz8=g


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## Guest

Recently I’ve sometimes felt a bit bloated and slightly uncomfortable some days (I think I’ve mentioned it on here before). The other day I realised that it was possibly happening after eating bread which I hadn’t had much of recently. This morning I had cereal and I feel the same way. I wonder if I’m actually gluten intolerant? I’ve eaten gluten products all my life but perhaps my body just dealt with it and since cutting back it is now showing symptoms?


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## lullabydream

McKenzie said:


> Recently I've sometimes felt a bit bloated and slightly uncomfortable some days (I think I've mentioned it on here before). The other day I realised that it was possibly happening after eating bread which I hadn't had much of recently. This morning I had cereal and I feel the same way. I wonder if I'm actually gluten intolerant? I've eaten gluten products all my life but perhaps my body just dealt with it and since cutting back it is now showing symptoms?


Quite possibly...my own son thinks he has problems with dairy. He doesn't eat a lot of it but at first he thought it was when he had a takeaway pizza... obviously badly made could possibly cause bloating and he gets an upset stomach. Then he just noticed everytime he had cheese as that's the only dairy he has, that he got similar symptoms. So he avoids it, well cheese as much as possible now. So he's probably got lactose intolerance...he did think maybe gluten but had a milkshake a rarity and suffered and that clinched it for him.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Quite an interesting little video showing how a vegan diet covers our nutritional needs and comparing a mix of beans and veggies with a mix of meats and milk which shows equal protein but better calcium, iron, vitamins, minerals and fibre but less fat and cholesterol.


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## Guest

I have a confession....

This thread is full of my distaste for nutritional yeast. Well.... Turns out I don't hate it quite that much after all. I guess my tastebuds have changed since giving up dairy. I have a big canister of it in the cabinet to use well mixed in with cashew creams etc. Initially I couldn't even open the container without gagging just at the smell. Then one day it actually sounded good to me and I sprinkled it over some rice and lentils. And liked it. Now I eat it a good 2 to 3 times a week! This kind is fortified with B12 too


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## rottiepointerhouse

Meat and cancer risk - only 10 mins and well worth a watch - 3 times the risk of colon cancer for meat eaters :Jawdrop


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## Guest

Just saw this:
http://www.bmj.com/content/360/bmj.j5644

Yes, obesity is genetic, but healthy diet trumps genes. That's pretty good news IMO


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## rottiepointerhouse

Not sure if I've posted this before - don't think I have in this thread anyway. Its such a compelling short video showing the effects of just 7 days of following Rip Esselstyn's Engine 2 plan on the health of 60 people


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## rottiepointerhouse

A reminder for anyone interested or who missed my previous post about this last year

http://healingamericatogether.com


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## rottiepointerhouse




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## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


>


This is a very popular morning show in the US, it has been very cool to see WFPB eating showcased in such high visibility areas, like this show and the Today show


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## rottiepointerhouse




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## Jonescat

Feeling a bit nervous - I just put one of these in the oven
https://www.yumsome.com/roast-stuffed-seitan-roulade/

I wasn't brave enough to try it at Christmas because I have only made seitan once before (sausages) and it was a while back so I couldn't remember much about it. I didn't want to put people off seitan because I didn't know how to cook it, but it has been nagging at me that this looked like a really good recipe, so I have plunged in. The stuffing and the pumpkin quantities were way too much (or I have not done right thing with the seitan) but I am not too worried as I reckon you could just eat the stuffing as it is (it's yummy), and the pumpkin puree can be muffins. Everyone will be starving anyway as it takes two hours in the oven....


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## rottiepointerhouse

Jonescat said:


> Feeling a bit nervous - I just put one of these in the oven
> https://www.yumsome.com/roast-stuffed-seitan-roulade/
> 
> I wasn't brave enough to try it at Christmas because I have only made seitan once before (sausages) and it was a while back so I couldn't remember much about it. I didn't want to put people off seitan because I didn't know how to cook it, but it has been nagging at me that this looked like a really good recipe, so I have plunged in. The stuffing and the pumpkin quantities were way too much (or I have not done right thing with the seitan) but I am not too worried as I reckon you could just eat the stuffing as it is (it's yummy), and the pumpkin puree can be muffins. Everyone will be starving anyway as it takes two hours in the oven....


How did it turn out?


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## rottiepointerhouse

Another new film coming out - not sure when it will be available as its just being premiered at a film festival - looks good though

http://gamechangersmovie.com

Directed by Louie Psihoyos and executive produced by James Cameron, The Game Changers tells the story of James Wilks - elite special forces trainer and winner of The Ultimate Fighter - as he travels the world on a quest for the truth behind the world's most dangerous myth: that meat is necessary for protein, strength and optimal health. Meeting elite athletes, special ops soldiers, visionary scientists, cultural icons, and everyday heroes, what James discovers permanently changes his relationship with food and his definition of true strength.

I love these quotes

*"SOMEONE ASKED ME, HOW COULD YOU GET AS STRONG AS AN OX WITHOUT EATING ANY MEAT? AND MY ANSWER WAS, HAVE YOU EVER SEEN AN OX EATING MEAT?"*

*Patrik Baboumian*
World Record-holding Strongman

*WHEN I TRANSITIONED OVER TO AN ENTIRELY PLANT-BASED DIET I BECAME LIKE A MACHINE."*

*Dotsie Bausch*
Eight-time US National Cycling Champion


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## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> How did it turn out?


Id be interested too. Seitan is one of those things Ive always fancied trying, not sure where to get it though but it looks tasty.
Had to make some more vegan dog biscuits today as I had run out. Shop bought versions are usually really bland and yukky looking which then guilts me into baking them up home made ones which taste really lovely (poor deprived vegan doggies!!LOL).
Ive been on a mash kick at the moment, cant stay away from the stuff. I had the weird combo of colcannon and ratatouille for tea! It was supposed to go on top of a lentil shepards pie base but I had courgettes and baby corn in the fridge so I zigged when I should of zagged!LOL


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## LinznMilly

catz4m8z said:


> Id be interested too. Seitan is one of those things Ive always fancied trying, not sure where to get it though but it looks tasty.
> Had to make some more vegan dog biscuits today as I had run out. Shop bought versions are usually really bland and yukky looking which then guilts me into baking them up home made ones which taste really lovely (poor deprived vegan doggies!!LOL).
> Ive been on a mash kick at the moment, cant stay away from the stuff. I had the weird combo of colcannon and ratatouille for tea! It was supposed to go on top of a lentil shepards pie base but I had courgettes and baby corn in the fridge so I zigged when I should of zagged!LOL


I hadn't even heard of it!! Had to Google the stuff . . . And then rely on Wikipedia. (Ohhh, the shame :Sorry ) :Wideyed


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## Jonescat

It was definitely seitan  The flavour was great but the texture takes some getting used to and it wasn't universally popular for that reason. It is very chewy and I guess none of us are used to it. One of the issues is it is the strangest dough to handle - it springs back to the original size and shape the minute you take your eyes of it and I have no idea how you roll it out thinly. Imagine a cartoon, with me putting kitchen utensils at one end to weigh it down and then rolling out out from a fixed point, only to find it curling round the heavy spoon that was supposed to be weighing it down. It did cook well though and was simple, and I think I will carry on experimenting, there must be a knack to handling it!

The filling was lovely, but the proportions seemed wrong, probably because the seitan was quite thick. I might just make a lump of seitan next and then cut it to size and use it in a stew or a stirfry and see how that goes (and we have the pumpkin puree as pancakes for brunch today).


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## LinznMilly

I have some great if unexpected news.

Mam has started reading _The End of Heart Disease. _:Woot What's more, she likes Fuhrman's writing style, and has given me a review of what she's read so far. :Jawdrop :Woot


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## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> I have some great if unexpected news.
> 
> Mam has started reading _The End of Heart Disease. _:Woot What's more, she likes Fuhrman's writing style, and has given me a review of what she's read so far. :Jawdrop :Woot


:Jawdrop:Jawdrop Well who would have thought it? That is brilliant news though, it is such a hard hitting but easy to understand book, one that should be essential reading for people with heart disease. Hope she carries on with it and takes some of his advice on board.


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## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> :Jawdrop:Jawdrop Well who would have thought it? That is brilliant news though, it is such a hard hitting but easy to understand book, one that should be essential reading for people with heart disease. Hope she carries on with it and takes some of his advice on board.


It seems she already has.

One thing she said in the car, was that she didn't realise how much sugar was in dilute fruit juice, and can now taste how sweet it is, so she's cut it out and gone back to water. She's also talking about finding some way of getting more veg in her diet.

Meanwhile, I have my own bombshell to drop: I've enquired into joining the gym, even up to filling out the form and having a guided tour of the local authority-run one. The aim is to start going with my SIL, because this is waaaaaaay out of my comfort zone. I have _never_ been to the gym in my life!!! :Nailbiting


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## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> It seems she already has.
> 
> One thing she said in the car, was that she didn't realise how much sugar was in dilute fruit juice, and can now taste how sweet it is, so she's cut it out and gone back to water. She's also talking about finding some way of getting more veg in her diet.
> 
> Meanwhile, I have my own bombshell to drop: I've enquired into joining the gym, even up to filling out the form and having a guided tour of the local authority-run one. The aim is to start going with my SIL, because this is waaaaaaay out of my comfort zone. I have _never_ been to the gym in my life!!! :Nailbiting


Good for you, I hope you enjoy it and are inspired to try some new things. I used to love going to the gym back in the days when I could leave the business/dogs but for now I have to make do with my daily walk, my exercise bike and learning more Tai Chi which OH has been doing with me when he is here.


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## Guest

LinznMilly said:


> It seems she already has.
> 
> One thing she said in the car, was that she didn't realise how much sugar was in dilute fruit juice, and can now taste how sweet it is, so she's cut it out and gone back to water. She's also talking about finding some way of getting more veg in her diet.
> 
> Meanwhile, I have my own bombshell to drop: I've enquired into joining the gym, even up to filling out the form and having a guided tour of the local authority-run one. The aim is to start going with my SIL, because this is waaaaaaay out of my comfort zone. I have _never_ been to the gym in my life!!! :Nailbiting


Awesome  Great news!


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## Guest

Oh my dear gawd, have you guys seen this? 
Anyone have the original interview without the comments?






Granted I don't like the term vegan myself, I much prefer WFPB as an explanation of how I eat. But still... Oh dear!


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## LinznMilly

ouesi said:


> Oh my dear gawd, have you guys seen this?
> Anyone have the original interview without the comments?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Granted I don't like the term vegan myself, I much prefer WFPB as an explanation of how I eat. But still... Oh dear!


Yeah, seen it the other day. I have found the original on the rte.ie site, but it seems you have to download their app to watch it. . .

https://www.rte.ie/player/gb/show/claire-byrne-live-extras-30003215/10827457/


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Oh my dear gawd, have you guys seen this?
> Anyone have the original interview without the comments?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Granted I don't like the term vegan myself, I much prefer WFPB as an explanation of how I eat. But still... Oh dear!


I started watching it the other day and to be honest the man bored me to tears so I left him to it. From the bit I did watch they at least seemed to be giving the vegan guy a fair hearing.


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## Guest

I guess it just surprised me there is still that level of misinformation about meat and dairy! I thought in this day and age pretty much everyone knew you can have a healthy, balanced diet without animal products.


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I guess it just surprised me there is still that level of misinformation about meat and dairy! I thought in this day and age pretty much everyone knew you can have a healthy, balanced diet without animal products.


I wish they did. My Mum was telling me how her "friend's" gang up on her sometimes (when they meet for coffee) and tell her meat is essential for good health, she still eats chicken and fish anyway but no they tell her she is too thin and needs red meat. Thankfully Mum is confident enough now to know that just isn't true but the misinformation is still out there. I gave up on watching the brain attack series after hearing too many times how bad carbs are (even the good ones), how grains are the devil and how even fruit should be restricted :Arghh eat fat though, even saturated animal fats


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## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I wish they did. My Mum was telling me how her "friend's" gang up on her sometimes (when they meet for coffee) and tell her meat is essential for good health, she still eats chicken and fish anyway but no *they tell her she is too thin and needs red meat. * Thankfully Mum is confident enough now to know that just isn't true but the misinformation is still out there. I gave up on watching the brain attack series after hearing too many times how bad carbs are (even the good ones), how grains are the devil and how even fruit should be restricted :Arghh eat fat though, even saturated animal fats


I get the "you're too thin" comment more often than I care to even acknowledge  Which no matter how much they're cloaked in concern for me, I find rude and completely inappropriate. 
Can you imagine if I told someone who was overweight, "you're too fat, you need to eat more veggies."


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## lullabydream

Ok...can someone point me in the right direction for a slow cooker meal? Am not bothered what to be honest as I have no appetite currently but I just thought if myself, OH or son bungs in bits in the slow cooker might stimulate my appetite a little, and we can have a decent meal. 

Over the past few days with my health being crap I think my son might turn in to a pizza with the amount he's eating. Fair enough he makes them himself from scratch...OHs solution currently is ready meals too just to keep us ticking over..which am sure make me feel worse loaded with rubbish and highly expensive for what they are, and I am sat there thinking we usually make this ourselves and what a waste of money. It's just been chaotic here with my health and my son going back to Uni, OHs working hours it's totally mad!..and my OH doesn't really 'cook'.

Apologises for moaning post!


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I get the "you're too thin" comment more often than I care to even acknowledge  Which no matter how much they're cloaked in concern for me, I find rude and completely inappropriate.
> Can you imagine if I told someone who was overweight, "you're too fat, you need to eat more veggies."


Funny thing is OH and I have just had our medical results in and both of us have higher iron and calcium levels than we did when we were eating meat/dairy but with the added bonus of lower cholesterol levels, his is down from 5.4 (208) to 4.2 (162) and mine from 4.7 (181) to 4.0 (154) his LDL is 2.3 (88) and mine is 2.1 (81). Would still like our LDL a bit lower but they are coming down each year. OH is 60 soon and got a metabolic age score of 44 :Joyful But going back to my Mum, she is slim and slight, but within the "normal" BMI range, just towards the bottom of it, she is 80 and despite a host of chronic health issues she still does all her own garden, shopping, housework etc, walks to town nearly every day and does exercises on the floor whereas the "friends" are all younger but far less fit and active so I do wonder where they get off telling her she is wrong to make a few healthy changes to what she eats


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## rottiepointerhouse

lullabydream said:


> Ok...can someone point me in the right direction for a slow cooker meal? Am not bothered what to be honest as I have no appetite currently but I just thought if myself, OH or son bungs in bits in the slow cooker might stimulate my appetite a little, and we can have a decent meal.
> 
> Over the past few days with my health being crap I think my son might turn in to a pizza with the amount he's eating. Fair enough he makes them himself from scratch...OHs solution currently is ready meals too just to keep us ticking over..which am sure make me feel worse loaded with rubbish and highly expensive for what they are, and I am sat there thinking we usually make this ourselves and what a waste of money. It's just been chaotic here with my health and my son going back to Uni, OHs working hours it's totally mad!..and my OH doesn't really 'cook'.
> 
> Apologises for moaning post!


Hey no apologies needed, this is the place to come and off load and get some supportive replies.

I do a butterbean & butternut squash casserole in the slow cooker but you could swap the beans for others or for lentils if you prefer

2 onions 
garlic
1 leek
chunks of butternut squash (could change for sweet potato)
Mushrooms (about half a supermarket size box)
Tin chopped tomatoes
tin butterbeans
6 teaspoons of smoked paprika
2-4 teaspoons of caraway seeds bashed (optional)
Make up 450 ml of vegetable stock.

Serve with some steamed greens.

Or Beefless stew

2 Onions
3 celery sticks
3 carrots
2 parsnips
2 leeks
Mushrooms
garlic
2 tablespoons tom puree
1 tsp mixed herbs and one of oregano (or 2 of either)
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
A good glug of red wine
Make up 450 ml of veg stock
One pouch of pre cooked Puy lentils or similar.


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## lullabydream

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Hey no apologies needed, this is the place to come and off load and get some supportive replies.
> 
> I do a butterbean & butternut squash casserole in the slow cooker but you could swap the beans for others or for lentils if you prefer
> 
> 2 onions
> garlic
> 1 leek
> chunks of butternut squash (could change for sweet potato)
> Mushrooms (about half a supermarket size box)
> Tin chopped tomatoes
> tin butterbeans
> 6 teaspoons of smoked paprika
> 2-4 teaspoons of caraway seeds bashed (optional)
> Make up 450 ml of vegetable stock.
> 
> Serve with some steamed greens.
> 
> Or Beefless stew
> 
> 2 Onions
> 3 celery sticks
> 3 carrots
> 2 parsnips
> 2 leeks
> Mushrooms
> garlic
> 2 tablespoons tom puree
> 1 tsp mixed herbs and one of oregano (or 2 of either)
> 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
> A good glug of red wine
> Make up 450 ml of veg stock
> One pouch of pre cooked Puy lentils or similar.[/QUOTE
> 
> Thank you so much...my brain is like fog and sent my OH out for beans, veg I think i can make both of these with our stock of stuff!


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## rottiepointerhouse

Just use any veggies it doesn't have to be the ones in the recipes. Hope it tempts your appetite.


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## Magyarmum

lullabydream said:


> Ok...can someone point me in the right direction for a slow cooker meal? Am not bothered what to be honest as I have no appetite currently but I just thought if myself, OH or son bungs in bits in the slow cooker might stimulate my appetite a little, and we can have a decent meal.
> 
> Over the past few days with my health being crap I think my son might turn in to a pizza with the amount he's eating. Fair enough he makes them himself from scratch...OHs solution currently is ready meals too just to keep us ticking over..which am sure make me feel worse loaded with rubbish and highly expensive for what they are, and I am sat there thinking we usually make this ourselves and what a waste of money. It's just been chaotic here with my health and my son going back to Uni, OHs working hours it's totally mad!..and my OH doesn't really 'cook'.
> 
> Apologises for moaning post!


Sorry to hear you're not feeling too good. I know when I've no appetite I faff around googling recipes none of which appeal and usually end up with a baked potato and salad! Anyway you might find something inspiring here ....

https://ohmyveggies.com/vegetarian-slow-cooker-recipes-50/

At the moment I'm trying out recipes for when my son, and if she can get the time off my DIL, comes over in March. Last night I had Mauritian Red kidney beans and mushroom Rougaille and Mauritian sauteed potatoes and cabbage, neither of which are difficult to make. Couldn't be bothered to cook rice so grabbed a homemade Pitta out of the freezer. This is what it looked like ....









And the recipes for anyone that's interested ...

http://veganlovlie.com/red-kidney-beans-and-mushrooms/

http://veganlovlie.com/sauteed-cabbage-potatoes-recipe/


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## lullabydream

Magyarmum said:


> Sorry to hear you're not feeling too good. I know when I've no appetite I faff around googling recipes none of which appeal and usually end up with a baked potato and salad! Anyway you might find something inspiring here ....
> 
> https://ohmyveggies.com/vegetarian-slow-cooker-recipes-50/
> 
> At the moment I'm trying out recipes for when my son, and if she can get the time off my DIL, comes over in March. Last night I had Mauritian Red kidney beans and mushroom Rougaille and Mauritian sauteed potatoes and cabbage, neither of which are difficult to make. Couldn't be bothered to cook rice so grabbed a homemade Pitta out of the freezer. This is what it looked like ....
> View attachment 342871
> 
> 
> And the recipes for anyone that's interested ...
> 
> http://veganlovlie.com/red-kidney-beans-and-mushrooms/
> 
> http://veganlovlie.com/sauteed-cabbage-potatoes-recipe/


Thank you


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## Guest

Sorry to hear you don't feel well @lullabydream 
Beans and rice are good comfort food for me, super easy, sorry, don't have a slow cooker recipe for them though. I use garlic on everything anyway, but I'm also a big believer in garlic for killing germs  Add a tomato type base (like jarred salsa) with lots of bell peppers and you get a nice boost of vitamin C. Throw some nutritional yeast on top and that will add good immune boosting B vitamins as well.

We had a minor cold run through the house this passed week, and I made garlic-y beans and rice with salsa for everyone and we ate ridiculous amounts of clementines and pineapple. Everyone is fine now


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## lullabydream

ouesi said:


> Sorry to hear you don't feel well @lullabydream
> Beans and rice are good comfort food for me, super easy, sorry, don't have a slow cooker recipe for them though. I use garlic on everything anyway, but I'm also a big believer in garlic for killing germs  Add a tomato type base (like jarred salsa) with lots of bell peppers and you get a nice boost of vitamin C. Throw some nutritional yeast on top and that will add good immune boosting B vitamins as well.
> 
> We had a minor cold run through the house this passed week, and I made garlic-y beans and rice with salsa for everyone and we ate ridiculous amounts of clementines and pineapple. Everyone is fine now


Thank you..and garlic is a go to in this household too!


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## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Funny thing is OH and I have just had our medical results in and both of us have higher iron and calcium levels than we did when we were eating meat/dairy but with the added bonus of lower cholesterol levels, his is down from 5.4 (208) to 4.2 (162) and mine from 4.7 (181) to 4.0 (154) his LDL is 2.3 (88) and mine is 2.1 (81). Would still like our LDL a bit lower but they are coming down each year. OH is 60 soon and got a metabolic age score of 44 :Joyful But going back to my Mum, she is slim and slight, but within the "normal" BMI range, just towards the bottom of it, she is 80 and despite a host of chronic health issues she still does all her own garden, shopping, housework etc, walks to town nearly every day and does exercises on the floor whereas the "friends" are all younger but far less fit and active so I do wonder where they get off telling her she is wrong to make a few healthy changes to what she eats


Wonderful progress for you both! 
See, I'm not even on the low end of BMI, I'm right in the middle at 22! So definitely not too thin (I do carry most of my weight in my legs and butt so I do look slim on top, and no, I have no boobs  )
And that's great about your mom. So happy for you 'cause I know that was a big worry for you!


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## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Funny thing is OH and I have just had our medical results in and both of us have higher iron and calcium levels than we did when we were eating meat/dairy but with the added bonus of lower cholesterol levels, his is down from 5.4 (208) to 4.2 (162) and mine from 4.7 (181) to 4.0 (154) his LDL is 2.3 (88) and mine is 2.1 (81). Would still like our LDL a bit lower but they are coming down each year. OH is 60 soon and got a metabolic age score of 44 :Joyful But going back to my Mum, she is slim and slight, but within the "normal" BMI range, just towards the bottom of it, she is 80 and despite a host of chronic health issues she still does all her own garden, shopping, housework etc, walks to town nearly every day and does exercises on the floor whereas the "friends" are all younger but far less fit and active so I do wonder where they get off telling her she is wrong to make a few healthy changes to what she eats


Woohoo!! :Joyful Well done to you both.


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## catz4m8z

ouesi said:


> I get the "you're too thin" comment more often than I care to even acknowledge  Which no matter how much they're cloaked in concern for me, I find rude and completely inappropriate.
> Can you imagine if I told someone who was overweight, "you're too fat, you need to eat more veggies."


It def is abit rude telling someone they are too thin, also I think its rarely done with concern for health but rather out of jealousy or sour grapes.
TBH though I wish people did tell me I was fat! Im clincially obese and obviously it puts me at health risks and yet people seem terrified of mentioning it (like I havent noticed or something!LOL). Even if I say something I get 'oh, you really dont look that big!' which if anything would just encourage me to think I had nothing to worry about!
Although Im sure most people think I should look better if Im vegan!

On the food front...
Made a lovely pasta sauce today (pureed butternut squash, sweet potato, onion, garlic and ginger) with WW pasta, beans and veggies.
But I CBA tonight so I might just drowned some potatoes, root veggies and chickpeas in herbs and spices and roast the lot!


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## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> It def is abit rude telling someone they are too thin, also I think its rarely done with concern for health but rather out of jealousy or sour grapes.
> TBH though I wish people did tell me I was fat! Im clincially obese and obviously it puts me at health risks and yet people seem terrified of mentioning it (like I havent noticed or something!LOL). Even if I say something I get 'oh, you really dont look that big!' which if anything would just encourage me to think I had nothing to worry about!
> Although Im sure most people think I should look better if Im vegan!


I don't mind a genuine comment or concern. And honestly, I have friends I'm close enough with that we can joke about the state of our bodies, some of it is just wear and tear and age  And yes, some of that will be comments about my bony chest or whatever but it's all in good fun.

I was listening to a podcast with an amazing woman, Mirna Valerio of the blog "Fat Girl Running" and she was talking about that sometimes visceral reaction people have to her, she's an ultra runner, she's fat (her words). In most people's world those two things don't go together, so they have this strong cognitive dissonance and react. They say she's lying, she's a fraud, she doesn't really run ultras... The interviewer is a vegan ultra athlete and people have the same reaction to him because their mind can't put "vegan" and "ultra athlete" in the same space, so same thing, he's lying, he's a fraud, he's downing cheeseburgers when no one is watching... It's almost funny because it's so predictable.

As that video I posted shows, there is still a whole lot of education needed when it comes to a healthy diet!


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I don't mind a genuine comment or concern. And honestly, I have friends I'm close enough with that we can joke about the state of our bodies, some of it is just wear and tear and age  And yes, some of that will be comments about my bony chest or whatever but it's all in good fun.
> 
> I was listening to a podcast with an amazing woman, Mirna Valerio of the blog "Fat Girl Running" and she was talking about that sometimes visceral reaction people have to her, she's an ultra runner, she's fat (her words). In most people's world those two things don't go together, so they have this strong cognitive dissonance and react. They say she's lying, she's a fraud, she doesn't really run ultras... The interviewer is a vegan ultra athlete and people have the same reaction to him because their mind can't put "vegan" and "ultra athlete" in the same space, so same thing, he's lying, he's a fraud, he's downing cheeseburgers when no one is watching... It's almost funny because it's so predictable.
> 
> As that video I posted shows, there is still a whole lot of education needed when it comes to a healthy diet!


Did you see the link I put up a page back about the new film which features quite a lot of vegan athletes?


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## Guest

No I missed that, just now seeing it, thanks!


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## rottiepointerhouse

I linked this on the meditation thread last week but wanted to put it here in case anyone missed it as they have been very interesting short videos with some useful tools

https://chopra.com/healthy-aging-workshop/video-1

The 6 pillars of health make a lot of sense and are pretty similar to Dr Rangan Chaterjee's 4 pillars. I've not heard of Doshas before but took their quiz and was quite shocked at how much of me was summed up in my type "Pitta". There are some nice recipes on the detox sheet with lesson 3 which are vegan.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Forgot to say this arrived yesterday - got some very yummy looking recipes in

https://wordery.com/the-engine-2-co...MIpPT-3Jfv2AIVZr7tCh1bCgteEAQYAiABEgI_TfD_BwE


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## Sairy

Hi all! Just wanted to jump onto this thread as I have been interested in a plant based diet for the last few months. I have been gradually cutting down on meat and now only eat it a few times a week. My lunches at work are entirely plant-based and most of my evening meals have been vegetarian. This was partly prompted by watching "What the Health" on Netflix and also by how I have been feeling physically for some time. I suffer from IBS and have noticed that this tends to be triggered (or made worse) by greasy food, red meat and dairy. I am pretty sure I am lactose intolerant too.

Since I have reduced my meat and dairy intake I have noticed that I have been feeling much better in myself. I do not feel permanently bloated and I am less tired. 

My next step is I would like to experiment with different milk alternatives to see what I like. I have had soya milk in the past and I found that it was fine in tea, but when put into coffee in sort of curdled. Can anyone suggest what works in coffee, or is there a knack to not making it curdle? Thanks


----------



## Guest

Sairy said:


> Hi all! Just wanted to jump onto this thread as I have been interested in a plant based diet for the last few months. I have been gradually cutting down on meat and now only eat it a few times a week. My lunches at work are entirely plant-based and most of my evening meals have been vegetarian. This was partly prompted by watching "What the Health" on Netflix and also by how I have been feeling physically for some time. I suffer from IBS and have noticed that this tends to be triggered (or made worse) by greasy food, red meat and dairy. I am pretty sure I am lactose intolerant too.
> 
> Since I have reduced my meat and dairy intake I have noticed that I have been feeling much better in myself. I do not feel permanently bloated and I am less tired.
> 
> My next step is I would like to experiment with different milk alternatives to see what I like. I have had soya milk in the past and I found that it was fine in tea, but when put into coffee in sort of curdled. Can anyone suggest what works in coffee, or is there a knack to not making it curdle? Thanks


Try oat milk or coconut milk in coffee. There is also a brand of almond based coffee creamer called "Califa" that is available in the UK in some places. Their pumpkin spice creamer is amazing! They also have a peppermint mocha one that I love.

And welcome


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## Sairy

ouesi said:


> Try oat milk or coconut milk in coffee. There is also a brand of almond based coffee creamer called "Califa" that is available in the UK in some places. Their pumpkin spice creamer is amazing! They also have a peppermint mocha one that I love.
> 
> And welcome


Great thanks! I will give them a go


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## rottiepointerhouse

Sairy said:


> Hi all! Just wanted to jump onto this thread as I have been interested in a plant based diet for the last few months. I have been gradually cutting down on meat and now only eat it a few times a week. My lunches at work are entirely plant-based and most of my evening meals have been vegetarian. This was partly prompted by watching "What the Health" on Netflix and also by how I have been feeling physically for some time. I suffer from IBS and have noticed that this tends to be triggered (or made worse) by greasy food, red meat and dairy. I am pretty sure I am lactose intolerant too.
> 
> Since I have reduced my meat and dairy intake I have noticed that I have been feeling much better in myself. I do not feel permanently bloated and I am less tired.
> 
> My next step is I would like to experiment with different milk alternatives to see what I like. I have had soya milk in the past and I found that it was fine in tea, but when put into coffee in sort of curdled. Can anyone suggest what works in coffee, or is there a knack to not making it curdle? Thanks


Welcome and well done for making some healthy changes. Oat milk is lovely in coffee doesn't curdle at all.

I can highly recommend this book by Dr McDougall called Digestive Tune Up - they have it on Amazon for £11.55 or cheaper for the kindle version.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/3618216036...=9045705&device=c&campaignid=974199341&crdt=0

Here he is talking about it on a webinar (he starts at about 11.55)






This was the previous episode covering some other bowel conditions (he starts talking about it at 22.30)






Shout if you need any more information and I will have a look around for you


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## Cleo38

That's great news @Sairy, there's lots of info in this thread that will help you.

I have found that my faves are rice milk for tea & oat milk for coffee. With coffee I find it better to do it in the microwave as heating it together seems to prevent any separation.

I didn't really drink much coffee previously but I love an oat milk latte now.


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## Sairy

Thank you for your help and suggestions @Cleo38 and @rottiepointerhouse.


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## Matrod

I've finally gone fully animal free :Joyful I've never been a big dairy eater but I've always loved cheese so I thought I'd struggle but I have to say I don't miss it at all. I haven't eaten meat or fish for over 20 years, I never liked them even as a young child so that was easy.


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## Blaise in Surrey

Still here - just too busy with Brecon the puppy to post!


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## Guest

Blaise in Surrey said:


> Still here - just too busy with Brecon the puppy to post!


That's a good problem 

@Sairy if you're on Facebook, like the Forks over Knives page, they post all sorts of recipes all the time, all WFPB and most very easy too


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## Guest

Oh and I get some ideas of Tasty Vegetarian too. A lot of cheese sometimes, but other times they have some good vegan stuff.

Another busy week and weekend so haven't gotten much real cooking in, but I bought a lovely eggplant that I'm going to try to make "bacon" with, apparently if you thin slice it, marinade it with soy sauce (I'll use aminos) and spices and then roast in the oven it makes a yummy filler for sandwiches etc. We'll see how the experiment goes


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## Magyarmum

ouesi said:


> Oh and I get some ideas of Tasty Vegetarian too. A lot of cheese sometimes, but other times they have some good vegan stuff.
> 
> Another busy week and weekend so haven't gotten much real cooking in, but I bought a lovely eggplant that I'm going to try to make "bacon" with, apparently if you thin slice it, marinade it with soy sauce (I'll use aminos) and spices and then roast in the oven it makes a yummy filler for sandwiches etc. We'll see how the experiment goes


I've made eggplant "bacon" and it's really great tasting, especially if you slice it thinly so it goes crispy in the oven. I use a marinade of soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and liquid smoke,

"The Spruce" is also a good website for vegan/vegetarian recipes. Also the BBC Good Food website often has some good and fairly simple recipes and of course it goes without saying Jamie Oliver's recipes are great!


----------



## Guest

Magyarmum said:


> I've made eggplant "bacon" and it's really great tasting, especially if you slice it thinly so it goes crispy in the oven. I use a marinade of soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and liquid smoke,
> 
> "The Spruce" is also a good website for vegan/vegetarian recipes. Also the BBC Good Food website often has some good and fairly simple recipes and of course it goes without saying Jamie Oliver's recipes are great!


Oh yay! I'm excited now. Can't wait to see how it turns out


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## rottiepointerhouse




----------



## lullabydream

Magyarmum said:


> I've made eggplant "bacon" and it's really great tasting, especially if you slice it thinly so it goes crispy in the oven. I use a marinade of soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and liquid smoke,
> 
> "The Spruce" is also a good website for vegan/vegetarian recipes. Also the BBC Good Food website often has some good and fairly simple recipes and of course it goes without saying Jamie Oliver's recipes are great!


Every Jamie Oliver recipe I have tried is a massive fail here!!! I don't know what I do wrong!


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## Magyarmum

ouesi said:


> Oh yay! I'm excited now. Can't wait to see how it turns out


Forgot to mention you can do carrot "hot dogs" to go with bacon. I haven't tried them yet but here's the recipe ... looks interesting!

http://www.brandnewvegan.com/recipes/smoky-vegan-carrot-dogs


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## rottiepointerhouse

If anyone hasn't seen Forks over Knives and doesn't have access to Netflix or Amazon there is a free screening of the film this weekend on the link

https://www.forksoverknives.com/for...=now-live&mc_cid=02b665908e&mc_eid=23cb4833f6


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## Sairy

OH bought me some coconut milk yesterday and I've just had my first cup of coffee with it. It was really nice! I actually really like the coconut flavour with the coffee :Hungry


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## Cleo38

Sairy said:


> OH bought me some coconut milk yesterday and I've just had my first cup of coffee with it. It was really nice! I actually really like the coconut flavour with the coffee :Hungry


I haven't tried it yet but picked up a couple of cartons as it was on offer, am thinking it will be really nice in porridge.

So how was your aubergine 'bacon' @ouesi? it sounds lovely, am tempted to try this next weekend. Last night I had wholewheat spaghetti with home made vegan red pepper pesto on a bed of spinach & watercress .... it was yummy & I ate loads as I was so hungry after rushing about all afternoon with the dogs


----------



## catz4m8z

roll on tomorrow! Its been 2 days now without a fridgefreezer and I really want to try a few recipes...but I cant until I have somewhere to put my food!:Banghead

New fridgefreezer being delivered tomorrow morning, thank goodness! 
Tonight I just cooked up a big batch of potato, sweet potato, chickpeas, cauliflower, carrot and broccoli and sprinkled with nutritional yeast. Then some smoked paprika on my half and the other half mashed with peanut butter for the dogs.
(I fancy making some sort of beany fritter or burger, also found an interesting recipe for 'battered' baked courgette wedges that sounded nice). Youtube is really great for inspiration though!


----------



## lullabydream

catz4m8z said:


> roll on tomorrow! Its been 2 days now without a fridgefreezer and I really want to try a few recipes...but I cant until I have somewhere to put my food!:Banghead
> 
> New fridgefreezer being delivered tomorrow morning, thank goodness!
> Tonight I just cooked up a big batch of potato, sweet potato, chickpeas, cauliflower, carrot and broccoli and sprinkled with nutritional yeast. Then some smoked paprika on my half and the other half mashed with peanut butter for the dogs.
> (I fancy making some sort of beany fritter or burger, also found an interesting recipe for 'battered' baked courgette wedges that sounded nice). Youtube is really great for inspiration though!


Am a YouTube junkie... however YouTube taught my son to cook when he moved out to uni...he had no interest in any household anything from about the age of 5...whereas my other son is the polar opposite!
My son cooks various different vegan curries from certain sources, amongst other things....I personally don't think you can knock YouTube all the time but I have bias as I watch various things for light relief I guess...

I am still wondering if YouTube taught my son how to use the washing machine when he was away too!


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## rottiepointerhouse

I don't mind YouTube for food ideas but I do find most of the vegan cooks use far too much junk, salt, oil, sugar etc. I tend to look for ideas and then adapt the recipes to get rid of the junk.


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## lullabydream

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I don't mind YouTube for food ideas but I do find most of the vegan cooks use far too much junk, salt, oil, sugar etc. I tend to look for ideas and then adapt the recipes to get rid of the junk.


Don't all chefs though...I swear all foods must just taste salty!

The only reason I have ever had salt in my house is to make salt dough for children!


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## rottiepointerhouse

lullabydream said:


> Don't all chefs though...I swear all foods must just taste salty!
> 
> The only reason I have ever had salt in my house is to make salt dough for children!


Yes most main stream chefs seem to, makes me laugh when the go on about having superior palates and how the food needs more seasoning to bring out the flavour. No the food has a flavour already they just can't taste it through all that salt :Sour


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## Guest

Cleo38 said:


> I haven't tried it yet but picked up a couple of cartons as it was on offer, am thinking it will be really nice in porridge.
> 
> So how was your aubergine 'bacon' @ouesi? it sounds lovely, am tempted to try this next weekend. Last night I had wholewheat spaghetti with home made vegan red pepper pesto on a bed of spinach & watercress .... it was yummy & I ate loads as I was so hungry after rushing about all afternoon with the dogs


Still haven't made it, stuck in volleyball land the past few days and all day today too, shooting for tomorrow!


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## Guest

Okay, finally made the eggplant (aubergine) "bacon" and it is definitely super easy and quite good. It's my sandwich for lunch today, whole grain bread with the eggplant, some fresh spinach leaves and tomato and a little mustard. Yum! 

My eggplant was not as crispy as I would like but I think I just needed to cook it longer.


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## rottiepointerhouse

The Daily Mail does Dr Greger :Jawdrop:Joyful

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-5323557/What-eat-beat-heart-disease.html


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## Cleo38

ouesi said:


> Okay, finally made the eggplant (aubergine) "bacon" and it is definitely super easy and quite good. It's my sandwich for lunch today, whole grain bread with the eggplant, some fresh spinach leaves and tomato and a little mustard. Yum!
> 
> My eggplant was not as crispy as I would like but I think I just needed to cook it longer.


Glad it was nice, was thinking of this today (am like Homer Simpson when it comes to food!) so am going to have a go at making some this weekend. Just ordered a mandolin from Amazon so I can slice it thinly.

Also tried coconut milk for the first time - had it on my cereal for breakfast then in coffee ..... it's bloody lovely!! I thought I might be a bit too over powering but it's not at all.


----------



## Guest

Cleo38 said:


> Glad it was nice, was thinking of this today (am like Homer Simpson when it comes to food!) so am going to have a go at making some this weekend. Just ordered a mandolin from Amazon so I can slice it thinly.
> 
> Also tried coconut milk for the first time - had it on my cereal for breakfast then in coffee ..... it's bloody lovely!! I thought I might be a bit too over powering but it's not at all.


I love coconut milk too, just watch the fat content in whatever brand you use 

Speaking of fat, I made two batches of the eggplant, one with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing (that had olive oil) and one without - just seasoning and aminos sauce. The one with no oil stuck to the pan pretty badly, so if I'm going to make them without oil I'll have to figure that one out.


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I love coconut milk too, just watch the fat content in whatever brand you use
> 
> Speaking of fat, I made two batches of the eggplant, one with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing (that had olive oil) and one without - just seasoning and aminos sauce. The one with no oil stuck to the pan pretty badly, so if I'm going to make them without oil I'll have to figure that one out.


There is a recipe for it in the Vegan 100 cookbook (the guy I post Youtube recipes of sometimes) - not sure if it will help but here goes

Pre heat oven to 150 c or 300 f

1 aubergine

Marinade - 2 tbsp maple syrup, 2 tbsp coconut aminos, 2 tbsp miso, 1 tbsp pomegrante molasses (I guess any molasses would do), 2 tsp smoked paprika, quarter tsp garlic powder, half tsp liquid smoke.

Mix marinade ingredients together. Slice aubergene. Coat each piece individually in the marinade (brush off any excess mixture). place on baking tray - bake for 15 mins but after 7 mins check and brush on some more marinade. Should be golden and crispy around edges and a bit chewy in the centre.


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## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> There is a recipe for it in the Vegan 100 cookbook (the guy I post Youtube recipes of sometimes) - not sure if it will help but here goes
> 
> Pre heat oven to 150 c or 300 f
> 
> 1 aubergine
> 
> Marinade - 2 tbsp maple syrup, 2 tbsp coconut aminos, 2 tbsp miso, 1 tbsp pomegrante molasses (I guess any molasses would do), 2 tsp smoked paprika, quarter tsp garlic powder, half tsp liquid smoke.
> 
> Mix marinade ingredients together. Slice aubergene. Coat each piece individually in the marinade (brush off any excess mixture). place on baking tray - bake for 15 mins but after 7 mins check and brush on some more marinade. Should be golden and crispy around edges and a bit chewy in the centre.


I didn't use maple syrup, but I should try. The coconut aminos was the sticky part, so I'll have to mess around with the thickness of the slices and how much I cook them before I try to move them to see if that helps with the sticking.

Had one of those moments of looking at my lunch marveling at how much nutrition you can pack in to just one sandwich. I have basically half an eggplant, a big handful of fresh spinach and half a tomato and two slices of wholegrain bread. Tons of nutrients in the eggplant and spinach alone, add the tomato and bread, even more. I have no idea how many calories it is, but certainly significantly less than a bacon lettuce and tomato, and way more nutrition!


----------



## Magyarmum

ouesi said:


> I love coconut milk too, just watch the fat content in whatever brand you use
> 
> Speaking of fat, I made two batches of the eggplant, one with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing (that had olive oil) and one without - just seasoning and aminos sauce. The one with no oil stuck to the pan pretty badly, so if I'm going to make them without oil I'll have to figure that one out.


I've made eggplant bacon a couple of times now, once cooked in the oven and once on a cast iron skillet. You definitely have to cut the eggplant wafer thin (which is easier said than done) to get the slices crispy and tasting like bacon. I bought some oyster mushrooms on Saturday and when I get round to it I'm going to make mushroom bacon to see what it's like. I'll use this recipe although it's for portobello mushrooms.

https://www.veganosity.com/portobello-mushroom-bacon-vegan-bacon/

You'll never believe it .... I had about 5 kgs of pork and pork sausages given to me today! I'll cook the pork for the dogs, but I've no idea what I'm going to do with the sausages because they're too spicy to give to the dogs. Everything's in the freezer for the time being!


----------



## Guest

Magyarmum said:


> You'll never believe it .... I had about 5 kgs of pork and pork sausages given to me today! I'll cook the pork for the dogs, but I've no idea what I'm going to do with the sausages because they're too spicy to give to the dogs. Everything's in the freezer for the time being!


I won a giant ham as a doorprize over the holidays. I gave it to our building janitor who was beyond appreciative of the gift (he has a very big family).


----------



## LinznMilly

Been out all afternoon with mum, got back home about an hour ago. Have had more processed and unhealthy crap today than I have had all month, so was craving for a kale and berry smoothie when I got home. Crammed it with so much kale and fruit that I've probably covered all 5 of my 5 a day :Joyful . Threw some wheatgrass powder and milled flaxseed in for extra measure. Looks awful, but tastes delish, and my body/mind are screaming "Hallelujah" with every mouthful.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Been out all afternoon with mum, got back home about an hour ago. Have had more processed and unhealthy crap today than I have had all month, so was craving for a kale and berry smoothie when I got home. Crammed it with so much kale and fruit that I've probably covered all 5 of my 5 a day :Joyful . Threw some wheatgrass powder and milled flaxseed in for extra measure. Looks awful, but tastes delish, and my body/mind are screaming "Hallelujah" with every mouthful.


Well done, it goes to show how true it is that our taste buds adjust and change over time, we love Kale and Brussels now and really miss it if we haven't had our fix for a couple of days. Our new favourite thing is shredded raw Brussels in a salad..


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## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Well done, it goes to show how true it is that our taste buds adjust and change over time, we love Kale and Brussels now and really miss it if we haven't had our fix for a couple of days. Our new favourite thing is shredded raw Brussels in a salad..


That's why I couldn't do this eczema diet* thingy - no kale. My must-haves are kale and blueberry in a smoothie, and mushrooms and preferably onions with whatever else.

*For those who don't know, there is a so-called "Eczema diet", which is the brainchild of an Australian nutritionist. Problem is, in Stage 1 it discourages the use of all dark leafy greens including kale, spinach, broccoli/cauliflower all but 3 different kinds of potato (sweet, new potato and one other that I can't remember offhand) and all but 4 fruit (pawpaw, papaya, pear and banana). I'd starve. :Wideyed :Shifty


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## Guest

LinznMilly said:


> Been out all afternoon with mum, got back home about an hour ago. Have had more processed and unhealthy crap today than I have had all month, so was craving for a kale and berry smoothie when I got home. Crammed it with so much kale and fruit that I've probably covered all 5 of my 5 a day :Joyful . Threw some wheatgrass powder and milled flaxseed in for extra measure. Looks awful, but tastes delish, and my body/mind are screaming "Hallelujah" with every mouthful.


Isn't it crazy how your body just tells you "I need real food NOW!"


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## rottiepointerhouse

OMG pea shoots are gorgeous - looks a bit like watercress but tastes just like peas in the pod. Lovely mixed in with salad leaves.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> The Daily Mail does Dr Greger :Jawdrop:Joyful
> 
> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-5323557/What-eat-beat-heart-disease.html


Mainstream! I love it!

You know, I don't get my daily dozen or G-BOMBS every day, even on what I would call a "good" day. Hrm....

Looking at today:
Coffee with almond milk
Apple
Sandwich of roasted eggplant, tomato, spinach on Dave's killer Bread (link below)
Another apple
Pineapple and a handful of raisins
Sauteed veggies (no oil) bell pepper, onion, garlic, spinach with brown rice and quinoa
Bowl of black bean soup and two more slices of Dave's killer bread
More pineapple and about 5 dates

If you can get Dave's bread in the UK, it's awesome!
http://www.daveskillerbread.com/powerseed


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Mainstream! I love it!
> 
> You know, I don't get my daily dozen or G-BOMBS every day, even on what I would call a "good" day. Hrm....
> 
> Looking at today:
> Coffee with almond milk
> Apple
> Sandwich of roasted eggplant, tomato, spinach on Dave's killer Bread (link below)
> Another apple
> Pineapple and a handful of raisins
> Sauteed veggies (no oil) bell pepper, onion, garlic, spinach with brown rice and quinoa
> Bowl of black bean soup and two more slices of Dave's killer bread
> More pineapple and about 5 dates
> 
> If you can get Dave's bread in the UK, it's awesome!
> http://www.daveskillerbread.com/powerseed


I don't always get them either - even Dr Greger says he just uses it as a guide/framework for the day. I pretty much do get GBOMBS every day as we always have greens either in salad or cooked kale/broccoli, always have berries for breakfast with porridge, always have onions (and garlic) every day, nearly always have mushrooms but might miss once or twice a week, always eat one or two servings of beans per day and always have nuts or seeds in one form or another as we add flaxseeds to breakfast and soups etc and I make salad dressing with walnuts.

Yesterday - Coffee with oat milk, porridge and berries with ground flaxseeds & cinnamon, bean soup (navy beans, carrots, celery, courgettes, onions, garlic, herbs & paprika) and wholemeal roll for lunch, apple, dinner - huge salad of watercress, rocket, pea shoots, red cabbage, red onion, red & yellow peppers, beetroot with walnut dressing with pasta/black eyed beans in tomato sauce followed by melon. So as I didn't have mushrooms yesterday I will make sure I do today.


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## Guest

I'm going to have to look up if nutritional yeast counts as a 'mushroom' because I definitely don't eat mushrooms very often but I do eat nutritional yeast (after swearing it's the most horrible thing ever) about 3X a week. 
Or I could just start remembering to eat mushrooms LOL


----------



## Cleo38

TBh I never really think too much about what I'm eating in some ways, maybe I should pay more attention though. 

Yesterday I had -

Breakfast: bran flakes (& some added seed mix & sultanas) with coconut milk & a cup of tea with rice milk.
Mid morning: cup of coffee with coconut milk
Lunch; red pepper hummus wholemeal wrap with spinach, onion, grated carrot & celery, a handful of cherry tomatoes & 2 satsumas
Afternoon: Cup of tea with rice milk & a Nakd peanut bar
Dinner: huge bowl of brocolli, peas, sweetcorn, roasted butternut squash, kale, carrots & brussel sprouts with onion gravy.
Late evening: cup of cocoa with 4 squares of dark chocolate


----------



## Teddy-dog

I can never keep up with this thread  it moves so fast! I do like to come and have a read every now and then and look for recipes. 

Thought I'd post here as most people I know won't care  (sorry to change topic!)

I'm feeling excited because I've made my first steps to a dairy free, plant based diet! It's taken a bit longer than I envisaged at first, but it was due to me taking more 'easy options'. I was already trying to cut down on my dairy, I've been veggie for almost 15 years now, but have only been doing small steps. 

Last night I sat down with my OH and we went through our shopping and looked at how we make it more plant based. He isn't fully committed (he still eats meat on occasion, but does try and fit in with my choices ) but we've chosen a few meals that are plant based and he can just add in some cheese or something if he wants 

This week we're going to be making; vegan sausage stew, cottage pie, black bean and sweet potato chilli, hot and spicy vegan burgers, fajitas (this is a regular for us anyway - just needed to minus the cheese and sour cream sauce), pasta (a regular too just double-checked ingredients). For snacking I looked at the Veganuary website to see what cupboard snacks I could swap out. I would like to make more of my own eventually but thought to ease into it I would just buy biscuits and crisps that are vegan friendly  
I've also ordered some almond milk and oat milk, we are still getting our regular milk at the moment (we get it delivered), but I've ordered the alternatives to try and once I find one I like in my coffee and on cereal I'll be swapping to that


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Dr Greger's daily dozen and Dr Fuhrman's GBOMBS are a guide to help you get in the most nutritious and immune boosting/health promoting foods so from a health point of view they are a great tool to use as long as you don't get too hung up/obsessive and end up eating heaps more just to tick all the boxes. I posted a video a few pages back of Dr Greger talking about the daily dozen and how it helps him to visualise a plate of food. I've got a wipe board in the kitchen with it written up but I've taken off his last two things which are water and exercise as they are automatically part of our day and replaced them with onions and mushrooms so the GBOMBS are covered too.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Teddy-dog said:


> I can never keep up with this thread  it moves so fast! I do like to come and have a read every now and then and look for recipes.
> 
> Thought I'd post here as most people I know won't care  (sorry to change topic!)
> 
> I'm feeling excited because I've made my first steps to a dairy free, plant based diet! It's taken a bit longer than I envisaged at first, but it was due to me taking more 'easy options'. I was already trying to cut down on my dairy, I've been veggie for almost 15 years now, but have only been doing small steps.
> 
> Last night I sat down with my OH and we went through our shopping and looked at how we make it more plant based. He isn't fully committed (he still eats meat on occasion, but does try and fit in with my choices ) but we've chosen a few meals that are plant based and he can just add in some cheese or something if he wants
> 
> This week we're going to be making; vegan sausage stew, cottage pie, black bean and sweet potato chilli, hot and spicy vegan burgers, fajitas (this is a regular for us anyway - just needed to minus the cheese and sour cream sauce), pasta (a regular too just double-checked ingredients). For snacking I looked at the Veganuary website to see what cupboard snacks I could swap out. I would like to make more of my own eventually but thought to ease into it I would just buy biscuits and crisps that are vegan friendly
> I've also ordered some almond milk and oat milk, we are still getting our regular milk at the moment (we get it delivered), but I've ordered the alternatives to try and once I find one I like in my coffee and on cereal I'll be swapping to that


Great news, good luck and keep us posted or just pick our brains


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## Cleo38

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Dr Greger's daily dozen and Dr Fuhrman's GBOMBS are a guide to help you get in the most nutritious and immune boosting/health promoting foods so from a health point of view they are a great tool to use as long as you don't get too hung up/obsessive and end up eating heaps more just to tick all the boxes. I posted a video a few pages back of Dr Greger talking about the daily dozen and how it helps him to visualise a plate of food. I've got a wipe board in the kitchen with it written up but I've taken off his last two things which are water and exercise as they are automatically part of our day and replaced them with onions and mushrooms so the GBOMBS are covered too.


Thanks, I will have to go & have a look .....


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## Guest

Teddy-dog said:


> I'm feeling excited because I've made my first steps to a dairy free, plant based diet!


Yay! Welcome 



rottiepointerhouse said:


> so the GBOMBS are covered too.


I find GBOMBS easier to follow than the daily dozen, 
greens
beans
onions (very easy for me, I put onions and garlic in EVERYTHING)
mushrooms (not as easy)
berries
seeds (dave's bread helps me out here as I don't normally eat seeds or add them to things on my own)


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## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> Thanks, I will have to go & have a look .....


Let me know if you can't find it and I will post it again. This is Dr Fuhrman's explanation of GBOMBS

https://www.drfuhrman.com/learn/library/articles/29/the-healthiest-anti-cancer-foods-g-bombs


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## DFP

I can't eat beans or peas, they make me feel ill. I can just about cope with chick peas if they're smothered in a spicy sauce and I can't really taste them. I'd like to move toward a more plant-based diet but there are a large proportion of recipes that I can't use because of this. What can I substitute for these?


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## rottiepointerhouse

DFP said:


> I can't eat beans or peas, they make me feel ill. I can just about cope with chick peas if they're smothered in a spicy sauce and I can't really taste them. I'd like to move toward a more plant-based diet but there are a large proportion of recipes that I can't use because of this. What can I substitute for these?


I just replied to you on the other thread so have a look at that. You mentioned on there that you don't mind lentils so they would be fine instead of beans or you could add beans to a soup and blend or use them in burgers where they are blended too. I make a chickpea curry which is yummy too - think the recipe is back towards the beginning of this thread but can post it again if you want me to.


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## DFP

I don't have a blender and hate cooking for the most part, so quick and easy, or slow cooker, is best for me. Boiling dried lentils really doesn't appeal, so they'd have to be tinned and ready for use.

Nope, really, really hate beans and peas, they will never be a part of my diet because the taste, texture and smell are vile to me, really horrible.


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## Guest

DFP said:


> Nope, really, really hate beans and peas, they will never be a part of my diet because the taste, texture and smell are vile to me, really horrible.


I think you will find as your diet changes, and your body regains health and balance, you end up eating things that you thought you would never eat let alone enjoy.
When I met my OH 20+ years ago, he was living on baloney sandwiches on white bread and mustard. Not a veggie in sight.
Today he eats literally hundreds of things he never would have touched before. It has been a long process, but little by little his palate and what his body craves has completely changed.
I remember he used to tell me that just the smell of bell peppers made him gag, now he steals them off the cutting board when I'm trying to cook. He loves them.
If you look earlier on this thread you will find my hate of nutritional yeast well documented. I couldn't even open the container without gagging. Now I put nutritional yeast on all sorts of things and love it.

I would say just focus on the WFPB foods you do like and getting as many of those in as you can, then see what happens from there.


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## DFP

Sorry but no; peas genuinely make me feel ill, and beans just the same, but don't upset my digestion as much. FWIW, I hate champagne too - even tried the expensive stuff, all it did was make me vomit almost instantly! I just can't abide some things, and want to avoid them. I have texture issues with food, too, and the texture of peas and beans sets me off in a bad way, it's hard to describe but it's like a panic attack (same as some sounds do). I eat every other vegetable under the sun, so I don't feel that I'm missing out, as I'm not going full on vegan so can get my nutrition from elsewhere. I really can't budge on the peas and beans thing.


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## rottiepointerhouse

DFP said:


> Sorry but no; peas genuinely make me feel ill, and beans just the same, but don't upset my digestion as much. FWIW, I hate champagne too - even tried the expensive stuff, all it did was make me vomit almost instantly! I just can't abide some things, and want to avoid them. I have texture issues with food, too, and the texture of peas and beans sets me off in a bad way, it's hard to describe but it's like a panic attack (same as some sounds do). I eat every other vegetable under the sun, so I don't feel that I'm missing out, as I'm not going full on vegan so can get my nutrition from elsewhere. I really can't budge on the peas and beans thing.


Then just eat the things you can tolerate, there are no rules that say you must eat beans, they are good for you in all sorts of ways but a whole food plant based diet without animal products will still be heaps better for you even if you can't tolerate beans. If you are just looking to add some veggie meals to your diet rather than make a complete change then just stick with the things you like.


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## Guest

DFP said:


> I eat every other vegetable under the sun,


Then focus on that as I already said.


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## Nettles

Sorry for the daft question but I’m a super fussy eater.. What could I use instead of coconut milk for a chickpea curry? Really can’t abide coconut.. it’s all I can taste above everything else :Hungover And it’s in every flipping recipe I’ve found.

Not tried any other nut milks tbh because I’m wary of them being too sweet. I don’t do sweet with savoury :Stop Would dairy free yoghurt work?


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## rottiepointerhouse

@Nettles You could just use stock instead of any form of milk, I make several different curries and only use the coconut milk in one of them. The others I add water as I'm first cooking the spices and onions etc then add stock.

Or have you seen the Oatly range? They do a mock cream and creme fraiche thingy - I haven't tried them as not so keen on the oils and additives but they are probably OK for occasional use.

http://www.oatly.com/products/united-kingdom/


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## Nettles

rottiepointerhouse said:


> @Nettles You could just use stock instead of any form of milk, I make several different curries and only use the coconut milk in one of them. The others I add water as I'm first cooking the spices and onions etc then add stock.
> 
> Or have you seen the Oatly range? They do a mock cream and creme fraiche thingy - I haven't tried them as not so keen on the oils and additives but they are probably OK for occasional use.
> 
> http://www.oatly.com/products/united-kingdom/


Oooh stock would be perfect. Wasn't sure what the milk "did" for the recipe and wasn't really loving the idea of a creamy curry anyway, so that actually works better for me. Ta


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## LinznMilly

Nettles said:


> Sorry for the daft question but I'm a super fussy eater.. What could I use instead of coconut milk for a chickpea curry? Really can't abide coconut.. it's all I can taste above everything else :Hungover And it's in every flipping recipe I've found.
> 
> Not tried any other nut milks tbh because I'm wary of them being too sweet. I don't do sweet with savoury :Stop Would dairy free yoghurt work?


I'm with you on the coconut hating thing, although I can tolerate dried coconut in muesli. I find even coconut milk overpowering and just :Yuck .

I never thought beans would be part of my diet, and baked beans in sauce still isn't, but I do have lentils, peas, aduki and edamame beans now.

Today has been much better for my diet than yesterday was. I'm in to my second smoothie (homemade), and was ridiculously pleased at finally making a green smoothie :Wacky (I know, simple things, simply minds  ) Usually I put so many blueberries in mine, that I end up with a purple or pink smoothie. So having conquered that challenge, I'm now enjoying a simple berry and mango smoothie. Lunch was a veggie casserole.


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## catz4m8z

I think everybody is fussy about certain foods they just dont like. For me its mushrooms and peppers (I dont care how good for you mushrooms are they make me want to heave!). Although I do sometimes buy a red pepper its only coz the dogs quite like them!

I dont think Im too bad on the daily dozen though.
Breakfast- oatmeal with soya milk, raspberries, apple, flaxseed and cinnamon.
lunch- 2 wholemeal wraps with mashed black bean and sweet potato, spinach and tons of salad veg plus some celery sticks.
tea- beanloaf, mashed potatoes, cauliflower and broccoli.
I usually drink tons of water but Im trying to increase my exercise more. Also not going to be eating too many nuts and seeds whilst Im trying to lose weight.:Shy

I did look at my cupboard today and wonder if I had bought too many cans of beans and lentils...:Wideyed
then I used 4 cans for the dogs food, 2 for beanloaf and bean burgers and 1 for sandwich filling! Safe to say I love my legumes! LOL


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## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> I did look at my cupboard today and wonder if I had bought too many cans of beans and lentils...:Wideyed


No such thing


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## rottiepointerhouse

Plant based doctor from Australia talking to Plant Based News


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## Magyarmum

The two things I can't bring myself to try are tofu and smoothies. Just the thought of them make me gag! The same with cup a soups, I just find the idea of drinking soup from a mug absolutely revolting!

I actually didn't know what GBOMBS meant until I looked it up, but actually despite being ignorant so far I think I've done reasonably well.

Today after having my morning tea with Buckwheat milk. I had a bowl of porridge with sliced banana. honey and almond milk, followed by a slice of rye bread toast and a real coffee with Buckwheat milk.
Lunch was a Rye bread sandwich filled with chili hummus, tomato and cucumber with a side salad of assorted salad leaves and avocado. (I then sinned by having a small piece of milk chocolate).
Between lunch and dinner I've had two cups of tea,a handful of grapes and some dried apricots.
Dinner was paprika mushrooms, chickpeas and spinach with sauteed spicy potatoes, cabbage and tomatoes. Pudding is more grapes and a few fresh strawberries. Before I go to bed I'll have another cup of tea.

This afternoon I made another supply of toasted muesli because I find it's the easiest way to get all my seeds and nuts. Just throw the mix into a bowl add some banana or other fruit and almond milk and you're ready to go! Mine's got flax, poppy, sesame, sunflower, and chia seeds in it, Coconut and almond flakes, peanuts, raisins dried cranberries apricot and apple. From tomorrow morning that will be my breakfast for the next few weeks.

Dinner tonight ..


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## Guest

Magyarmum said:


> The two things I can't bring myself to try are tofu and smoothies.


I don't really like tofu. If I'm eating out and it's in something, I'll eat it, but it's not something I go out and eat on purpose. 
Tempeh though is lovely, and I do like it a lot. I don't buy it often, I'm not the best at cooking it, but if a restaurant offers it, I'll definitely eat it.

I do love smoothies, but generally in the summer, not really a winter thing for me.


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## rottiepointerhouse

I don't like the traditional block of tofu but I quite like the small marinates cubes of it which I dry fry so they are not squidgy  and have with stir fry. Have also used silken tofu in a blender with nuts and basil and nutritional yeast to make a pesto sauce. I don't really do smoothies or juices as I'm always watching my weight and so don't like to drink my calories, besides I enjoy eating my fruit and veggies as they come more than I enjoy drinking them.

I am beyond excited that I have made some significant progress with my feet and back issues since reading Dr Rangan Chatterjee's 4 pillar plan (he is not WFPB but has some excellent ideas on the other 3 pillars which are sleep, relaxation and movement and isn't bad on nutrition either being anti dairy and processed foods and pro eating the rainbow). I've honestly learnt and implemented quite a lot from him and he got me interested in trying to cure my feet/back issues myself rather than relying on therapists and expensive orthotic devices that are causing me more and more problems. I've found a website that give loads of good information about plantar fasciities including exercises which are not the traditional calf stretches and have been using a hacky sack to exercise my arch muscles plus using heat instead of ice etc etc. Dr Chatterjee also works with a movement specialist called Gary Ward who wrote a book called "what the foot" and they have a series of exercises called waking up the glutes which helped Dr Chatterjee cure his own back and feet problems - I've been doing them for a couple of days now and combined with the other foot exercises and footwear changes am already seeing huge differences. I've stopped wearing the extreme rigid orthotics and just have a softer off the shelf set with a tiny arch support which I am hoping to get rid of eventually. Here are the general glute exercises if anyone is interested and please share with anyone who has movement related issues as they have also helped another member so not just me.

https://drchatterjee.com/blog/category/movement/

This is Gary Ward's website - I've just started his online course which only costs £9.99 and is designed to help you understand movement and your own problems and try to help you put them right. I can't tell you how good it feels to take control of this issue that has dogged me for 14 years or more and cost me a fortune.

https://www.findingcentre.co.uk/wakeyourbodyup/


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## rottiepointerhouse

Hope you don't mind me sharing the movement/back/foot thing here, I don't want to start a new thread and get the usual response which ends up with a closed thread.

I love these quotes from the course

"Nobody has been able to help me" to which I always respond "Then it's a good thing you can help yourself" 

and 

"Avoid being the person who needs to run ahead and take a short cut - we find that in the therapy world, that generally doesn't end well for the user."

Am currently trying to get my head around assessing where on the foot I carry my weight.


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## Guest

I'm glad you're finding something that works!
I'm very much a believer in whole-istic health (as in whole body systems). Was just listening to a great podcast this morning with a Dr. of Chinese medicine talking about exactly this - the pillars of health (he had 5) and keeping the body in balance. 

I haven't checked out the links just because I tend to get bogged down if I look in to things too much and this is not an area I'm struggling in at the moment  

As you know, I'm a huge believer in yoga, also meditation, and definitely both before bed to sleep better. Yoga is like a full body balm for me. I absolutely love how I feel after a good session, and it has helped me really get more in tune with my body, even making assessments during the day of where my body is, what I'm feeling, and just in general helping me be more mindful. 
I've never had sleep issues other than being sensitive to the full moon (OH says it's just more proof I'm really a witch - he uses that term affectionately :Hilarious). 

I have discovered foot and ankle strengthening exercises that I found looking up trail running, and they have made a HUGE difference in my PF, definitely more helpful that the usual "stretch your calves" advice, and ice. 

Good luck with it all!


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## Guest

Haven't looked at any of these carefully, but posting here for ideas 

https://www.buzzfeed.com/jesseszewc...tyvegetarian&utm_term=.tqQryN856a#.srOJ4R6Zrl


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## Guest

Hi everyone, my name is McKenzie and I’m a cheeseaholic. Seriously.

I really need to get my addiction under control. I’ve already been restricting myself to just cheese for meals (haloumi, feta, Parmesan) but it’s still no good. I lose all self control and eat far too much. I’m otherwise dairy free but I really need to kick this cheese habit! I guess I need to go cold turkey and stop buying cheese of any sort but I love it soooo much!

The first step is admitting you have a problem, right?


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## lullabydream

McKenzie said:


> Hi everyone, my name is McKenzie and I'm a cheeseaholic. Seriously.
> 
> I really need to get my addiction under control. I've already been restricting myself to just cheese for meals (haloumi, feta, Parmesan) but it's still no good. I lose all self control and eat far too much. I'm otherwise dairy free but I really need to kick this cheese habit! I guess I need to go cold turkey and stop buying cheese of any sort but I love it soooo much!
> 
> The first step is admitting you have a problem, right?


You sound like my son..he doesn't have milk in anything and would be dairy free if he didn't love cheese...he just can't give it up. Unlike my other son who thinks he's lactose intolerant now and never really ate the stuff so he's only missing out on pizzas..his favourite food!

@McKenzie I know this probably doesn't help...but in the days I did slimming world. Parmesan wasn't too bad...as you don't need much for a cheese kick...also tease your head by using a small parmesan grater for cheese obviously that's other cheeses not your feta you love, You get loads for a small amount. If you cut down...you may be able to stop.... eventually.
From your posts you have come a long way...small steps path the way


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## DFP

We've managed to do the non-meat main meals two nights in a row now - veg mince spag bol night before last, which became a chilli last night. I made my own version of nachos with flour tortilla dough, just rolled out, cut up into triangles, and dry fried. Nowhere near as crispy as deep fried nachos, but very crispy nonetheless.

After finding whole lists of recipes online and bookmarking pages, I've decided on a Moroccan mushroom dish for tonight, and if I can find it, Nigella Lawson's leek pasta bake recipe for tomorrow (it's not online, so a trip to my local library is in order; failing that, I'll ask my friend who made it for me a couple of years ago). 

So if I manage it, that's four meat-free meals, including one vegan (the mushroom dish), in a week. 

Lunches are also where I can fail really easily; it's too simple to get a chunk of cheese, crackers and chutney on a plate instead of something healthy, but I may try Magyarmum's lunch idea of hoummous, salad and stuff in a sandwich. I still have some totilla dough left over, might make t into a salad wrap. I'll have to hide the hoummous from the other half though, he loves it and it disappears in a matter of minutes when he's around.


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## Guest

If you like eggplant, you can roast some marinaded eggplant and then use that as the sandwich "meat." I had that with tomatoes and baby spinach leaves with some dijon mustard and it's delicious and filling.



McKenzie said:


> Hi everyone, my name is McKenzie and I'm a cheeseaholic. Seriously.


:Hilarious:Hilarious
I'm not sure why, but it was not hard for me to give up cheese. I think if you focus on things you really like the flavor of, maybe a really good hummus, or dairy free salad dressing, it's easier to forget the cheese is missing.

Alternately, read or listen to some of Dr. Neal Barnard's talks on cheese addiction, why it's addictive, why it's not good for us, and the intellectual side of you might help your resolve to cut back and eventually eliminate it. 
It was funny, I was in Whole Foods yesterday, and they have all these free samples of their really nice cheddars, something I'd normally check out. But now that I associate cheese with all the not so good stuff, it just doesn't appeal.


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## rottiepointerhouse

McKenzie said:


> Hi everyone, my name is McKenzie and I'm a cheeseaholic. Seriously.
> 
> I really need to get my addiction under control. I've already been restricting myself to just cheese for meals (haloumi, feta, Parmesan) but it's still no good. I lose all self control and eat far too much. I'm otherwise dairy free but I really need to kick this cheese habit! I guess I need to go cold turkey and stop buying cheese of any sort but I love it soooo much!
> 
> The first step is admitting you have a problem, right?


You need to read Dr Barnard's book The Cheese Trap - see article

https://www.forksoverknives.com/add..._source=Email&utm_term=Cheese-Trap#gs.gzkZqqo

I expected cheese to be the main stumbling block in getting my OH on to WFPB eating. To start with I changed him to vegan cheese in sandwiches but I filled them with lots of fresh salad leaves and beetroot and red onion then gradually reduced the cheese until he told me not to bother with it. We use nutritional cheese sprinkled over pasta dishes/jacket potatoes or even good old baked beans. He also used to eat a lot of cheese and crackers with grapes but now he has hummus instead. Make a plan, sit down and think of when you eat cheese and come up with something else to have at that time/meal instead, buy that and write it down on a meal plan and you will soon realise you are not that bothered by smelly sock/vomit food anyway


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## Cleo38

I've been buying a lot of frozen veg lately as I have my shopping delivered & don't want to waste anything by buying too much fresh then some going off, or buying smaller amounts then keep making trips to the supermarket which I HATE. Most frozen veg is lovely & seems to work well .... with the exception of frozen sprouts. I had some the other evening & wasn't overly keen which is a shame as I love them usually. 

They weren't going to be wasted as I would have given them to the chickens but last night I thought I would have a go at chopping them up & stir frying them with garlic, red onion, mushrooms, chilli & ginger (I can't remember who posted about using shredded sprouts in a salad) ..... they were lovely like this! I had them with a jacket potato & they were so much nicer. I think they were just too soft for me after being frozen but frying them dried them out & they picked up lots of flavour. Were so nice that I'm having them again tonight.

I also have my big shopping delivery tomorrow so have lots of plans for meals: lasagne, 'bacon' aubergine, beetroot falafels, Ethiopian curry (really like this), pizza, sweet potato curry ..... can't wait! Hopefully I've planned it well & this shop should last me a month which should also save me money as well which atm is much needed


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## Guest

Cleo38 said:


> I've been buying a lot of frozen veg lately as I have my shopping delivered & don't want to waste anything by buying too much fresh then some going off, or buying smaller amounts then keep making trips to the supermarket which I HATE. Most frozen veg is lovely & seems to work well .... with the exception of frozen sprouts. I had some the other evening & wasn't overly keen which is a shame as I love them usually.
> 
> They weren't going to be wasted as I would have given them to the chickens but last night I thought I would have a go at chopping them up & stir frying them with garlic, red onion, mushrooms, chilli & ginger (I can't remember who posted about using shredded sprouts in a salad) ..... they were lovely like this! I had them with a jacket potato & they were so much nicer. I think they were just too soft for me after being frozen but frying them dried them out & they picked up lots of flavour. Were so nice that I'm having them again tonight.
> 
> I also have my big shopping delivery tomorrow so have lots of plans for meals: lasagne, 'bacon' aubergine, beetroot falafels, Ethiopian curry (really like this), pizza, sweet potato curry ..... can't wait! Hopefully I've planned it well & this shop should last me a month which should also save me money as well which atm is much needed


I use frozen veggies a lot, especially this time of year.


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## Cleo38

ouesi said:


> I use frozen veggies a lot, especially this time of year.


Most are great & lovely in casseroles, stews, etc. In the summer I will grow a lot of my own as am lucky in that I have the space .... just got a lot of work to do to the veg patch at the bottom of the garden as I just couldn't keep on top of all the gardening last year & it was taken over by nettles


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## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> I've been buying a lot of frozen veg lately as I have my shopping delivered & don't want to waste anything by buying too much fresh then some going off, or buying smaller amounts then keep making trips to the supermarket which I HATE. Most frozen veg is lovely & seems to work well .... with the exception of frozen sprouts. I had some the other evening & wasn't overly keen which is a shame as I love them usually.
> 
> They weren't going to be wasted as I would have given them to the chickens but last night I thought I would have a go at chopping them up & stir frying them with garlic, red onion, mushrooms, chilli & ginger (I can't remember who posted about using shredded sprouts in a salad) ..... they were lovely like this! I had them with a jacket potato & they were so much nicer. I think they were just too soft for me after being frozen but frying them dried them out & they picked up lots of flavour. Were so nice that I'm having them again tonight.
> 
> I also have my big shopping delivery tomorrow so have lots of plans for meals: lasagne, 'bacon' aubergine, beetroot falafels, Ethiopian curry (really like this), pizza, sweet potato curry ..... can't wait! Hopefully I've planned it well & this shop should last me a month which should also save me money as well which atm is much needed


It was me with the sprouts in a salad, also use them shredded in a stir fry. Raw with some red chilli they are delicious.

I have bags of frozen veg in the freezer for emergency use and also buy little bags with a mixture of broccoli, spinach, peas and sweetcorn that do in the microwave in minutes, I use those for a food flask for OH to take to work (he has to eat in the car most days) with a bag of mixed grains and some wholemeal pitta bread.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Oh and I now buy frozen garlic which is already crushed and frozen ginger in cubes - partly because I was fed up with fresh garlic that smelt old and mouldy but also because its so quick and easy and the two form a great base for so many dishes just vary the herbs & spices.


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## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Oh and I now buy frozen garlic which is already crushed and frozen ginger in cubes - partly because I was fed up with fresh garlic that smelt old and mouldy but also because its so quick and easy and the two form a great base for so many dishes just vary the herbs & spices.


No! Blasphemy! 
Garlic must always be fresh and smell up your hands when you peel and chop it! :Hilarious:Hilarious

I've never had garlic go bad? It might sprout, but never had "old" garlic....


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## DFP

Found the Nigella Lawson pasta bake recipe, so that's tomorrow night sorted. This is tonight's main meal;

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/234607/moroccan-mushrooms-with-couscous

The comments below the recipe mention that it comes out quite bland, so I might hike up the spices and cook down the mushrooms and tomatoes for longer to get a better depth of flavour.

Today's lunch was a home made flour tortilla wrap (vegan, made with water not milk), stuffed with avocado, hoummous, salad, tomato and cucumber. Tomorrow's lunch will be the same, or very similar.

Might go back to some meat stuff at the weekend, might not, but there are only two of us so that mushroom dish will do us for two evening meals. I need to start meal planning again. Also, myfitnesspal (which I've just started using for calorie counting), tells me that I need to only have 1200 calories a day to lose 1lb - 1.5lb a week, so going veggie for a few days a week is a good way to do that. Today's planned meals will bring me in at under 1000 calories.

Edit* Someone mentioned eggplant, either here or in the other thread - lost track - and yes, I love the stuff, but silly me forgot to pick any up whilst doing the shopping today, so I'll have to add it to the list for next time. Love the stuff; OH hates it.


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> No! Blasphemy!
> Garlic must always be fresh and smell up your hands when you peel and chop it! :Hilarious:Hilarious
> 
> I've never had garlic go bad? It might sprout, but never had "old" garlic....


I can't tell you how much "fresh" garlic I've thrown away because it smells old and nasty and you can taste it too. The frozen stuff still makes my hands smell of garlic as I have to break it up, it always smells and tastes good too. I've never liked the stuff in jars but the frozen stuff is great.


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## Guest

Can I rave (and also rant) for a second?

Gorgeous full moon this morning, was out running, thinking how good I felt. Like, GOOD. I haven't felt this strong, energetic, and just like everything in my body is working since I was a kid. 

I remember Dr. Garth Davis saying he wishes he could put his patients in his body so they could experience what it feels like to be healthy and get that motivation to work towards that. I totally get it. I feel amazing  

On the rant side though, walking in to work this morning, a coworker says "do you even eat anymore?" enguin
I haven't lost any weight since October/November I don't think... Normally I brush off the "too skinny" comments but it amazes me how many people who don't know me feel it's okay to comment on my weight/size. 
The irony is that I'm not even that thin. My thighs are very healthy sized with all the running LOL!


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## rottiepointerhouse

This young chef is really doing well bringing vegan/plant based cooking into the mainstream - here he is on a couple of BBC programmes - he talks about his new book until about 5 mins in then the TV appearances


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Can I rave (and also rant) for a second?
> 
> Gorgeous full moon this morning, was out running, thinking how good I felt. Like, GOOD. I haven't felt this strong, energetic, and just like everything in my body is working since I was a kid.
> 
> I remember Dr. Garth Davis saying he wishes he could put his patients in his body so they could experience what it feels like to be healthy and get that motivation to work towards that. I totally get it. I feel amazing
> 
> On the rant side though, walking in to work this morning, a coworker says "do you even eat anymore?" enguin
> I haven't lost any weight since October/November I don't think... Normally I brush off the "too skinny" comments but it amazes me how many people who don't know me feel it's okay to comment on my weight/size.
> The irony is that I'm not even that thin. My thighs are very healthy sized with all the running LOL!


So pleased you are feeling fit and strong, I have days when I do then days when I have the horrid old foot and knee and sometimes back pain again, yesterday I was buzzing but perhaps I went a bit bull in a china shop at trying to solve everything at once and today I've struggled just to do Tai Chi. I'm sure your colleague would really love to know what your secret is but perhaps was too embarrassed to ask as some people shy away from giving compliments or perhaps already knew about your diet & lifestyle and would love to give it a try. Who knows but a thoughtless thing to say anyway. My Mum does similar things to me all the time, yesterday she accused me of being far too serious because I didn't find something funny that was poking fun at people who care about their diet and health. I wouldn't mind but all the family members sharing it are quite sick with some serious health issues and on loads of medication. Before now I would have got into a fight with her about it but my new chilled out self just said "whatever"


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## DFP

People just seem to be a bit thoughtless when commenting about weight, be that telling you you're "too skinny", or "too fat". There's a name for what people do when they pretend to care and wrap up insults in faux concern, it's called "concern trolling" and it is something I've experienced myself, being overweight. I also used to do a lot of weight training, and got silly comments like "You'll end up looking like a man" - as if! And even if I had got muscular, I still think my boobs would have given it away, they'r pretty big and not going anywhere!:Hilarious


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## Guest

I really don't think the comments are meant to be hurtful or insulting. Just my musings but I think it's a combination of factors. 
One, in a lot of parts of the western world we have really lost touch with what a healthy weight looks like.
Two, people struggle with change even if it's change for the better. So anyone making changes, even positive ones, is going to get some pushback. It's not intentional, it's just normal human reaction to someone breaking outside the norm. 
And sure, sometimes people are just trying to make conversation. 

Like I said I generally brush comments off, no biggie. But sometimes I do need to have a quick rant


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## Guest

DFP said:


> Also, myfitnesspal (which I've just started using for calorie counting), tells me that I need to only have 1200 calories a day to lose 1lb - 1.5lb a week, so going veggie for a few days a week is a good way to do that. Today's planned meals will bring me in at under 1000 calories.


Am I reading correctly that you're only eating a thousand or 12 hundred calories a day? Surely that can't be right?!


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## DFP

Yes, the site recommended that, to lose 1 - 1.5lbs a week, I should consume no more than 1200 calories a day. Today, including the vegan main meal I'm making tonight, I'll have consumed less than 1000, so might find something else to go with it to put the numbers up a bit. I am very overweight, though - 5' 3" tall and thirteen and a half stones in weight. That's pretty hefty, obese in fact.


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## Guest

DFP said:


> Yes, the site recommended that, to lose 1 - 1.5lbs a week, I should consume no more than 1200 calories a day. Today, including the vegan main meal I'm making tonight, I'll have consumed less than 1000, so might find something else to go with it to put the numbers up a bit. I am very overweight, though - 5' 3" tall and thirteen and a half stones in weight. That's pretty hefty, obese in fact.


I'm no expert, but that seems like far too few calories for anyone, overweight or not. I'm not sure how you could even get proper nutrition with so few calories let alone have energy to function.

One of the many benefits of a plant based diet is that you really don't need to count calories. Most people get excellent results by just making sure the bulk of their diet is whole plant foods (90% or more) without added oils and with only small portions of nuts and dried fruits.

I know you didn't ask for advice, but I would gently suggest trying to eat more plant foods and not focus so much on calories, especially such a low requirement. It doesn't seem sustainable....


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## Guest

ouesi said:


> Am I reading correctly that you're only eating a thousand or 12 hundred calories a day? Surely that can't be right?!


The diet plan I'm on gives me 1200 calories a day too. I don't find it difficult to eat well within those restrictions.


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## Guest

McKenzie said:


> The diet plan I'm on gives me 1200 calories a day too. I don't find it difficult to eat well within those restrictions.


Really?! That seems like so little food! 
I don't count calories but I feel sure with the portion sizes I eat that I'm well above 2K a day. For example, when I eat beans, I eat an entire can which is 3.5 servings according to the package. And that's with rice, pasta, or quinoa, usually about 2 cups worth. That's what? 350 + another 200 something, so 500 to 600 per meal plus I also eat tons of fruit and of course lots of veggies, but I don't know that the veggies count much as far as adding calories.


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## rottiepointerhouse

I think its low too. Anything under 1500 seems like starvation rations to me which is why I love WFPB food as you get to eat a lot of it. I think last time I checked on cranometer I was about 1700 per day, not that I count but every so often I do a check to see if I'm getting enough of other nutrients. I'm still losing weight slowly but as I only have a few pounds to go I know the last few always take time. My breakfast alone is about 500 calories so I definitely could not survive on 1200.


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## LinznMilly

ouesi said:


> Really?! That seems like so little food!
> I don't count calories but I feel sure with the portion sizes I eat that I'm well above 2K a day. For example, when I eat beans, I eat an entire can which is 3.5 servings according to the package. And that's with rice, pasta, or quinoa, usually about 2 cups worth. That's what? 350 + another 200 something, so 500 to 600 per meal plus I also eat tons of fruit and of course lots of veggies, but I don't know that the veggies count much as far as adding calories.


I'm not dieting/trying to lose weight, but according to cronometer, I usually only consume about 1400 calories per day. I don't think I've even been close to 2000 calories unless I eat junk food. My eyes are just bigger than my appetite. I've starting taking a multivitamin just to make sure I'm getting all the micronutrients I need.

≤shrugs≥


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## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I think its low too. Anything under 1500 seems like starvation rations to me which is why I love WFPB food as you get to eat a lot of it.


seems low to me too. I worked out my calories on cronometer for a 1Ib a week weight loss and it comes to nearly 1800 a day! (TBF I am really fat though so I get to eat more food then skinny people!LOL).
Not that Im losing much at the moment as Im still in my winter hibernation mode....summer is when I tend to get more motivated. Im not bothered though coz since I went WFPB my eating habits have been so much more stable. I used to be on a constant merry go round of binging and dieting and always getting a little bit fatter every year. But now I find I rarely get cravings for junk and if I fall off the wagon its easy to start eating healthy again. This is the first eating plan Ive tried that feels sustainable long term (without feeling like Im depriving myself!).


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## Guest

Surely it’s not healthy to eat huge portions, WFPB or not?

If I use yesterday as an example, I managed to eat the following within 1200 calories:

Banana and strawberry smoothie with rice milk for breakfast.
Apricot for morning tea.
Leftover roasted red pepper pasta for lunch
Watermelon for afternoon tea
Couscous with cauliflower rice, dried apricots, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, coconut and haloumi for dinner. 

Seems like a pretty good diet?


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## Magyarmum

I have a small appetite and very much doubt that I eat more than 1200 calories a day. I was looking at the menus on this site

http://www.eatingwell.com/article/288729/7-day-vegetarian-meal-plan-1200-calories/

and I could probably manage to eat the amounts given for breakfast, lunch and dinner but not the snacks in between. For example if I had 2 tablespoons of hummus with cucumber slices for a mid morning snack I'd feel so full I wouldn't want to eat at lunchtime.


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## Teddy-dog

Cooked our first vegan meal last night (I tell a lie, I have had vegan meals in the past but this is first after my proper attempt at taking on a plant based diet).
Italian sausage stew - it was really yummy! And OH loved it too. We used cauldron sausages, I know not everyone is a fan of meat subsitites but they were really tasty, made of Mediterranean veg, tomato pesto and beans (could probably make them ourselves next time!). The rest was made up of potatoes, roasted red peppers, onions, garlic cherry tomatoes and fresh basil. The recipe said to put olives in but OH doesn't like them! Might try sundried tomatoes instead next time 









I also had almond milk in my evening coffee. Tasted not that much different! Haven't tried it on cereal yet, I'm going to try the oat milk too


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## Guest

McKenzie said:


> Surely it's not healthy to eat huge portions, WFPB or not?


This is just my own observation/experience, nothing scientific and certainly not expert 
I don't know how healthy/helpful 'portion control' is either. What I mean is, I think it's very normal for all humans to seek the comfort of fullness. It's how we are built. We want to feel full, we need to feel full, and depriving ourselves of feeling that nice, comforting satiation is not healthy - again, JMO. 
I think a lot of 'diets' fail specifically in this area. We have an intrinsic need for that full feeling. Deprive yourself of it too long and you overcompensate by overeating. 
At 1200 (or hell, even 1500) calories a day, I would feel like shit. I know because I've done it before to lose weight, and yeah, you do, but it sucks. Being hungry is no fun. Sure, you can mind over matter it for a while, but eventually your survival brain says "screw this, I need to eat!"

Eating WFPB without added refined oils and sugars, you can eat until comfortably full and still maintain a healthy weight. At least that has been my experience.


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## rottiepointerhouse

McKenzie said:


> Surely it's not healthy to eat huge portions, WFPB or not?
> 
> If I use yesterday as an example, I managed to eat the following within 1200 calories:
> 
> Banana and strawberry smoothie with rice milk for breakfast.
> Apricot for morning tea.
> Leftover roasted red pepper pasta for lunch
> Watermelon for afternoon tea
> Couscous with cauliflower rice, dried apricots, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, coconut and haloumi for dinner.
> 
> Seems like a pretty good diet?


If it suits you and you feel satiated on it then its fine but for me it would be totally unsustainable for more than a week and I'd be miserable. I'm in this for the long term so its vital that I don't feel deprived or hungry whilst still eating the healthiest foods possible. When I'm hungry I am more likely to make bad choices and reach for quick fixes. I'm actually far less hungry eating a wholefoods diet and can go for hours between meals without eating now whereas before I used to snack every couple of hours or feel light headed/dizzy. I couldn't function on a smoothie for breakfast with an apricot as a snack and base all my meals around a wholefood starch then build the meal around it with veggies, fruit, nuts & seeds. Because I feel totally satiated I'm never tempted to eat junk food, not touched a crisp, fried foods, cakes or chocolates apart from an occasional square or plain chocolate or mint thin - I have several boxes of them in the cupboard but rarely remember they are there. To really kick processed/junk and animal based foods such as cheese long term I truly believe you need to feel satiated but as I say if you do feel satiated on that amount of food and feel you can maintain it long term then its all good (apart from the cheese )



Magyarmum said:


> I have a small appetite and very much doubt that I eat more than 1200 calories a day. I was looking at the menus on this site
> 
> http://www.eatingwell.com/article/288729/7-day-vegetarian-meal-plan-1200-calories/
> 
> and I could probably manage to eat the amounts given for breakfast, lunch and dinner but not the snacks in between. For example if I had 2 tablespoons of hummus with cucumber slices for a mid morning snack I'd feel so full I wouldn't want to eat at lunchtime.


I don't think it matters if you have a small appetite and are eating all that you personally want/need, research shows however that people who try to lose weight by calorie restriction without satiation tend to regain the weight because few people can cope long term with feeling deprived/hungry.


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## rottiepointerhouse

Teddy-dog said:


> Cooked our first vegan meal last night (I tell a lie, I have had vegan meals in the past but this is first after my proper attempt at taking on a plant based diet).
> Italian sausage stew - it was really yummy! And OH loved it too. We used cauldron sausages, I know not everyone is a fan of meat subsitites but they were really tasty, made of Mediterranean veg, tomato pesto and beans (could probably make them ourselves next time!). The rest was made up of potatoes, roasted red peppers, onions, garlic cherry tomatoes and fresh basil. The recipe said to put olives in but OH doesn't like them! Might try sundried tomatoes instead next time
> View attachment 343872
> 
> 
> I also had almond milk in my evening coffee. Tasted not that much different! Haven't tried it on cereal yet, I'm going to try the oat milk too


Well done, that looks lovely.


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## DFP

My problem was nothing to do with satiation; I had a monstrous appetite and would eat well past the point of feeling full. It came from boredom, depression and bad habits, which are a pretty nasty combination. Calorie restriction is the only thing that works for me, because my mind has that weird sort of self discipline where, if I see it in black and white, I can do it, but if I just allow myself to eat to feel full, even on a healthy wholefood diet, I'll still just eat to excess. And I'm not going totally plant-based anyway, I still eat dairy and meat, just not as much. So nutrition isn't too much of a problem. I don't stress if I go slightly over 1200 calories, but over 1500 is a splurge day for me.  I try to not do that too often. Plus, I don't exercise much at all, so low calories are fine for now. Trying to find something I enjoy to do; running's not fun at all for me, so that's out. But walking's good, as long as it's brisk. I can't swim or ride a bicycle, either, and not interested in doing those anyway. Yoga's been good.


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## catz4m8z

Magyarmum said:


> I have a small appetite and very much doubt that I eat more than 1200 calories a day.


Im not surprised! Ive often looked at your meal pics and thought 'that looks really lovely.....but Id need seconds!'LOL



ouesi said:


> At 1200 (or hell, even 1500) calories a day, I would feel like shit. I know because I've done it before to lose weight, and yeah, you do, but it sucks. Being hungry is no fun. Sure, you can mind over matter it for a while, but eventually your survival brain says "screw this, I need to eat!"


Low calorie has never worked for me either. I just dont lose any weight eating like that. The only thing that works for me is getting active...and in order to do that long term I need to eat plenty of food!


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## Guest

DFP said:


> My problem was nothing to do with satiation; I had a monstrous appetite and would eat well past the point of feeling full. It came from boredom, depression and bad habits, which are a pretty nasty combination. Calorie restriction is the only thing that works for me, because my mind has that weird sort of self discipline where, if I see it in black and white, I can do it, but if I just allow myself to eat to feel full, even on a healthy wholefood diet, I'll still just eat to excess. And I'm not going totally plant-based anyway, I still eat dairy and meat, just not as much. So nutrition isn't too much of a problem. I don't stress if I go slightly over 1200 calories, but over 1500 is a splurge day for me.  I try to not do that too often. Plus, I don't exercise much at all, so low calories are fine for now. Trying to find something I enjoy to do; running's not fun at all for me, so that's out. But walking's good, as long as it's brisk. I can't swim or ride a bicycle, either, and not interested in doing those anyway. Yoga's been good.


I'm not advocating overeating  Just more *normal* eating.
What I mean by that (and again, just my observations) is that counting calories and restricting calories is not a "normal" relationship with food. We humans are designed to eat until we feel full. Forcing yourself to stop eating before reaching that comfort of fullness takes a whole lot of will-power, and will-power is a finite resource. Or a muscle, it gets fatigued. And when it does, you're back to eating anything that doesn't run away from you. Not to mention being hungry makes you irritable, and unhappy anyway!

Eating WFPB, I can eat as much as I need to feel full, have energy for the day, I feel good, and still maintain a healthy weight. I'm not overeating, I'm not starving, I'm sated, comfortable, and happy. THIS I can maintain forever.


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## rottiepointerhouse

From one of Dr McDougall's newsletters which sums up what we are trying to say rather nicely

_Starches Are Appetite Satisfying._

The hunger drive keeps you and the whole human race alive. You will not fool your hunger drive by pushing yourself away from the table, putting your fork down between bites, eating from a small plate, or counting calories. It will always hurt to be hungry and you can never train yourself to not feel that pain, even if you practice until you are 90 years old. So give in and eat, you must satisfy this basic survival need. The control you do have is the composition of the foods that are on your plate. Choose wisely. Meat, dairy, and oils for meals will mean overweight and sickness. Starches, vegetables, and fruits will mean a trim fit body and lifetime of excellent health.


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## Cleo38

Made a lovely casserole yesterday with yellow & green split peas, carrots, celery, onion, butternut squash, red kidney beans, red lentils, tinned tomatoes, cabbage, parsnips, vegetable stock, garlic, nutritional yeast, oregano & thyme.
So easy to make, just literally bunged it all in the pot then in the oven for a couple of hours. Ended up having two bowls as it was so nice. There is loads so will probably freeze a few servings.
Also got my liquid smoke delivered today to make my aubergine bacon. Have never used this before but I keep seeing it listed on lots of recipes


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## rottiepointerhouse

*Plant-Based Is Not the Same as Vegetarianism*

https://nutritionfacts.org/2018/02/...-24208457&mc_cid=f5df3703a7&mc_eid=53363da263


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## LinznMilly

I've just done tai chi for the first time, and I think I've pulled a muscle in my chest. :Inpain  :Hilarious :Bag

But, I needed it, and some meditation, because I could feel little frustrations and unhealthy thoughts beginning to build up. I think I've been too hard on myself lately - the stuff that can spiral down to depression, so hurt chest muscle or not, the Thai chi and meditation helped snap me out of it. Now I just feel peaceful.

Adding the "California-inspired" (aka, wheatgrass/spirulina/coconut sugar and flour/goldenberry) powder and milled flaxseed to my smoothies are doing wonders for my skin. So much for being allergic to the kale and berries that make up the majority of the smoothie. :Smug :Angelic


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## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> I've just done tai chi for the first time, and I think I've pulled a muscle in my chest. :Inpain  :Hilarious :Bag
> 
> But, I needed it, and some meditation, because I could feel little frustrations and unhealthy thoughts beginning to build up. I think I've been too hard on myself lately - the stuff that can spiral down to depression, so hurt chest muscle or not, the Thai chi and meditation helped snap me out of it. Now I just feel peaceful.
> 
> Adding the "California-inspired" (aka, wheatgrass/spirulina/coconut sugar and flour/goldenberry) powder and milled flaxseed to my smoothies are doing wonders for my skin. So much for being allergic to the kale and berries that make up the majority of the smoothie. :Smug :Angelic


How did you manage to pull a muscle? Did you follow the Tai Chi on a Youtube video? If so was it a beginners one? I've got a few I do from Youtube and a couple of DVDs too but they are so gentle and yes very calming and peaceful. Good news about your skin.


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## Cleo38

LinznMilly said:


> I've just done tai chi for the first time, and I think I've pulled a muscle in my chest. :Inpain  :Hilarious :Bag
> 
> But, I needed it, and some meditation, because I could feel little frustrations and unhealthy thoughts beginning to build up. I think I've been too hard on myself lately - the stuff that can spiral down to depression, so hurt chest muscle or not, the Thai chi and meditation helped snap me out of it. Now I just feel peaceful.
> 
> Adding the "California-inspired" (aka, wheatgrass/spirulina/coconut sugar and flour/goldenberry) powder and milled flaxseed to my smoothies are doing wonders for my skin. So much for being allergic to the kale and berries that make up the majority of the smoothie. :Smug :Angelic


Great news about your skin, not so good about your pulled muscle. How did you manage to do that? Mind you I was playing pool once & managed to pull a muscle!


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## Guest

Cleo38 said:


> Also got my liquid smoke delivered today to make my aubergine bacon. Have never used this before but I keep seeing it listed on lots of recipes


Beware! A little goes a long way! (Or at least it did for me!)


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## Guest

Ah, but that’s the thing - I don’t feel hungry, and my meals do make me feel full. I don’t feel deprived either - why would I when I’m eating all that great food. The only thing I do feel deprived about is cheese as previously discussed. 

Eating until you are full is great... except I used to eat until I was way past full. I didn’t even know what full was. That’s an unhealthy relationship with food, not using calories as a way to teach myself what is a normal way to eat. 

A few months ago I was eating takeaways multiple times a week, I could eat a whole packet of biscuits or king sized chocolate bar in two sittings, I could drink 1.5l coke in a day. THAT’S unhealthy, but it doesn’t fit into 1200 calories so I had to change. 

It’s all about what perspective you’re looking from.


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## catz4m8z

McKenzie said:


> The only thing I do feel deprived about is cheese as previously discussed.


Cheese was one thing I used to eat tons of too. (I would probably use half a block at a time! and have Domino pizza twice a week). I found it best to go cold turkey for a couple of weeks, so I forgot what cheese tasted like a little bit!, then reintroduce vegan cheese. Its actually really nice once you get used to it.
Although Ive found that my vegan cheese was lasting longer and longer until it started going off in the fridge...thats when I realiesed I had probably just lost the taste for fatty, oily food.

Microwave dinner tonight... beanloaf, mashed swede/carrot/potato and BBQ cabbage and chickpeas.
Thank god for batch cooking and Tupperware!


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## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> How did you manage to pull a muscle? Did you follow the Tai Chi on a Youtube video? If so was it a beginners one? I've got a few I do from Youtube and a couple of DVDs too but they are so gentle and yes very calming and peaceful. Good news about your skin.





Cleo38 said:


> Great news about your skin, not so good about your pulled muscle. How did you manage to do that? Mind you I was playing pool once & managed to pull a muscle!


I have no idea. : Hilarious . Maybe I was a bit too enthusiastic. Watching the video again, I did raise my arms higher than the instructor, and maybe my breathing was a bit fast as I was doing the moves. I'm a danger to myself. :Hilarious . :Wacky

@rottiepointerhouse , it was the 5min beginner one on youtube.

@Cleo38 , that casserole looks lovely.


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## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> I have no idea. : Hilarious . Maybe I was a bit too enthusiastic. Watching the video again, I did raise my arms higher than the instructor, and maybe my breathing was a bit fast as I was doing the moves. I'm a danger to myself. :Hilarious . :Wacky
> 
> @rottiepointerhouse , it was the 5min beginner one on youtube.
> 
> @Cleo38 , that casserole looks lovely.


Was it this one?






I love her series but have also found this guy really good (I have his beginners DVD for the over 50's too :Joyful)


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## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Was it this one?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I love her series but have also found this guy really good (I have his beginners DVD for the over 50's too :Joyful)


That's the one. I just didn't want to say it was the one you posted, in case it came across as though I was blaming you for my own stupidity. :Wideyed 

I'll check out the bottom video tomorrow.


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## Guest

I've not seen this one before, was just perusing, and found this. I like the easy "yes, no, sparingly" tabs, also found them quite interesting. For example according to this link, vegan cheese is a "no". I don't eat vegan cheese because I don't really care for it, but didn't realize it was a "no" food...
http://nutritionstudies.org/whole-food-plant-based-diet-guide/


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## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I've not seen this one before, was just perusing, and found this. I like the easy "yes, no, sparingly" tabs, also found them quite interesting. For example according to this link, vegan cheese is a "no". I don't eat vegan cheese because I don't really care for it, but didn't realize it was a "no" food...
> http://nutritionstudies.org/whole-food-plant-based-diet-guide/


They used that graphic on my course so I knew vegan cheese was in the same category as meat replacements but Prof Campbell is quite strict & in the same camp as Dr Esselstyn/Dr McDougall whereas Dr Barnard is OK with vegan cheese and meat replacements especially as transition foods.


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## DFP

I'm also trying the aubergine bacon, but without the liquid smoke because I couldn't find it in the shops and can't be bothered, right now, to order online. I might do in the future, though. I also had to substitute honey for the maple syrup as I forgot to pick some up at the shops today.

I've also had a dig through my few, old rcipe books, and found what looks like a very nice recipe for a vegetable kofta using potatoes, carrots and parsnips. Only problem is, it's deep-fried, so not exactly healthy. But the recipe looks good, once in a blue moon a deep fried dish is okay.


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## Cleo38

ouesi said:


> I've not seen this one before, was just perusing, and found this. I like the easy "yes, no, sparingly" tabs, also found them quite interesting. For example according to this link, vegan cheese is a "no". I don't eat vegan cheese because I don't really care for it, but didn't realize it was a "no" food...
> http://nutritionstudies.org/whole-food-plant-based-diet-guide/


That's what I try to stick to. When I initially went vegan I did buy some vegan cheese & it was lovely, probably a really good choice when transitioning from my vegetarian diet. The next block I bought I used once on a pasta bake & then never used again, I actually remembered it yesterday & it was pretty mouldy so was binned (I hate binning food but this was not salvagable!). I've bought some grated vegan mozzarella for my pizza night but will put any unused stuff in the freezer for another time as I don't want to waste it.

I said previously that I loved cheese, all cheeses & I would eat cheese every single day, Christmas was like a big cheese (& chocolate) festival for me except this year & I've honestly not missed it ..... as was proved by me forgetting about the packet in the fridge. I never thought I would be like this but I do believe that some foods are more 'addictive' & that once we stop we lose that constant craving for them


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## lymorelynn

Without me going through all of this very long thread, does anyone have a good recipe for a vegan cake, suitable for a birthday cake? My son (vegetarian) and his partner (vegan) are coming for dinner on Sunday to celebrate his birthday. I could make him a normal sponge cake as he will eat eggs and dairy but it wouldn't be fair if his girlfriend couldn't have any. I don't have problems doing main meals for them but I've never tried making a vegan cake.


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## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> They used that graphic on my course so I knew vegan cheese was in the same category as meat replacements but Prof Campbell is quite strict & in the same camp as Dr Esselstyn/Dr McDougall whereas Dr Barnard is OK with vegan cheese and meat replacements especially as transition foods.


I dont think I could be as strict as all that! Im happy being 80-90% WFPB...I just need a little bit of junk in my diet!LOL
For example lunch today-mug of homemade veggie soup, bean and spinach wrap, orange and kiwi. Sounds good but there was a couple of tbsp of coconut milk in the soup and some vegan mayo in the bean filling so I could say that that was bad but Im quite happy that it was a pretty health lunch!



lymorelynn said:


> I've never tried making a vegan cake.


me either! I usually stick with things like flapjacks and oat muffins, stuff that doesnt really need eggs.


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## Teddy-dog

catz4m8z said:


> I dont think I could be as strict as all that! Im happy being 80-90% WFPB...I just need a little bit of junk in my diet!LOL
> For example lunch today-mug of homemade veggie soup, bean and spinach wrap, orange and kiwi. Sounds good but there was a couple of tbsp of coconut milk in the soup and some vegan mayo in the bean filling so I could say that that was bad but Im quite happy that it was a pretty health lunch!


I agree with you! I don't think I could be that strict either, I do like a little junk food. Though I've only just starting completely cutting out diary and cheese so I am find meat substitutes etc useful, though I haven't tried vegan cheese yet! I think I will at some point as I really liked cheese and I used to always have it for lunch...


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## Teddy-dog

lymorelynn said:


> Without me going through all of this very long thread, does anyone have a good recipe for a vegan cake, suitable for a birthday cake? My son (vegetarian) and his partner (vegan) are coming for dinner on Sunday to celebrate his birthday. I could make him a normal sponge cake as he will eat eggs and dairy but it wouldn't be fair if his girlfriend couldn't have any. I don't have problems doing main meals for them but I've never tried making a vegan cake.


Oooh i don't know the recipe but I had a vegan raspberry chocolate cake the other week and it was so yummy! I meant to ask for the recipe but forgot  Perhaps look into something like that?


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## lymorelynn

Teddy-dog said:


> Oooh i don't know the recipe but I had a vegan raspberry chocolate cake the other week and it was so yummy! I meant to ask for the recipe but forgot  Perhaps look into something like that?


That sounds delicious!


----------



## Guest

@lymorelynn I've made an almond cake that is vegan and very good. If I can make it it's definitely doable  (I am not a baker!!)

https://www.thebuddhistchef.com/recipe/almond-cake/

He also has a chocolate cake on there that looks yummy 
https://www.thebuddhistchef.com/recipe/vegan-chocolat-cake/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

lymorelynn said:


> Without me going through all of this very long thread, does anyone have a good recipe for a vegan cake, suitable for a birthday cake? My son (vegetarian) and his partner (vegan) are coming for dinner on Sunday to celebrate his birthday. I could make him a normal sponge cake as he will eat eggs and dairy but it wouldn't be fair if his girlfriend couldn't have any. I don't have problems doing main meals for them but I've never tried making a vegan cake.


I don't sorry but @Jonescat does make vegan cakes so hopefully she will see this and be able to help.


----------



## LinznMilly

Teddy-dog said:


> Oooh i don't know the recipe but I had a vegan raspberry chocolate cake the other week and it was so yummy! I meant to ask for the recipe but forgot  Perhaps look into something like that?





lymorelynn said:


> That sounds delicious!


I've found a chocolate berry cake:

https://www.veganrecipeclub.org.uk/recipes/chocolate-berry-cake

This one looks nice, too;

https://www.veganrecipeclub.org.uk/recipes/fruity-dairy-free-cheesecake


----------



## lymorelynn

Thank you all. I found a few recipes online but I'm a bit wary in case they're horrible.


----------



## Guest

lymorelynn said:


> Thank you all. I found a few recipes online but I'm a bit wary in case they're horrible.


I can personally attest that the Almond Cake is not horrible. It's really lovely. I've made it a couple of times, once with the full coconut oil requirement, another time halving it with applesauce. Both were delicious. You really can't screw this one up


----------



## Guest

Cleo38 said:


> That's what I try to stick to. When I initially went vegan I did buy some vegan cheese & it was lovely, probably a really good choice when transitioning from my vegetarian diet. The next block I bought I used once on a pasta bake & then never used again, I actually remembered it yesterday & it was pretty mouldy so was binned (I hate binning food but this was not salvagable!). I've bought some grated vegan mozzarella for my pizza night but will put any unused stuff in the freezer for another time as I don't want to waste it.
> 
> I said previously that I loved cheese, all cheeses & I would eat cheese every single day, Christmas was like a big cheese (& chocolate) festival for me except this year & I've honestly not missed it ..... as was proved by me forgetting about the packet in the fridge. I never thought I would be like this but I do believe that some foods are more 'addictive' & that once we stop we lose that constant craving for them


Yes, I think the vegan replacement foods are good transition foods, especially if WFPB eating is very different from how you were eating before. But I do think there is benefit in phasing them out entirely at some point.

I've tried a couple vegan cheeses and they all taste horrible to me. I just quit cheese the whole way. I don't miss it at all.

I do miss ice cream though. Not the dairy, I know how much better I feel without dairy so I can easily say no to dairy ice cream knowing I won't feel well after eating it. But Ben and Jerry's vegan ice cream with coconut milk... Oh yum! I have a very functional sweet tooth that I can usually satisfy with figs, dates, raisins etc., but after I ran a half marathon, I also indulged in some B&J and it was totally worth it  Fortunately it's not easy to find in this area and more expensive than I'd like to pay so it's not a very common treat for me!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> I dont think I could be as strict as all that! Im happy being 80-90% WFPB...I just need a little bit of junk in my diet!LOL
> For example lunch today-mug of homemade veggie soup, bean and spinach wrap, orange and kiwi. Sounds good but there was a couple of tbsp of coconut milk in the soup and some vegan mayo in the bean filling so I could say that that was bad but Im quite happy that it was a pretty health lunch!
> 
> .





Teddy-dog said:


> I agree with you! I don't think I could be that strict either, I do like a little junk food. Though I've only just starting completely cutting out diary and cheese so I am find meat substitutes etc useful, though I haven't tried vegan cheese yet! I think I will at some point as I really liked cheese and I used to always have it for lunch...


Most people do start out using substitutes but don't forget people are vegan for many different reasons. If you are doing it for ethical reasons then vegan cheese, meat substitutes and fake mayo/yoghurt are going to appeal but if you are doing WFPB for health reasons (or a combination of the two plus the whole environmental issue) then most find they gradually shift away from the unhealthier plant foods towards the more nutritious food. Doesn't mean you can never have a spoon of vegan mayo if it enhances a particular meal, it just shouldn't feature that regularly/highly. For me it wasn't a case of actively deciding I don't want to eat vegan cheese or cakes or crisps it was more that I want to eat as much of the healthy stuff as I can in a day so why waste a meal or a snack on stuff that isn't doing me any good. I'd far rather eat a handful of nuts with some fruit than crisps.

Its sort of going back to the calorie debate. Counting calories doesn't teach you much about nutrition. What can we get for a snack for around 200 calories?

30g (handful) of walnuts (200)
1 avacado (240)
2 bananas (200)
1 small bag of walkers crisps (132)
1 slice of Victoria sponge cake (229)
1 chocolate iced doughnut ring (212)

not a lot of difference in calories but a world of difference in micro nutrients/fibre in the top 3 and harmful fats/sugar/salt that the bottom 3. The top 3 will also keep you feeling full for longer. Real food V fake food, nutrition V junk yet around the same calories


----------



## lymorelynn

ouesi said:


> I can personally attest that the Almond Cake is not horrible. It's really lovely. I've made it a couple of times, once with the full coconut oil requirement, another time halving it with applesauce. Both were delicious. You really can't screw this one up


Quick question - what is all purpose flour? Is that what we call plain flour or self-raising?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Yes, I think the vegan replacement foods are good transition foods, especially if WFPB eating is very different from how you were eating before. But I do think there is benefit in phasing them out entirely at some point.
> 
> I've tried a couple vegan cheeses and they all taste horrible to me. I just quit cheese the whole way. I don't miss it at all.
> 
> I do miss ice cream though. Not the dairy, I know how much better I feel without dairy so I can easily say no to dairy ice cream knowing I won't feel well after eating it. But Ben and Jerry's vegan ice cream with coconut milk... Oh yum! I have a very functional sweet tooth that I can usually satisfy with figs, dates, raisins etc., but after I ran a half marathon, I also indulged in some B&J and it was totally worth it  Fortunately it's not easy to find in this area and more expensive than I'd like to pay so it's not a very common treat for me!


Have you tried the forks over knives recipe for vegan ice cream using frozen banana/frozen black cherries and some almond milk? We found it really sweet and way nicer than we expected it to be.


----------



## Guest

lymorelynn said:


> Quick question - what is all purpose flour? Is that what we call plain flour or self-raising?


Yes, regular flour (not self-rising). Just plain white flour.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Have you tried the forks over knives recipe for vegan ice cream using frozen banana/frozen black cherries and some almond milk? We found it really sweet and way nicer than we expected it to be.


Oh yes, we keep frozen bananas in the freezer all the time in the summer to make banana "ice cream." It's lovely. We make it with all sorts of variations. Just plain bananas, plant milk, and a drop or two of vanilla makes for a real "ice cream" flavor treat. Topped with nuts and dried fruits, yum!


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> but if you are doing WFPB for health reasons (or a combination of the two plus the whole environmental issue) then most find they gradually shift away from the unhealthier plant foods towards the more nutritious food.


I tend to avoid replacement foods because of the environmental impact as much as the health one. That and I just like whole food better


----------



## Paddypaws

Nettles said:


> Sorry for the daft question but I'm a super fussy eater.. What could I use instead of coconut milk for a chickpea curry? Really can't abide coconut.. it's all I can taste above everything else :Hungover And it's in every flipping recipe I've found.


cashew paste?


----------



## catz4m8z

ouesi said:


> Oh yes, we keep frozen bananas in the freezer all the time in the summer to make banana "ice cream." It's lovely.


Its lovely....if you like bananas! I tried making ice cream with bananas but I just couldnt get over the mulched banana aspect, no matter what flavours you put with it you can still taste it. I dont mind eating a banana every once and a while and they are nice in cakes but smooshed raw banana just tastes weird to me.
I suppose this means Im destined not to be a smoothie fan!LOL:Shy


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Interesting article about the nutrition/exercise ratio for weight loss - though about posting it in the other weight loss/fitness thread too but don't want to be antagonistic so if anyone else feels it is appropriate to share with non plant based eaters please feel free to post it 

http://nutritionstudies.org/healthy-weight-loss-80-nutrition-20-exercise/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

And another interesting article from CNS this time about fruit sugar and whether a lot of fruit is bad for diabetics or bad for weight loss etc

http://nutritionstudies.org/healthy...se/nutritionstudies.org/sugary-fruit-healthy/

just a small paragraph from the article

There are several proposed mechanisms by which fruit seems to help control weight, including high nutrient content but perhaps more importantly modulating the gut microbiome and providing prolonged satiety (feeling fuller for longer) leading to decreased overall calorie intake.[8] A fascinating 2009 trial from Pennsylvania State University compared the effect of apple, apple sauce, apple juice or apple juice with added fiber on energy energy intake. The whole apple led to increased fullness and decreased energy intake, even compared to apple juice + fiber.[9] This trial agrees with Professor Campbell's stance of wholism versus reductionism. In other words the benefits of a piece of fruit can not be replicated by isolating individual components e.g. vitamins, minerals, fiber.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

And one more from CNS - a new webinar with Prof T Colin Campbell of the China Study/Whole - he is such an interesting man but be warned he may well discuss his animal studies - not sure as I haven't watched it yet but will try to this weekend.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Interesting article about the nutrition/exercise ratio for weight loss - though about posting it in the other weight loss/fitness thread too but don't want to be antagonistic so if anyone else feels it is appropriate to share with non plant based eaters please feel free to post it
> 
> http://nutritionstudies.org/healthy-weight-loss-80-nutrition-20-exercise/


Two things that resonate for me, one "you can't exercise your way out of a bad diet." This is more true as you get older, in my 20's I could get away with it, now in my 40s not so much.

The other epiphany for me was McDougall's "the fat you eat is the fat you wear." I've definitely found that to be true.

Though I have to emphasize, it's not about the weight loss. Yes, I've lost the extra pounds I was carrying around this time last year, but for me eating WFPB is not about being a certain weight, it's about having the energy and vitality to do the things I love to do, one of which happens to be running


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lovely 10 min relaxing Tai Chi video @LinznMilly and anyone else who is interested. I can't believe I can do most of it apart from the windmill bit where he stands on one leg towards the end which I will need to practice as my balance is rubbish :Shy


----------



## Teddy-dog

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Most people do start out using substitutes but don't forget people are vegan for many different reasons. If you are doing it for ethical reasons then vegan cheese, meat substitutes and fake mayo/yoghurt are going to appeal but if you are doing WFPB for health reasons (or a combination of the two plus the whole environmental issue) then most find they gradually shift away from the unhealthier plant foods towards the more nutritious food. Doesn't mean you can never have a spoon of vegan mayo if it enhances a particular meal, it just shouldn't feature that regularly/highly. For me it wasn't a case of actively deciding I don't want to eat vegan cheese or cakes or crisps it was more that I want to eat as much of the healthy stuff as I can in a day so why waste a meal or a snack on stuff that isn't doing me any good. I'd far rather eat a handful of nuts with some fruit than crisps.
> 
> Its sort of going back to the calorie debate. Counting calories doesn't teach you much about nutrition. What can we get for a snack for around 200 calories?
> 
> 30g (handful) of walnuts (200)
> 1 avacado (240)
> 2 bananas (200)
> 1 small bag of walkers crisps (132)
> 1 slice of Victoria sponge cake (229)
> 1 chocolate iced doughnut ring (212)
> 
> not a lot of difference in calories but a world of difference in micro nutrients/fibre in the top 3 and harmful fats/sugar/salt that the bottom 3. The top 3 will also keep you feeling full for longer. Real food V fake food, nutrition V junk yet around the same calories


Very good point! I'm trying not to change a whole load at first going from veggie to vegan so am sticking with the meat subs etc. But when I'm more used to eating plant based foods I might look at cutting stuff out.
Just not making it too hard yet


----------



## Jonescat

@lymorelynn sorry I am late - I have been at the vet amongst other things - but what kind of cake are you after?

The chocolate raspberry cake is almost certainly this one - I have done it and it works - finish it off with freeze dried raspberry bits and Lidl do a vegan raspberry choclate bar that is great in the icing
https://www.vegansociety.com/resources/recipes/cakes-desserts/raspberry-chocolate-cake

This one is completely different, easy, but they probably won't have had it before. You can get mango puree in the supermarkets in huge cans in the world foods bit, and 1 big can makes two cakes (the puree does freeze or you can have lassi) - it does say cupcakes but its easy to make a cake out of it
https://holycowvegan.net/mango-cupcakes-with-mango-buttercream/

But if you want something else just shout and I'll see if I have a recipe


----------



## lymorelynn

Thanks @Jonescat - the chocolate and raspberry one sounds good. He likes chocolate cake. Can I use something like an olive oil spread for the vegan margarine in the recipe?
We have a small chocolate shop in Lymington where I might find some vegan chocolate - I won't have time to go to Lidl.


----------



## Jonescat

Yes you can use olive oil spread if it is vegan - I use rapeseed oil a lot because it makes cakes a lovely yellow colour but obviously that won't make any difference to a chocolate cake. It is quite a big cake


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## lymorelynn

Thanks - I'll post a photo of the result (unless it's a disaster )


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Quite an interesting article about calorie density although this guy is a young Type 1 Diabetic

https://www.mangomannutrition.com/calorie-density-plant-based-diets/

*Calorie Density: The #1 Reason Why People Abandon Plant-Based Diets*

The truth is, the #1 reason why many people fail to develop a sustainable and long-term approach to plant-based nutrition…


is not because they didn't eat enough protein
is not because they needed more chicken
is not because their body was asking for yogurt
…but likely because they simply didn't eat enough _calories_.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Quite an interesting article about calorie density although this guy is a young Type 1 Diabetic
> 
> https://www.mangomannutrition.com/calorie-density-plant-based-diets/
> 
> *Calorie Density: The #1 Reason Why People Abandon Plant-Based Diets*
> 
> The truth is, the #1 reason why many people fail to develop a sustainable and long-term approach to plant-based nutrition…
> 
> 
> is not because they didn't eat enough protein
> is not because they needed more chicken
> is not because their body was asking for yogurt
> …but likely because they simply didn't eat enough _calories_.


Was for sure my experience. 
In the past when I tried to go vegan, I was still 'afraid' of carbs, so any rice, potatoes, pasta, etc. I ate sparingly. And yup, in hindsight, I wasn't getting enough calories. For me that meant falling off the wagon and eating entire cheese pizzas. Me thinking I needed the protein in the cheese. Nope, I just needed calories.

This time I'm not shying away from whole grains and starches and I feel amazing.

Breakfast today was supposed to be steel cut oats. I made what I thought was a huge pot of oatmeal (which BTW smells lovely as it's cooking), let it sit while I put in a load of laundry, came back to find teenage son polishing off all but a tiny portion. "I left you some mom." enguin


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Was for sure my experience.
> In the past when I tried to go vegan, I was still 'afraid' of carbs, so any rice, potatoes, pasta, etc. I ate sparingly. And yup, in hindsight, I wasn't getting enough calories. For me that meant falling off the wagon and eating entire cheese pizzas. Me thinking I needed the protein in the cheese. Nope, I just needed calories.
> 
> This time I'm not shying away from whole grains and starches and I feel amazing.
> 
> Breakfast today was supposed to be steel cut oats. I made what I thought was a huge pot of oatmeal (which BTW smells lovely as it's cooking), let it sit while I put in a load of laundry, came back to find teenage son polishing off all but a tiny portion. "I left you some mom." enguin


I know that feeling. Yesterday I was running late so it was about 5 pm by the time I'd made my favourite bean soup for my lunch. OH got in from work having had eaten all of his lunch (food flask with rice, chickpeas & mix of veggies plus a chunk of bread, a bag of mixed nuts and a bunch of grapes) just as I was serving up my soup and took a huge portion leaving hardly any for today so I will have to make more  He is like a bottomless pit and eats so much yet has dropped weight down to his teenage weight which is pretty good given he is 60 soon.


----------



## LinznMilly

Another Tai Chi video for beginners:


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Another Tai Chi video for beginners:


How is the chest strain getting along? Have you managed to try another session? I'm really enjoying exercising and relaxing at the same time, OH has been joining in too


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> How is the chest strain getting along? Have you managed to try another session? I'm really enjoying exercising and relaxing at the same time, OH has been joining in too


The pain is gone, and I've just tried the video I linked to, thanks  . I think I prefer that one, tbh.


----------



## Guest

Just got back from a long run and was ravenous. Not a whole lot in the pantry, so I just started dumping stuff in a pot :Hilarious
Jar of salsa, can of lentils, can of black eyed peas, bag of frozen peas, bag of frozen corn and then I dumped the last of the quinoa in too. Simmered it all until the quinoa started to open up, then added some fresh spinach and let that wilt. 
Scooped up a giant bowl, added some nutritional yeast. I don't know if it was because I was ravenous, or what but it tasted great! And there is a ton of it, if I can keep the kids out of it, I'll have lunch for a few days this week.


----------



## lymorelynn

Thank you @Jonescat for the link to the chocolate and raspberry cake. I made a couple of adaptations and the result is this 








I had piece from where I had levelled the top and have to say it is delicious - chocolate and orange. I may never make a normal cake again!


----------



## Elles

I started to put on weight. It was the lovely creamy, oat milk coffee.  If you make your coffees with just hot oat milk, you can get your daily calorie intake in a couple of mugs. Can you send me some of your cake? In for a penny, in for a few pounds. :Hungry


----------



## Guest

Broccoli "cheddar" soup:










Not sure on amounts...
About 2 pounds of red potatoes
One bunch of celery
One onion
5 carrots 
Chop it all up, and cook in veggie stock (half cover the veggies and put the lid on) until potatoes soften. 
Transfer it all to the blender and blend. At this point season, I added salt, garlic, and red pepper flakes. 
Back to pot, add broccoli and cook until broccoli is done. 
It's really creamy and thick, but there is no added dairy, no oil, just veggies. So good!


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## Jonescat

lymorelynn said:


> chocolate and orange.


Hmm -did you use marmalade? What a good idea! It looks yummy.

Meanwhile, tea last night was tomato and porcini risotto, and wilted spinach with mushrooms.. The juice in the picture is just the liquid from the spinach and mushroom, not fat! Very low fat indeed It is white rice because much as I like wholegrain rice, I think it makes a bad risotto if you are after the creaminess of the original style and not using cheese/butter. Adapted very easily from a River Cafe recipe.


----------



## lymorelynn

Jonescat said:


> did you use marmalade?


I did  My husband asked if I'd been eating his marmalade when he had breakfast this morning  I told him it was in the cake 
I was rather wary as the mixture looked more like batter than cake mix but it cooked beautifully - I don't think I've ever had a cake rise like it before, very impressed. My local sweet shop had a huge variety of vegan chocolate bars and I was spoilt for choice - went for orange with sage, which sounded different but is delicious.
We'll be having the cake later today so I'll let you know the verdict from the family 
ETA - a definite success :Happy


----------



## Nettles

Quick question.. I decided to give nutritional yeast a try. The recipe I was following for leek and potato soup said “add some nutritional yeast for flavour” but didn’t say how much... so I heaped two tablespoons into the pot. I couldn’t really taste that much difference tbh, but oh holy moley they smell :Hungover I had to keep the bowl at arms length to eat it. Have I used too much?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Nettles said:


> Quick question.. I decided to give nutritional yeast a try. The recipe I was following for leek and potato soup said "add some nutritional yeast for flavour" but didn't say how much... so I heaped two tablespoons into the pot. I couldn't really taste that much difference tbh, but oh holy moley they smell :Hungover I had to keep the bowl at arms length to eat it. Have I used too much?


Depends on the quantity of soup really, I've never added it to soup so not sure how much I would use. On a pasta meal I start off with about a teaspoon sprinkled over the top then add more if I want it (which I usually do). I have added it to the blender when making pesto and used a quarter of a cup in US measurements but as I'm not at home at the moment I can't tell you what that would be in tablespoons, probably a couple I would think. However pesto has other strong flavours such as basil whereas leek and potato are relatively mild flavours so I guess yes you probably used a bit too much


----------



## Cleo38

Finally did the aubergine bacon this morning & it was bloody lovely! I'd dropped my car off at the garage for a service & ran back. It's only 2.2 miles but apart from the initial short warm up walk I ran it all which I was very proud of myself for doing.

So I treated myself to an aubergine 'bacon' sandwich with grilled mushrooms, spinach & tomato sauce on wholemeal bread..... soooo nice. No pics as I was too hungry to stop & do that & couldn't wait to start stuffing my face ... not even any for the dogs despite them doing their best RSPCA faces


----------



## Nettles

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Depends on the quantity of soup really, I've never added it to soup so not sure how much I would use. On a pasta meal I start off with about a teaspoon sprinkled over the top then add more if I want it (which I usually do). I have added it to the blender when making pesto and used a quarter of a cup in US measurements but as I'm not at home at the moment I can't tell you what that would be in tablespoons, probably a couple I would think. However pesto has other strong flavours such as basil whereas leek and potato are relatively mild flavours so I guess yes you probably used a bit too much


Oops. It wasn't a huge batch (about 4 large bowls)








but had a lot more onion than I would normally use, plus garlic and smoked paprika which I've never added before, so isn't as mild flavoured as my usual leek and potato soup normally is.
I'll give it another go on tonight's spicy pasta and see if that's any better.


----------



## DFP

I'm cooking mushroom stew in the slow cooker for tonight. The vegetable kofta I made yesterday was fab, will definitely cook it again, but I might flatten the kofta mix into patties and shallow fry in spray oil, to be healthier.


----------



## Guest

DFP said:


> I'm cooking mushroom stew in the slow cooker for tonight. The vegetable kofta I made yesterday was fab, will definitely cook it again, but I might flatten the kofta mix into patties and shallow fry in spray oil, to be healthier.


Yummmmmm
I don't come to this thread very often, but now I want slow cooked mushroom stew!!


----------



## DFP

The recipe's for mushroom cobbler, I'm just leaving out the scones. Though I may throw a bit of puff pastry on the top, as I have some shop-bought stuff left over from a previous day that needs using up.


----------



## Magyarmum

DFP said:


> The recipe's for mushroom cobbler, I'm just leaving out the scones. Though I may throw a bit of puff pastry on the top, as I have some shop-bought stuff left over from a previous day that needs using up.


Snap! I made a "meat" pie last night for dinner which is basically a mushroom stew with puff pastry on the top. I make it with chunks of portobello mushrooms and put red wine, plus yeast extract in mine to give it a "meaty" flavour. I had it with home grown potatoes and fresh broccoli.


----------



## Cleo38

DFP said:


> The recipe's for mushroom cobbler, I'm just leaving out the scones. Though I may throw a bit of puff pastry on the top, as I have some shop-bought stuff left over from a previous day that needs using up.


Oh now that sounds lovely!!!


----------



## Cleo38

As I was working from home today I had a bit more time to do some cooking (hence the lovely breakfast). So for dinner tonight I had a sort of lasagne type dish but made with thinly sliced potatoes (as they needed using) rather than pasta sheets.
I made a sauce with tinned tomatoes, garlic, chilli & harissa seasoning then added fried onions, mushrooms & courgettes.
I layered it (with spinach as well) then added a small amount of grated vegan mozzarella on top & baked.
Was so nice! I had a huge portion with spring greens & peas & feel stuffed now.
Looks a bit of a dollop on the plate but tasted alot nicer than it looks


----------



## Guest

I got some cooking done yesterday. Have a lovely bean/quinoa/veggie stew 
Then I made some eggplant with cumin and garlic, caramelized some onions in balsamic vinegar, and cooked up some thin slices of bell pepper. Threw the whole thing together with some fresh spinach. The eggplant gave it a "meaty" feel. Kids ate it in tacos with black beans and rice. OH and I ate it over rice, yum!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

We're away for a few days break in Dartmoor. I make double of some meals and freeze them so I've got at least 4 or 5 in the freezer to bring when we come away which saves me thinking about what to cook and whether I've got everything I need here in the way of ingredients. We've had a chilli & rice, a soya bean goulash with baked potatoes and broccoli/kale, chickpea burgers with spicy potato wedges and salad and still have a chickpea curry & rice for tomorrow. Also made a big batch of bean & veg soup so we have something warm to come home to after freezing cold walks out on the moor. Banana and walnut sandwiches are my new favourite thing too 

Lovely to see so many people enjoying making plant based meals.


----------



## Guest

I keep forgetting to post my dinners.

Tonight was a very yummy throw-together of balsamic roasted mushrooms and tomatoes, with lightly fried sweet potato and black beans. And I've got leftovers for lunch tomorrow :Smug


----------



## Guest

Cleo38 said:


> Finally did the aubergine bacon this morning & it was bloody lovely! I'd dropped my car off at the garage for a service & ran back. It's only 2.2 miles but apart from the initial short warm up walk I ran it all which I was very proud of myself for doing.
> 
> So I treated myself to an aubergine 'bacon' sandwich with grilled mushrooms, spinach & tomato sauce on wholemeal bread..... soooo nice. No pics as I was too hungry to stop & do that & couldn't wait to start stuffing my face ... not even any for the dogs despite them doing their best RSPCA faces


I'm on a huge eggplant kick right now too. I'm really liking it on sandwiches. And yes, the "bacon" is a great sandwich filler!

I got that idea off FB, I have to say, there are some good recipes on FB and of course several that need a couple tweaks and are also great for a WFPB diet. 
Though I'm also bombarded with 'keto' recipes since apparently that too falls under healthy eating. Can't see how, the recipes seem to all be about cheese, eggs, cream, more cheese and a token chive. Even when I was eating cheese I sure didn't want that much of it!


----------



## Cleo38

ouesi said:


> I'm on a huge eggplant kick right now too. I'm really liking it on sandwiches. And yes, the "bacon" is a great sandwich filler!
> 
> I got that idea off FB, I have to say, there are some good recipes on FB and of course several that need a couple tweaks and are also great for a WFPB diet.
> Though I'm also bombarded with 'keto' recipes since apparently that too falls under healthy eating. Can't see how, the recipes seem to all be about cheese, eggs, cream, more cheese and a token chive. Even when I was eating cheese I sure didn't want that much of it!


Oh me too, this has made me realise that I don't use aubergines enough or in more exciting ways. I'm also really liking the harissa paste I bought so am thinking of this recipe next week as I have ingredients for a Thai green curry that need using first so maybe plan this next aubergine dish for the weekend .... looks lovely!

https://www.thevegspace.co.uk/recipe-harissa-roasted-chickpeas-and-aubergine-with-sweet-potato-mash/


----------



## Matrod

ouesi said:


> I'm on a huge eggplant kick right now too. I'm really liking it on sandwiches. And yes, the "bacon" is a great sandwich filler!
> 
> I got that idea off FB, I have to say, there are some good recipes on FB and of course several that need a couple tweaks and are also great for a WFPB diet.
> Though I'm also bombarded with 'keto' recipes since apparently that too falls under healthy eating. Can't see how, the recipes seem to all be about cheese, eggs, cream, more cheese and a token chive. Even when I was eating cheese I sure didn't want that much of it!


Me as well, I've never enjoyed it so much as I have lately, I'm planning an aubergine based curry for Saturday night, can't wait!


----------



## Magyarmum

Matrod said:


> Me as well, I've never enjoyed it so much as I have lately, I'm planning an aubergine based curry for Saturday night, can't wait!


I'm not a great lover of aubergine although I really like the "bacon". I forgot to mention that I did some slices of portobello "bacon" mushrooms which tasted good but next time I'll slice them thinner. For my next "trick" I'm going to try and make "bacon" from thin slices of courgette.

I was so cross this evening when I was cooking my dinner because I dropped a nearly full jar of Za'atar seasoning which smashed into smithereens on the tiles. One of my favourite spices and one I can only order from the UK. I do have the recipe to make it though but just the thought of it being wasted is annoying!


----------



## Guest

Magyarmum said:


> I'm not a great lover of aubergine although I really like the "bacon". I forgot to mention that I did some slices of portobello "bacon" mushrooms which tasted good but next time I'll slice them thinner. For my next "trick" I'm going to try and make "bacon" from thin slices of courgette.


Strangely I'm not a huge fan of the taste of aubergine, but my Italian grandmother taught me to salt it first, let it sit, then rinse the salt off. It's supposed to take the bitterness out. These last few batches I haven't salted the aubergine, just cooked the snot out of them, and that seemed to work too 

Courgette I love in all forms. One of my favorite ways to make it is stewed with onions tomatoes and okra. Yum! I bet "bacon" courgette would be even better than bacon aubergine.


----------



## Magyarmum

ouesi said:


> Strangely I'm not a huge fan of the taste of aubergine, but my Italian grandmother taught me to salt it first, let it sit, then rinse the salt off. It's supposed to take the bitterness out. These last few batches I haven't salted the aubergine, just cooked the snot out of them, and that seemed to work too
> 
> Courgette I love in all forms. One of my favorite ways to make it is stewed with onions tomatoes and okra. Yum! I bet "bacon" courgette would be even better than bacon aubergine.


I made some courgette "bacon" for lunch today. I used my potato peeler to make the slices and cooked them in my cast iron skillet. One thing I found is that if you're not using oil in the pan the slices need to be a little thicker other wise they break up when you're trying to turn them. They tasted lovely and I had most of mine in a BLT sandwich with a little hummus as well. I think I prefer them to aubergine "bacon".

I found this on one of my google searches and thought it looked interesting ....

https://cookieandkate.com/2014/how-to-make-coconut-bacon/

Tonight I had spaghetti with beans, kale, black olives and capers cooked in tomato sauce and a side salad of stir fry turnip and turnip greens ... very moorish!


----------



## Guest

Dinner tonight:









Veggie stew with lentils, bell pepper, spinach, mushrooms, eggplant, onion, garlic.
Seasoned with cumin, red pepper flakes, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Very yummy


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

That looks so colourful and tasty @ouesi

Another new film due for release in 2018 - this one about an amazing vegan marathon runner - short clip in the link below

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...9a13a5302-192763785&ct=t(24th_Oct_Newsletter)

She has been vegan for over 40 years


----------



## catz4m8z

Some tasty looking meals there!
Im giving up trying to be totally oil free, its too sad and depressing! I need my sunflower spread on toast and the occasional bit of vegan cheese.
I also caved last night and made chips but put a little bit of oil on them...which turned out to be a fail. They actually get crispier and crunchier if I bake them with just a little sprinkle of water on.

Treating myself to an Indian today too, probably full of bad things but Im freezing and possibly going into hibernation until the sun comes out so, meh.:Smug
TBH Im not as wholefoody as alot of people on this thread, for me it goes animal cruelty-->environment-->health. 
As long as no animals were harmed in the making of my dinner Im happy!:Happy


----------



## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> Im giving up trying to be totally oil free,


I thought it would be harder to go oil free than it has been. I still have a jar of very nice olive oil I use sparingly (probably once every two weeks or so) just 'cause I don't want it to go to waste, but for someone who used to use olive oil in every single meal I cook, I really don't miss it. The people I cook for don't seem to notice oil missing either.

Now, we do eat nuts and avocados fairly regularly. I think the protocols are different for heat disease patients, but in this house that's not an issue, and we're pretty active and just need those calories. In whole food form (and not too much) there is definitely room for the more fatty plant based foods.



catz4m8z said:


> TBH Im not as wholefoody as alot of people on this thread,


Meh, it's not a competition  
I'm with you on the motivation. Mine was originally kindness to animals and the environment, but I've come to believe in health in more holistic terms. My own personal health has consequences outside my own personal comfort.

Granted, my own personal comfort is a big motivator too. Yesterday I had a piece of very non whole food, non vegan birthday cake, and had heartburn about 30 minutes later, and then woke up today with a sore tonsil. Don't know how much the cake had to do with the tonsil, but in hindsight, eating the cake (which actually didn't taste as good as I was expecting) was not worth it. It will be easier to say no next time


----------



## Cleo38

catz4m8z said:


> Some tasty looking meals there!
> Im giving up trying to be totally oil free, its too sad and depressing! I need my sunflower spread on toast and the occasional bit of vegan cheese.
> I also caved last night and made chips but put a little bit of oil on them...which turned out to be a fail. They actually get crispier and crunchier if I bake them with just a little sprinkle of water on.
> 
> Treating myself to an Indian today too, probably full of bad things but Im freezing and possibly going into hibernation until the sun comes out so, meh.:Smug
> TBH Im not as wholefoody as alot of people on this thread, for me it goes animal cruelty-->environment-->health.
> As long as no animals were harmed in the making of my dinner Im happy!:Happy


I think we all do what we can, what we feel comfortable with & what suits us. For me that's not going completely oil free either, I use a small amount of vegan spread when I have toast & peanut butter or marmite, I also have the odd serving of vegan cheese & there is no way I am giving up dark chocolate, I don't eat much but what I do have I love every piece!

I am eating a lot better than previously, I have lost weight, feel better in myself & am also more active so am happy with my choices atm. It might be that I do make further changes but it's not something I'm thinking of atm. Am similar to you in that it's the animal cruelty thing that is foremost in my diet but then followed by health as I have had dangerously high blood pressure in the past & it scared me what could happen if it continued.


----------



## Guest

I've recently been made aware of a movement in the Christian community to eat what basically ends up being a WFPB diet. 
The Daniel Fast is based on the prophet Daniel's experiences as recorded in the bible. One of my friends who is a very devout Christian said her pastor encouraged the entire congregation to do this. She was telling me about what they can and can't eat and I was like "that's a whole food plant based diet!"

https://ultimatedanielfast.com/ultimate-daniel-fast-food-guidelines/

There seem to be several interpretations of it, some include oil, some don't. Some allow fish, others don't... But in general it's basically a WFPB diet. Pretty cool I thought, just another avenue to encourage personal, community, and environmental health


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I think it helps to look at the WFPB oil free thing as a spectrum (see the work of Dr Dean Ornish), its one you can move up and down, you don't have to hit a set point and stay there (as long as you don't have heart disease), go as far as you are happy going and to where you feel you can sustain the healthy changes you have made.  I aim to be as far along the spectrum as I can be and as I've done that my tastes have changed so much that I no longer enjoy food cooked in oil. I hardly eat toast anymore but when I do then I have a bit of vegan spread although I eat bread rolls with soup and dunk them so no fat required and when I make sandwiches which is not often I tend to use mashed banana so again no oil required. I will use a bit of sesame oil in a stir fry if I want to but we mainly get our fat from nuts/nut spreads/nut salad dressings etc. I don't see a problem with a square of plain chocolate now and then either as long as its not becoming a compulsion/addiction and you stay in control of when you have it. For me being WFPB is about health first and foremost, the ethical and environmental aspects are really important too but I could cover those bases by being vegan and still eating junk food which I'm just not into. Spring is coming and lighter nights/better weather so hopefully you can come out of hibernation @catz4m8z and move further back along the spectrum.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I've recently been made aware of a movement in the Christian community to eat what basically ends up being a WFPB diet.
> The Daniel Fast is based on the prophet Daniel's experiences as recorded in the bible. One of my friends who is a very devout Christian said her pastor encouraged the entire congregation to do this. She was telling me about what they can and can't eat and I was like "that's a whole food plant based diet!"
> 
> https://ultimatedanielfast.com/ultimate-daniel-fast-food-guidelines/
> 
> There seem to be several interpretations of it, some include oil, some don't. Some allow fish, others don't... But in general it's basically a WFPB diet. Pretty cool I thought, just another avenue to encourage personal, community, and environmental health


Looks good although I'd find the no bread much harder than no oil.


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## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Looks good although I'd find the no bread much harder than no oil.


Some versions allow whole grain bread


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## Jonescat

One of my favourite snacks is red lentil dhal on wholemeal toast. I learnt protein complementarity many years ago, before thinking moved on, and lots of the meals I made back then are still tasy and good, and as it happens nearly fat free.I have also moved to rape seed oil for the most part. Eating is very complicated and each move I make I try to balance health, environment and animal welfare concerns.


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## LinznMilly

Just catching up on this, as I've been busy with the Brexit thread lately.

@lymorelynn that cake looks gorgeous.

@ouesi , that veggie stew looks to die for!! :Hungry



catz4m8z said:


> TBH Im not as wholefoody as alot of people on this thread, for me it goes animal cruelty-->environment-->health.
> As long as no animals were harmed in the making of my dinner Im happy!:Happy


Ethical and environmental concerns are tops for me. Health is an added bonus.


----------



## Guest

LinznMilly said:


> @ouesi , that veggie stew looks to die for!! :Hungry


Not to toot my own horn, but I'm very proud of myself! It was delicious when I made it, and today, one day later, even better. The mushrooms and eggplant give it a "meaty" feel, and the flavors all together are delicious. I will definitely be making this one again!


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## Teddy-dog

We made a burrito bowl yesterday which was so yummy! Definitely one to be cooked again (in fact I'm having it for lunch as there was leftovers) 
Roasted buttersquash, corn on the cob, rice garnished with chillis and coriander, a mushed up avocado to make a sauce and refried beans made with garlic, paprika, tomatoes, chipotle paste, kidney beans and red wine vinegar  
Oh and lime wedge


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## Cleo38

That looks lovely @Teddy-dog, I love roasted butternut squash & could eat it every day. I keep meaning to have corn-on-the cob but every time I buy some I end up giving them to my chickens as they love it so much.


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## Teddy-dog

Cleo38 said:


> That looks lovely @Teddy-dog, I love roasted butternut squash & could eat it every day. I keep meaning to have corn-on-the cob but every time I buy some I end up giving them to my chickens as they love it so much.


Haha you must have some very happy chickens 

I never used to like corn on the cob. I always had been given tinned corn or frozen sweetcorn and I never liked it, then I started to have proper corn on the cob and I'm converted now!


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## Guest

It's a cold, raining morning here. Made a big pot of oatmeal with steel cut oats. Kitchen smells lovely, and hopefully this will get us all warmed up and ready to face the day  

Easy, simple, but good


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## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> Some tasty looking meals there!
> Im giving up trying to be totally oil free, its too sad and depressing! I need my sunflower spread on toast and the occasional bit of vegan cheese.
> I also caved last night and made chips but put a little bit of oil on them...which turned out to be a fail. They actually get crispier and crunchier if I bake them with just a little sprinkle of water on.
> 
> Treating myself to an Indian today too, probably full of bad things but Im freezing and possibly going into hibernation until the sun comes out so, meh.:Smug
> TBH Im not as wholefoody as alot of people on this thread, for me it goes animal cruelty-->environment-->health.
> As long as no animals were harmed in the making of my dinner Im happy!:Happy


If it's any consolation I'm not as wholefoody as many on this thread either and doubt whether I'll ever be. My problem is that many of the food products available in Hungary are imported from other East European countries, mainly Poland and are labelled in that language which I don't understand. It makes for difficult label reading and I'm fairly certain sometimes I eat things that I shouldn't! The other difficulty is that the supermarket staff don't seem to be clear about the differences between, gluten/lactose free and vegetarian/vegan and particularly when you go to the chilled food counter you'll find for example, the bio cheese and milk are all muddled up with the vegan ones! It always makes me laugh because in Tesco you'll find the hummus alongside ham and cheese sandwiches and pre-prepared meals?

I do use oil .. sunflower/grapeseed/olive oil as well as coconut oil for cooking but have made a real effort to only use the minimum. Since discovering Buckwheat "milk" I no longer have dairy. Eggs and cheese I've never liked and apart from a sprinkling on pasta and the occasional cheese and tomato toasty. Where I do fall down is with yoghourt which I love as my after dinner pudding. Alpro are the only company who seem to market the dairy free ones, but they're made with soy which I can't tolerate. I'm trying to kick the habit by eating fruit or something like semolina pudding but I'm finding it hard going.

Last night I had arborio rice with home made sun dried tomatoes and Mauritian Red Kidney bean and mushroom Rougaille.










Today I went shopping to Tesco and stocked up with Kale, Spinach Broccolli and Bok Choy. Avos and Mangoes are so expensive at the moment I gave them a miss and bought strawberries, grapes and pears instead. I also bought 2 Schnitzels made by a Dutch company called Vivera. I had one tonight with spicy potatoes, peppers, carrots and cabbage. I was actually surprised because it tasted and had the texture of chicken and I really enjoyed it. Not that I shall be buying it too often because they cost £3.50, something I didn't discover until after I paid!

https://www.vivera.com/en/assortment


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## Cleo38

Just seen something on FB regarding kale 'crisps' (dehydrated kale basically) & wondered if anyone here had a dehydrator or tried doing their own dehydrated veggies as well as fruit. I have one for the dogs which I use all the time making treats out of all manner of disgusting things but I wouldn't put anything of mine in there as it is obviously full of animal fat. Tbh I've never thought about getting one for myself but maybe I should


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> Just seen something on FB regarding kale 'crisps' (dehydrated kale basically) & wondered if anyone here had a dehydrator or tried doing their own dehydrated veggies as well as fruit. I have one for the dogs which I use all the time making treats out of all manner of disgusting things but I wouldn't put anything of mine in there as it is obviously full of animal fat. Tbh I've never thought about getting one for myself but maybe I should


I'z gotta dehydrator which I use mainly to make treats for the dogs. Mine's a Sencor with 5 trays and is very easy to clean. Last summer I made sun dried tomatoes and I've also done bananas and apples. I haven't tried doing kale, but I'm pretty certain you can do it in the oven. Whenever I do roast veggies if I've got some I always add kale to the mix and it comes out really crispy. My favourite though is to throw a handful of cooked chickpeas in the oven and roast them until they're crisp!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> Just seen something on FB regarding kale 'crisps' (dehydrated kale basically) & wondered if anyone here had a dehydrator or tried doing their own dehydrated veggies as well as fruit. I have one for the dogs which I use all the time making treats out of all manner of disgusting things but I wouldn't put anything of mine in there as it is obviously full of animal fat. Tbh I've never thought about getting one for myself but maybe I should


Dr Greger is always raving about his dehydrator and all the stuff he does in it for snacks. His cookbook has a recipe for cheesy kale crisps

1 bunch kale thick stems removed
1/2 Cup/75g cashew nuts soaked for 3 hrs then drained
1/2 Cup/85g roasted red pepper
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp white miso paste (guess any paste would do)
1/4 tsp tumeric
1 tsp smoked paprika

Wash and dry very well the kale leaves. Blend 2 tablespoons water and the remaining ingredients until smooth (should be thick enough to coat the kale) if too thick add more water. Pour sauce onto kale and toss to coat. Bake at 180 c for 20 mins then remove any really crisp bits/turn remaining and bake for another 2-5 mins.


----------



## Cleo38

I haven't made any roasted chick peas yet, definitely on my list of things to try as they sound delicious.

Tonight's dinner was harissa glazed aubergine with a mix of roasted veg, lentils pinto beans, quinoa, onion, garlic, chilli & cumin .... was bloody lovely!


----------



## catz4m8z

Cleo38 said:


> I haven't made any roasted chick peas yet, definitely on my list of things to try as they sound delicious.


roasted chickpeas are lovely, but very moreish. I have tried to bake kale in the oven to get crisps but ended up with sad little burnt things!:Shy
I keep meaning to get a dehydrator though for dog treats, I really want to try sweet potato chews as Im pretty sure they would love those.

Super lazy today and I just made wraps for tea. (wholewheat wraps with hummus, homemade ratatouille, spinach and cucumber) very tasty!


----------



## lullabydream

@Cleo38 I am sure @Nettles does Kale in the oven as a snack...mentioned pages and pages ago on here but am sure if she's notified of this tag she will tell you how much she likes them.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Adorable vegan kids - full of energy and vitality and just look at them munching away on the raw veggies :Joyful


----------



## Guest

Soba noodle salad with red pepper, edamame beans and spring onions, with a tahini dressing. Yum!


----------



## Magyarmum

lullabydream said:


> @Cleo38 I am sure @Nettles does Kale in the oven as a snack...mentioned pages and pages ago on here but am sure if she's notified of this tag she will tell you how much she likes them.


I had roast vegetables for dinner last night which included some kale and tiny florets of broccoli in the mix. Both the broccoli and kale ended up really crispy and were absolutely delish! It set me off doing a google for recipes and I came up with these which I think I'm going to try. I've got plenty of time at the moment because it snowed heavily last night and is still snowing this morning, so I'm snowed in for the next few days!

https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/crispy-seasoned-vegetable-chips

https://blog.paleohacks.com/veggie-chips/#


----------



## Cleo38

Magyarmum said:


> I had roast vegetables for dinner last night which included some kale and tiny florets of broccoli in the mix. Both the broccoli and kale ended up really crispy and were absolutely delish! It set me off doing a google for recipes and I came up with these which I think I'm going to try. I've got plenty of time at the moment because it snowed heavily last night and is still snowing this morning, so I'm snowed in for the next few days!
> 
> https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/crispy-seasoned-vegetable-chips
> 
> https://blog.paleohacks.com/veggie-chips/#


Oooh, they sound lovely! Am definitely going to make some of these at the weekend


----------



## Phoenix Rising

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Adorable vegan kids - full of energy and vitality and just look at them munching away on the raw veggies :Joyful


I saw a thing online, parents feeding babies and kids a vegan diet can go to jail. This is for Italy.

"*The law proposes jail sentences of a year for raising a child on a vegan diet, up to four years if the child develops a permanent health problem and up to seven years if the child dies as a result"*

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/italy-law-vegan-diet_us_57ac4664e4b0db3be07d446b


----------



## Magyarmum

One of my grandsons was brought up on a vegan diet from birth. My DIL had been vegan since the age of 11 by her own choice and was very knowledgeable about eating a balanced diet. My grandson was lactose intolerant so from a few weeks old was fed on soya milk. He's now a healthy strapping 22 year old who's never suffered any illness in his life.

I have to admit though I would have been extremely worried had I felt she wasn't giving him a healthy diet and would definitely have said something about it. As I'd known her and her family several years before she and my son was married I was quite happy with the food he was being given and whenever he came to me I made sure he was given everything vegan.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Phoenix Rising said:


> I saw a thing online, parents feeding babies and kids a vegan diet can go to jail. This is for Italy.
> 
> "*The law proposes jail sentences of a year for raising a child on a vegan diet, up to four years if the child develops a permanent health problem and up to seven years if the child dies as a result"*
> 
> https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/italy-law-vegan-diet_us_57ac4664e4b0db3be07d446b


Yes we debated that nonsense on the forum at the time. It makes me laugh, feed your kids as much junk food as you like and nobody says anything but feed them healthy food and oh my god because there is no animal produce in it send the parents to prison. How many children suffer as a result of too much fast food or have deficiencies/health problems because of too few micronutrients and fibre? Work on any childrens ward and you will find lots of kids with skin, breathing and ear problems - a large percentage of which are relieved by removing dairy and/or eggs from their diet not to mention all the kids admitted with constipation because they never eat fruit, vegetables or wholegrain anything. PM examination of children killed in RTA's shows atherosclerotic build up in their arteries from around the age of 12 (streaks) with significant plaque present in young soldiers killed in action. Disgraceful.

Thankfully the British and American Dietetic Associations are more enlightened than the Italian politician.

*British Dietetic Association confirms well-planned vegan diets can support healthy living in people of all ages
*
https://www.bda.uk.com/news/view?id=179

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19562864


It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or *vegan* diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes.

A vegetarian diet can meet current recommendations for all of these nutrients. In some cases, supplements or fortified foods can provide useful amounts of important nutrients. An evidence- based review showed that vegetarian diets can be nutritionally adequate in pregnancy and result in positive maternal and infant health outcomes. The results of an evidence-based review showed that a vegetarian diet is associated with a lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease. Vegetarians also appear to have lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and lower rates of hypertension and type 2 diabetes than nonvegetarians. Furthermore, vegetarians tend to have a lower body mass index and lower overall cancer rates. Features of a vegetarian diet that may reduce risk of chronic disease include lower intakes of saturated fat and cholesterol and higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, soy products, fiber, and phytochemicals.


----------



## Phoenix Rising

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Yes we debated that nonsense on the forum at the time. It makes me laugh, feed your kids as much junk food as you like and nobody says anything but feed them healthy food and oh my god because there is no animal produce in it send the parents to prison. How many children suffer as a result of too much fast food or have deficiencies/health problems because of too few micronutrients and fibre? Work on any childrens ward and you will find lots of kids with skin, breathing and ear problems - a large percentage of which are relieved by removing dairy and/or eggs from their diet not to mention all the kids admitted with constipation because they never eat fruit, vegetables or wholegrain anything. PM examination of children killed in RTA's shows atherosclerotic build up in their arteries from around the age of 12 (streaks) with significant plaque present in young soldiers killed in action. Disgraceful.
> 
> Thankfully the British and American Dietetic Associations are more enlightened than the Italian politician.
> 
> *British Dietetic Association confirms well-planned vegan diets can support healthy living in people of all ages
> *
> https://www.bda.uk.com/news/view?id=179
> 
> https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19562864
> 
> 
> It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or *vegan* diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes.
> 
> A vegetarian diet can meet current recommendations for all of these nutrients. In some cases, supplements or fortified foods can provide useful amounts of important nutrients. An evidence- based review showed that vegetarian diets can be nutritionally adequate in pregnancy and result in positive maternal and infant health outcomes. The results of an evidence-based review showed that a vegetarian diet is associated with a lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease. Vegetarians also appear to have lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and lower rates of hypertension and type 2 diabetes than nonvegetarians. Furthermore, vegetarians tend to have a lower body mass index and lower overall cancer rates. Features of a vegetarian diet that may reduce risk of chronic disease include lower intakes of saturated fat and cholesterol and higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, soy products, fiber, and phytochemicals.


That's good news as I just seem to have reached the stage I'm not missing meat, not even chicken for sunday dinner! My food shops for the last couple of months have been entirely vegetarian and as I read cost of meat is going to double after brexit and dairy go up by 50% I've also started experimenting with replacing regular yoghurt with a dairy free, my normal flora spread with a vegan alternative. Having difficulty finding a non dairy milk I like in tea. Almond milk is out due to nut allergies, though I do like the oatily chocolate milk for hot chocolate ..and the regular (oatily milk) with porridge oats.

I have cheese sandwiches and egg mayo alot to take to work so finding alternatives for them is going to be a challenge I suspect. Any ideas to the best tasting vegan cheese? (must be nut free) I found a vegan egg replacer (powder) which probably makes scrambled egg ok but not sure it would work as egg mayo for sandwiches?


----------



## Guest

Phoenix Rising said:


> I saw a thing online, parents feeding babies and kids a vegan diet can go to jail. This is for Italy.
> 
> "*The law proposes jail sentences of a year for raising a child on a vegan diet, up to four years if the child develops a permanent health problem and up to seven years if the child dies as a result"*
> 
> https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/italy-law-vegan-diet_us_57ac4664e4b0db3be07d446b




Someone please slap me upside the head as I think my eyes have permanently rolled enguin

That article is 2 years old, and as far as I can tell the proposed law never passed and was dismissed as the ridiculousness that it was.

No one "forces" a vegan diet on a child any more than any other diet is "forced" on a child. 
Hey, here's an experiment. Take a toddler out in the garden and let them check out some ripe strawberries. Toddler will likely put said strawberries in their mouth and eat them. 
Take the same toddler out in the yard and let them play with some tame rabbits or pet chickens. Same toddler will not try and eat the rabbits or chickens but will want to play with them. 
That right there says a lot to me.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I loved watching those two little boys tucking into their snack of cucumber, red peppers and brussel sprouts - they didn't look they were being forced on them - on the other hand my OH was horrified when in someone's house to hear the parents telling a little toddler of about 2 to eat up his crisps like they were doing him some good 



Phoenix Rising said:


> That's good news as I just seem to have reached the stage I'm not missing meat, not even chicken for sunday dinner! My food shops for the last couple of months have been entirely vegetarian and as I read cost of meat is going to double after brexit and dairy go up by 50% I've also started experimenting with replacing regular yoghurt with a dairy free, my normal flora spread with a vegan alternative. Having difficulty finding a non dairy milk I like in tea. Almond milk is out due to nut allergies, though I do like the oatily chocolate milk for hot chocolate ..and the regular (oatily milk) with porridge oats.
> 
> I have cheese sandwiches and egg mayo alot to take to work so finding alternatives for them is going to be a challenge I suspect. Any ideas to the best tasting vegan cheese? (must be nut free) I found a vegan egg replacer (powder) which probably makes scrambled egg ok but not sure it would work as egg mayo for sandwiches?


Sorry I don't know about the vegan cheese as we don't eat any apart from a very occasional use of a third of a tub of vegan cream cheese to make a sauce for pasta. The only egg replacer I use is ground flaxseed mixed with water. Holland & Barrett do sell a vegan mayo which my OH tried when we first went WFPB but I don't think he liked it much - we tend to make our own dressings.


----------



## Team_Trouble

Hello everyone,

I must confess not to have kept up with this thread, so I have lots to read! My dad came back from the doctors recently and found that he is close to getting diabetes, so he and my mum had a big wake up call but they're feeling quite overwhelmed with it all. They want to eat more vegetables and natural food and cut out all processed food, which I think is great! But I think they are worried how to go about it because they still think WFPB food is alien and could never give up meat. 
They recently bought Chatterjee's four pillars book, which I thought I saw someone mention on here?
Anyway, any advice on helping devout meat eaters increase their plant intake and ditch the meat and dairy would be very welcome, and I apologise if I should have started a different thread just let me know.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

UK cancer doctor advising her patients to go plant based

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-3808c95ec4-192763785


----------



## Guest

KatieandOliver said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> I must confess not to have kept up with this thread, so I have lots to read! My dad came back from the doctors recently and found that he is close to getting diabetes, so he and my mum had a big wake up call but they're feeling quite overwhelmed with it all. They want to eat more vegetables and natural food and cut out all processed food, which I think is great! But I think they are worried how to go about it because they still think WFPB food is alien and could never give up meat.
> They recently bought Chatterjee's four pillars book, which I thought I saw someone mention on here?
> Anyway, any advice on helping devout meat eaters increase their plant intake and ditch the meat and dairy would be very welcome, and I apologise if I should have started a different thread just let me know.


One way to start is to just work on one meal a day being plant based. 
Forks over Knives website has some good plans to ease in to WFPB eating  
https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/#gs.uMXgOko


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

KatieandOliver said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> I must confess not to have kept up with this thread, so I have lots to read! My dad came back from the doctors recently and found that he is close to getting diabetes, so he and my mum had a big wake up call but they're feeling quite overwhelmed with it all. They want to eat more vegetables and natural food and cut out all processed food, which I think is great! But I think they are worried how to go about it because they still think WFPB food is alien and could never give up meat.
> They recently bought Chatterjee's four pillars book, which I thought I saw someone mention on here?
> Anyway, any advice on helping devout meat eaters increase their plant intake and ditch the meat and dairy would be very welcome, and I apologise if I should have started a different thread just let me know.


Yes I mentioned his book and although there are a couple of things I don't agree with him on about diet (meat and lower carbs) he does recommend lots of veggies (eat the rainbow) and ditching all processed foods and dairy. The book has helped me a lot with stress management/relaxation and some exercises which are helping with my back/knee/feet issues. His website is pretty good too with videos and podcasts. So whilst I would obviously prefer it if everyone went plant based I do think for those who won't this is a reasonable alternative as long as they keep the meat/fish intake lower and watch the saturated fat - he can be a bit free and easy with the olive oil which won't help with weight loss 

https://drchatterjee.com

Here is the rainbow chart to print off and get them to tick off

https://drchatterjee.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Rainbow-Chart.pdf

You could always try Dr Fuhrman's The End of Diabetes book which is really good and does still allow for a small intake of animal products in those who are resistant to total WFPB.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Another interesting looking film about vegan athletes - From the Ground Up - featuring Rich Roll and available on Amazon etc

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-3808c95ec4-192763785


----------



## Magyarmum

Phoenix Rising said:


> That's good news as I just seem to have reached the stage I'm not missing meat, not even chicken for sunday dinner! My food shops for the last couple of months have been entirely vegetarian and as I read cost of meat is going to double after brexit and dairy go up by 50% I've also started experimenting with replacing regular yoghurt with a dairy free, my normal flora spread with a vegan alternative. Having difficulty finding a non dairy milk I like in tea. Almond milk is out due to nut allergies, though I do like the oatily chocolate milk for hot chocolate ..and the regular (oatily milk) with porridge oats.
> 
> I have cheese sandwiches and egg mayo alot to take to work so finding alternatives for them is going to be a challenge I suspect. Any ideas to the best tasting vegan cheese? (must be nut free) I found a vegan egg replacer (powder) which probably makes scrambled egg ok but not sure it would work as egg mayo for sandwiches?


I've yet to find a vegan cheese I like because the one we get over here is made in Italy and is tasteless. I'm just hoping that Tesco start to sell more of their own vegan cheeses so I can see what they're like.

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-...ment&department=Cheese&sc_cmp=ppc*GHS+-+Groce

You can buy Hellmans vegan Mayonnaise which although I haven't tried it based on how nice their ordinary one is should be good https://www.hellmanns.com/ca/en/products/hellmann-s-vegan.html.

I've bought the Orgran Egg Replacer and there is a recipe for scrambled egg which might be worth trying to see whether it makes an acceptable egg mayo sandwich. http://www.orgran.com/recipes/recipe/vegan-easy-egg-scrambled-eggs/

As for the plant milk I love either the Buckwheat, Barley or Spelt milk made by "The Bridge". You can often find it on Amazon UK. There's also Pea milk which again I think you can buy on Amazon.


----------



## Paddypaws

https://www.drfuhrman.com/learn/library/articles/29/the-healthiest-anti-cancer-foods-g-bombs
Veganuary still rolling on for me, more or less! I picked up a sneaky takeaway on Sunday and although I asked for sag aloo the guy gave me chicken sag as that was always my usual order. I really didn't fancy the meat but did not want to waste the food and ended up just picking the chunks of chicken out. 
I am fully in love with Oatly products....the hard-to-find Barista milk is delicious in coffee and seems to be passable in tea too. The Oat creme fraiche works really well in soups and sauces and I believe they even sell oat milk custard if that's your thing.


----------



## Team_Trouble

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Adorable vegan kids - full of energy and vitality and just look at them munching away on the raw veggies :Joyful


I love this video  what great kids


----------



## Paddypaws

KatieandOliver said:


> I love this video  what great kids


I did see a rather sad post on the local vegan page from a mum asking for any other mums of vegan kids to network with. Apparently whenever her 4 year old meets new kids she asks if they are vegan too and mum feels so sad having to say NO all the time.


----------



## Cleo38

Paddypaws said:


> I did see a rather sad post on the local vegan page from a mum asking for any other mums of vegan kids to network with. Apparently whenever her 4 year old meets new kids she asks if they are vegan too and mum feels so sad having to say NO all the time.


Why would it matter what the other kids ate though? Apart from a couple of Indian kids at my infant school I was the only vegetarian & it really didn't bother me.


----------



## Paddypaws

Cleo38 said:


> EY SOUND LOVELY!
> 
> Why would it matter what the other kids ate though? Apart from a couple of Indian kids at my infant school I was the only vegetarian & it really didn't bother me.


I suppose it just felt a little sad thinking that this child was feeling left out or looking for kindred spirits.


----------



## Cleo38

Paddypaws said:


> I suppose it just felt a little sad thinking that this child was feeling left out or looking for kindred spirits.


I suppose for some people it might matter but it never really did for me, I was obsessed with horses & riding though so that was the first thing I ever asked anyone about! 

I know my nan worried that i would get picked on at school for being 'different' but unfortunately kids get picked on all sorts of reasons. I don't really remember people making a big deal out of it even though it wasn't very common at the time but then I suppose as children you are oblivious to lots of things & don't seem to get as annoyed or upset about comments as maybe you do when older


----------



## Guest

My kids come from a weirdo family, it's a very small community, everyone knows me because I work closely with the community and everyone knows I'm a weird tree hugging hippie mama married to a tatted up vegan policeman  
What's nice is that everyone also pretty much accepts me and in turn my kids. Our kids have their own brand of weird but no one really bats an eye about it.

Absolutely there are moments that are hard. Both kids have had incidents where you can tell being outsiders in one way or another is difficult for them, but at the end of the day, I'd rather my kids get used to not fitting in, than the other way around. Seems healthier somehow.


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> I suppose for some people it might matter but it never really did for me, I was obsessed with horses & riding though so that was the first thing I ever asked anyone about!
> 
> I know my nan worried that i would get picked on at school for being 'different' but unfortunately kids get picked on all sorts of reasons. I don't really remember people making a big deal out of it even though it wasn't very common at the time but then I suppose as children you are oblivious to lots of things & don't seem to get as annoyed or upset about comments as maybe you do when older


I'm quite sure when I first went to school at 4.5 years old I must have been a real pain in the butt to my teachers. I was the only one in the class that could read fluently and for the first year I was stuck at the back of the class reading Black Beauty or something similar, I was also left handed which was quite rare 70 years ago and none of the teachers knew how to cope with a left handed child especially when it came to writing or needlework.

On top of it all because I didn't like the school lunches I told the headmistress I was Jewish like some of the other girls who didn't attend morning prayers and brought sandwiches for lunch. I got away with that for a couple of months until the headmistress asked my mother if I would be staying off school for one of the Jewish holidays.

Did I get into trouble and shortly afterwards changed schools where the first thing I did was to inform the staff that I was a vegetarian! I think that lasted for around 6 months before I was discovered!


----------



## Guest

I just tried to search and see if that proposed law in Italy passed or not, but had to stop because of the number of articles and news stories warning against feeding children and infants a vegan diet. Ugh! 
Where are the articles warning against processed meats that we *know* cause cancer? Yet kids are raised on hot dogs and ham sandwiches and no one bats an eye?
What about the fact that soda companies like Pepsi and Coca Cola are allowed to advertise IN public schools and have vending machines again, on public funded property, in public schools? How is that not freaking people out. 

Ugh... should not have gone down that rabbit hole!! 
I'll have to do extra yoga this evening!


----------



## Matrod

Dinner tonight, roasted beetroot, onions, cauliflower & chickpeas with some salad, tomatoes, lemon, sumac & black onion seeds with a little olive oil, I had it with some homemade flatbread & hummus, it was scrumptious


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Wow - Daily Mail running a good news story about plant based diets

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-5387293/Going-VEGAN-prevent-diabetes.html

Going vegan can prevent overweight adults from developing type 2 diabetes, an 'important' new study has concluded.

Following a plant-based diet can boost insulin sensitivity - considered the driving factor of the potentially deadly condition, in fat people.

And scientists also found being vegan, which is soaring in popularity, can improve beta-cell function - which store and release insulin.

@KatieandOliver might be worth showing it to your Dad.


----------



## Team_Trouble

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Wow - Daily Mail running a good news story about plant based diets
> 
> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-5387293/Going-VEGAN-prevent-diabetes.html
> 
> Going vegan can prevent overweight adults from developing type 2 diabetes, an 'important' new study has concluded.
> 
> Following a plant-based diet can boost insulin sensitivity - considered the driving factor of the potentially deadly condition, in fat people.
> 
> And scientists also found being vegan, which is soaring in popularity, can improve beta-cell function - which store and release insulin.
> 
> @KatieandOliver might be worth showing it to your Dad.


Great, I will thanks! Unfortunately their paper of choice is the daily mail :Bag


----------



## Phoenix Rising

ouesi said:


> I just tried to search and see if that proposed law in Italy passed or not, but had to stop because of the number of articles and news stories warning against feeding children and infants a vegan diet. Ugh!
> Where are the articles warning against processed meats that we *know* cause cancer? Yet kids are raised on hot dogs and ham sandwiches and no one bats an eye?
> What about the fact that soda companies like Pepsi and Coca Cola are allowed to advertise IN public schools and have vending machines again, on public funded property, in public schools? How is that not freaking people out.
> 
> Ugh... should not have gone down that rabbit hole!!
> I'll have to do extra yoga this evening!


There was a program on UK TV about red meats being a Grade 1 Carcinogen and I've seen it reported in papers so was surprised to see a recent TV advert saying pork medallions were as healthy as chicken! Isn't Pork classed as a 'red meat'? I assumed so as bacon and sausages were in the list along with beef,lamb etc as Grade 1 Carcinogens?

I haven't had red meat for over 6 months so quite proud of myself as lamb was my all time favourite,along with bacon butties! (not in the same meal)

As its Ash Wednesday I'm making my parents favourite Ash and dumplings (like stew with diced lamb,potatoes and veg in a tomato soup instead of gravy) Doing a small pan for me without the lamb and veggie stock instead of meat stock. it's challenging to stick to when I'm having to cook meat dishes for my parents,who are elderly and won't eat anything other than what my mum's always eaten and cooked. They're of the generation where everyone got fed the same meal too so with my mum having dementia too, she doesn't understand why I'm sometimes sitting down with a different meal to what they're having. Nearly every dinnertime I'm having to explain I went vegetarian over 6 months ago now, it gets exhausting! (emotionally) as she then won't stop going on about it for the rest of the meal!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Phoenix Rising said:


> There was a program on UK TV about red meats being a Grade 1 Carcinogen and I've seen it reported in papers so was surprised to see a recent TV advert saying pork medallions were as healthy as chicken! Isn't Pork classed as a 'red meat'? I assumed so as bacon and sausages were in the list along with beef,lamb etc as Grade 1 Carcinogens?
> 
> I haven't had red meat for over 6 months so quite proud of myself as lamb was my all time favourite,along with bacon butties! (not in the same meal)
> 
> As its Ash Wednesday I'm making my parents favourite Ash and dumplings (like stew with diced lamb,potatoes and veg in a tomato soup instead of gravy) Doing a small pan for me without the lamb and veggie stock instead of meat stock. it's challenging to stick to when I'm having to cook meat dishes for my parents,who are elderly and won't eat anything other than what my mum's always eaten and cooked. They're of the generation where everyone got fed the same meal too so with my mum having dementia too, she doesn't understand why I'm sometimes sitting down with a different meal to what they're having. Nearly every dinnertime I'm having to explain I went vegetarian over 6 months ago now, it gets exhausting! (emotionally) as she then won't stop going on about it for the rest of the meal!


Processed meat such as bacon/ham/sausages etc is classed as Grade 1 but red meat is Grade 2A

http://www.who.int/features/qa/cancer-red-meat/en/

*1. What do you consider as red meat?*
Red meat refers to all mammalian muscle meat, including, beef, veal, pork, lamb, mutton, horse, and goat.

*2. What do you consider as processed meat?*
Processed meat refers to meat that has been transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, or other processes to enhance flavour or improve preservation. Most processed meats contain pork or beef, but processed meats may also contain other red meats, poultry, offal, or meat by-products such as blood.

Examples of processed meat include hot dogs (frankfurters), ham, sausages, corned beef, and biltong or beef jerky as well as canned meat and meat-based preparations and sauces.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

KatieandOliver said:


> Great, I will thanks! Unfortunately their paper of choice is the daily mail :Bag


Yes but did you notice they are reporting on the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (Dr Barnard's organisation)

http://www.pcrm.org/health/medNews/vegan-diet-may-prevent-diabetes

You might find this useful too

http://www.jgc301.com/ch/reader/cre..._20170301003&year_id=2017&quarter_id=5&falg=1


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Loving Jane and Ann Esselstyn's videos - this one is about preparing mangos which might be useful for those of us in the UK who are not that familiar with them.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Explaining how to eat a WFPB diet


----------



## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Loving Jane and Ann Esselstyn's videos - this one is about preparing mangos which might be useful for those of us in the UK who are not that familiar with them.


I've stopped buying mangoes and avocados for the time being, A decent sized mango costs about £3 and a small avo costs around £1.50. The last two mangoes I bought didn't taste very nice and the avocados were rotten inside by the time they'd softened enough to eat them so I'm giving them a miss and eating strawberries and veggies like fennel and baby bok choy instead.


----------



## Guest

Thought I'd share a "too busy to cook" alternative. 
Needed lunch for today and tomorrow, had a busy evening last night, ended up eating out at Jason's Deli (all you can eat salad bar so easy to stay WFPB) but still needed something for lunch. 
Browsed around in the fridge and cabinets, ended up dumping a can of black eyed peas, some rice I already had cooked up, salsa, cumin, and mixed it all up and divided it in to two containers. Then I threw some fresh baby spinach and slices of button mushrooms. When I heat the whole thing up in the microwave, the spinach and mushrooms cook just enough. Was actually really good, and ended up with all but the last 2 GBOMBS in one meal. Not bad!


----------



## DFP

I had this for dinner last night;

https://hurrythefoodup.com/roasted-cauliflower-curry/

Really nice, but a bit too tomatoey for me, so I put a load of natural yoghurt in at the end of the cooking time. Eaten with homemade paratha bread, it was lovely. Not dairy free, but I'm not aiming for that. Tonight's dinner is roasted butternut squash with leeks and mushrooms and a side salad. The squash is currently roasting in the oven and smells divine.


----------



## picaresque

Hey can I just drop in to plug my sister's book, out in March :Bag

https://www.serenbooks.com/productdisplay/occasional-vegan

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Occasional-Vegan-Sarah-Philpott/dp/1781724318


----------



## Guest

DFP said:


> I had this for dinner last night;
> 
> https://hurrythefoodup.com/roasted-cauliflower-curry/
> 
> Really nice, but a bit too tomatoey for me, so I put a load of natural yoghurt in at the end of the cooking time. Eaten with homemade paratha bread, it was lovely. Not dairy free, but I'm not aiming for that. Tonight's dinner is roasted butternut squash with leeks and mushrooms and a side salad. The squash is currently roasting in the oven and smells divine.


Looks nice 
Just wanted to clarify though, on that recipe/blog it says pregnant women shouldn't eat celery seed. As far as I understand, the recommendation is for avoiding supplements, but not the amount you would add to a dish in seasoning. IOW, don't take a celery seed supplement while pregnant, but feel free to use celery seed as seasoning while pregnant.


----------



## DFP

TBH, I barely even skimmed that part as I'm not, and will never be, pregnant, so my mind kind of ignored it. But yes, always good to have proper nutritional info to hand for those who are/planning to be pregnant.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

picaresque said:


> Hey can I just drop in to plug my sister's book, out in March :Bag
> 
> https://www.serenbooks.com/productdisplay/occasional-vegan
> 
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/Occasional-Vegan-Sarah-Philpott/dp/1781724318


How exciting - I've ordered it :Woot:Woot


----------



## Magyarmum

picaresque said:


> Hey can I just drop in to plug my sister's book, out in March :Bag
> 
> https://www.serenbooks.com/productdisplay/occasional-vegan
> 
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/Occasional-Vegan-Sarah-Philpott/dp/1781724318


Wish her the best of luck from me. I hope it sells well!

It's so darned cold here even Georgina whom I'm convinced is half Husky is spending most of her day inside, and it's snowing as well. Yesterday decided I needed comfort food so made myself a hearty mushroom, lentil, root vegetable and kale stew. As I couldn't be bothered to make it into a shepherds pie I threw chunks of potatoes in too. I ate it with some lightly cooked broccoli. Just what was needed for a freezing cold evening!


----------



## picaresque

rottiepointerhouse said:


> How exciting - I've ordered it :Woot:Woot


Oh wow, thanks RPH, hope you enjoy it!



Magyarmum said:


> Wish her the best of luck from me. I hope it sells well!


Thank you  I've always told her she'll be the next Delia Smith :Bookworm


----------



## Phoenix Rising

Magyarmum said:


> Wish her the best of luck from me. I hope it sells well!
> 
> It's so darned cold here even Georgina whom I'm convinced is half Husky is spending most of her day inside, and it's snowing as well. Yesterday decided I needed comfort food so made myself a hearty mushroom, lentil, root vegetable and kale stew. As I couldn't be bothered to make it into a shepherds pie I threw chunks of potatoes in too. I ate it with some lightly cooked broccoli. Just what was needed for a freezing cold evening!
> 
> View attachment 345119


looks nice, can I just ask does Kale taste like broccoli or spinach? If you were doing that stew in a slow cooker would you put the kale in at the beginning with the other stuff or when it was nearly finished? Thanks 

p.s what colour lentils did you use?


----------



## Magyarmum

Phoenix Rising said:


> looks nice, can I just ask does Kale taste like broccoli or spinach? If you were doing that stew in a slow cooker would you put the kale in at the beginning with the other stuff or when it was nearly finished? Thanks
> 
> p.s what colour lentils did you use?


Kale doesn't taste like either but is more like a Savoy cabbage, at least that's what I think. I don't know about the kale you get in the UK but in Hungary it's not very popular and I can only find the ready washed, shredded Kale in Tesco. I find it a bit chewy so only use in stews and add it about midway in the cooking. Spinach or broccoli florets I add at the end. I normally grow Swiss Chard and use that instead of Kale but unfortunately last year a lot of my seeds were washed away by torrential rain.

I used the green lentils in this recipe but my favourite lentils are the red ones!


----------



## Cleo38

I can't believe it, I actually cooked tofu tonight to accompany my stir fry ..... & it was bloody lovely!
It was a bit of a faff as I pressed it to get all the water out then marinated it in soy sauce with loads of chilli, garlic & ginger over night.

Then tonight whilst my stir fry was finishing (red cabbage, shredded sprouts, onion, mushrooms, peas .... more ginger, chilli & garlic with some black bean sauce) I coated the cut up tofu pieces in flour (with salt & pepper) & fried with olive & sesame oil till golden brown. I honestly can't believe how nice it is, I've only cooked it at home a couple of times previously & it was awful but this was crispy & very flavoursome. Am not a natural cook so am pretty pleased with my effort!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Saw this linked to on another forum and have just watched it. It is from 2014 and she isn't quite recommending a WFPB diet (she includes fish) but a very interesting short lecture

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. In this critically important talk, clinical psychologist Julia Rucklidge explores a range of scientific research, including her own, showing the significant role played by nutrition in mental health or illness.


----------



## Phoenix Rising

What does WFPB mean?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Phoenix Rising said:


> What does WFPB mean?


Whole Food Plant Based - which means a vegan diet but demonstrates the focus is on whole foods and not processed food/junk.


----------



## Phoenix Rising

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Whole Food Plant Based - which means a vegan diet but demonstrates the focus is on whole foods and not processed food/junk.


ok thanks, I'm slowly getting there. I watched the Tonight program last night about the amount of plastic in the oceans and it getting in our food chain from fish eating bits then us eating them, don't think I'll be buying any more fish when I next do my food shop!

Found this website too that has a lot of cheap and easy meals. At the minute I'm mostly sleeping at my parents house to help my dad look after my mum and have their dinner to cook everyday too and work,so don't want to have to tackle any complicated recipes for myself.

http://wedonteatanythingwithaface.b.../cheap-and-cheerful-vegetarian-meals-for.html


----------



## catz4m8z

Im actually surprised by the amount of positive articles Ive read lately about WFPB eating and also how bad processed foods are you, its like the message is starting to seep into the general population!
I needed something quick and easy for the next couple of days for my nightshifts so its back to my favourite....beanloaf!:Woot Now Im gonna cook up a big batch of mashed potato and portion it up for the next few days then its just add veg and microwave.
Also made a loaf cake. Chucked oats, courgettes, apple, cinnamon, agave syrup, flour, walnuts, chia seeds and soya milk together and baking now. Hopefully it will taste alright (TBH if it says 'cake' then Im going to eat it no matter what it tastes like!LOL).


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

This series on diabetes is being repeated from 27th February with an update on the amazing progress Jon has made











I can highly recommend it if you can manage to watch all or even some of it.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse




----------



## LinznMilly

I've had a huge set-back.

Something's upsetting my stomach and I don't know what. It's looking like it could be oats, but I'm not certain and I'm reaching the point where I'm afraid to eat anything at all. Been like this for nearly a week.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> I've had a huge set-back.
> 
> Something's upsetting my stomach and I don't know what. It's looking like it could be oats, but I'm not certain and I'm reaching the point where I'm afraid to eat anything at all. Been like this for nearly a week.


Sorry to hear you are having tummy problems. What makes you think it might be the oats? What type of oats and how are you preparing them? Is there anything new you have been trying or changed?


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Sorry to hear you are having tummy problems. What makes you think it might be the oats? What type of oats and how are you preparing them? Is there anything new you have been trying or changed?


Muesli (Tescos "extra fruity being the latest) and oat milk. That's all. Muesli prepared in the usual way. The reason I think it's the oats is because they (or the milk) were the only consistent thing in my diet on the days I've had tummy problems.

At first, I thought it was the dried fruit, so I cut the dried fruit out of my diet (I only had some at breakfast anyway). Still the same issue, so I cut out the muesli altogether, and just had Crunchy Nut Cornflakes instead (not WFPB, I know, but I was looking for anything I could have that wouldn't have me running for the toilet, or spending hours feeling like I'd drank a 2ltr bottle of Coke in one sitting), but that made no difference either. The only common denominator was the oats/oat milk.

Nothing has changed in my diet in months.


----------



## LinznMilly

Today, I've had Crunch Nut Cornflakes, with a small handful of dried fruit, with almond milk, and a plateful of veg with roasted butternut squash, but on days when I'm "bad", I might only have 1 "meal" (and that not very much).


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

How long have you been eating the muesli for? Is it this one?

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/275946617

I'm not a fan of muesli I have to admit - partly because of the mix of grains - wheat flakes, barley flakes and oats which makes it trickier to pin point which if any might be a problem but also because of the amount of dried fruit - the item I've linked to has 6 varieties of dried fruit which has rather a lot of sulphur dioxide which can cause problems for some people particularly asthmatics.

Dr Greger says

"If you buy dried fruit I recommend choosing unsulfured varieties. Sulfur containing preservatives such as sulfur dioxide in dried fruit can form hydrogen in your gut - this is the rotten egg gas implicated in the development of inflammatory bowel diseases".

I'd be surprised if its the oats given you have used oat milk for a long time now but of course its possible and worth doing a proper elimination diet to test it out, Have you tried just having oatmeal rather than it all mixed up in the museli ingredients? Crunchy nut cornflakes have a lot of sugar (2nd ingredient) plus malt flavouring, molasses and honey so with dried fruit added too its quite a big hit of sugar for not much nutrition and the cereal is maize so again tricky to know which of the grains might be causing a problem. I would strip it back to a very basic McDougall type diet for a week and see if things improve. However feel free to ignore me


----------



## Guest

Help please!

I love risotto but am bored of mushroom risotto. What else could I put in it other than mushrooms?


----------



## Magyarmum

McKenzie said:


> Help please!
> 
> I love risotto but am bored of mushroom risotto. What else could I put in it other than mushrooms?


Most other vegetables like ... spinach, butternut, tomato, peas, courgettes or carrots to name a few or even a mixture of veggies.

Here are some ideas to get you going

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/vegetarian-risotto


----------



## grumpy goby

McKenzie said:


> Help please!
> 
> I love risotto but am bored of mushroom risotto. What else could I put in it other than mushrooms?


We chuck any veg into risotto's - I quite like aubergine and rocket or spinach. Courgette also works well with pine nuts.

It wasn't a risotto but last week we had a spicy rice dish with kidney beans.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I get some good recipes from my organic veg supplier although they do need a bit of tweaking to make them vegan but nothing drastic

https://www.riverford.co.uk/bop/recipes/view/recipe/courgette-basil-risotto

https://www.riverford.co.uk/bop/recipes/view/recipe/risotto-primavera


----------



## Guest

Thanks for those ideas. I prefer fairly plain risottos but will give them a try. I also found some vegan Parmesan at the supermarket so looking forward to trying that.


----------



## Guest

Oh my goodness I tried some of my vegan Parmesan on a baked potato - foul foul foul stuff!!! It’s going straight in the bin! :Vomit


----------



## Matrod

McKenzie said:


> Oh my goodness I tried some of my vegan Parmesan on a baked potato - foul foul foul stuff!!! It's going straight in the bin! :Vomit


It's so disgusting isn't it, just the smell alone is horrendous :Vomit. I've tried a few vegan cheeses & they are all gross, I think they all have nutritional yeast in them which is also :Yuck


----------



## Matrod

This is becoming a staple mid week meal for me, tomatoes & sumach are a match made in heaven

https://www.abelandcole.co.uk/recipes/roast-chickpeas-with-falafel-spices-sumach-tomato-salad

I made this last week & it was really delicious, I'd never thought of grating squash but it added such a great texture.

https://www.abelandcole.co.uk/recipes/squash-lentil-bean-chilli


----------



## Magyarmum

Matrod said:


> This is becoming a staple mid week meal for me, tomatoes & sumach are a match made in heaven
> 
> https://www.abelandcole.co.uk/recipes/roast-chickpeas-with-falafel-spices-sumach-tomato-salad
> 
> I made this last week & it was really delicious, I'd never thought of grating squash but it added such a great texture.
> 
> https://www.abelandcole.co.uk/recipes/squash-lentil-bean-chilli


Have you tried sprinkling Za'atar on roast veggies? It's very moorish and also contains sumac as one of the ingredients. I dropped the nearly full jar I'd bought and because I can only buy it in the UK had to make my own, which I did yesterday afternoon.

https://www.thespruce.com/zaatar-middle-eastern-spice-mixture-2355844

Some nice recipes using Za'atar although not all are vegan

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/th...se-zaatar-the-israeli-spice-you-need-to-know/


----------



## Matrod

Magyarmum said:


> Have you tried sprinkling Za'atar on roast veggies? It's very moorish and also contains sumac as one of the ingredients. I dropped the nearly full jar I'd bought and because I can only buy it in the UK had to make my own, which I did yesterday afternoon.
> 
> https://www.thespruce.com/zaatar-middle-eastern-spice-mixture-2355844
> 
> Some nice recipes using Za'atar although not all are vegan
> 
> https://www.myjewishlearning.com/th...se-zaatar-the-israeli-spice-you-need-to-know/


I love za'atar, I use it on roasted veggies too. I get mine from tesco, doesn't your one sell it?


----------



## Magyarmum

Matrod said:


> I love za'atar, I use it on roasted veggies too. I get mine from tesco, doesn't your one sell it?


My Tesco's in Hungary and although they have a wide range of products it doesn't include the more "exotic" spices like Sumac, Za'atar,or Ras el Hanout so I have to have them sent out from the UK.


----------



## Matrod

Magyarmum said:


> My Tesco's in Hungary and although they have a wide range of products it doesn't include the more "exotic" spices like Sumac, Za'atar,or Ras el Hanout so I have to have them sent out from the UK.


That's a shame, I love Ras el Hanout too, I'd forgotten about that one. I had such a job getting sumac here in the uk that didn't contain salt.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Matrod said:


> This is becoming a staple mid week meal for me, tomatoes & sumach are a match made in heaven
> 
> https://www.abelandcole.co.uk/recipes/roast-chickpeas-with-falafel-spices-sumach-tomato-salad
> 
> I made this last week & it was really delicious, I'd never thought of grating squash but it added such a great texture.
> 
> https://www.abelandcole.co.uk/recipes/squash-lentil-bean-chilli


What a good idea to grate the squash, I made chilli this week and it was lovely but lacking a bit of bulk/substance with black beans/kidney beans, red & yellow peppers, onions & mushrooms, I kept thinking what I could add to bulk it out a bit so will give the squash a go next time I make it.


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> How long have you been eating the muesli for? Is it this one?
> 
> https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/275946617
> 
> I'm not a fan of muesli I have to admit - partly because of the mix of grains - wheat flakes, barley flakes and oats which makes it trickier to pin point which if any might be a problem but also because of the amount of dried fruit - the item I've linked to has 6 varieties of dried fruit which has rather a lot of sulphur dioxide which can cause problems for some people particularly asthmatics.
> 
> Dr Greger says
> 
> "If you buy dried fruit I recommend choosing unsulfured varieties. Sulfur containing preservatives such as sulfur dioxide in dried fruit can form hydrogen in your gut - this is the rotten egg gas implicated in the development of inflammatory bowel diseases".
> 
> I'd be surprised if its the oats given you have used oat milk for a long time now but of course its possible and worth doing a proper elimination diet to test it out, Have you tried just having oatmeal rather than it all mixed up in the museli ingredients? Crunchy nut cornflakes have a lot of sugar (2nd ingredient) plus malt flavouring, molasses and honey so with dried fruit added too its quite a big hit of sugar for not much nutrition and the cereal is maize so again tricky to know which of the grains might be causing a problem. I would strip it back to a very basic McDougall type diet for a week and see if things improve. However feel free to ignore me


I've tried cutting out the muesli in case it was that (I literally went ----> Fruit >>>> Muesli >>>>>> Oat milk) which is when (and why) I switched over to the Crunchy Nut Cornflakes. Tried them with the oat milk - same problem. I'm on an elimination diet already - I've had to be, because at first, I didn't know what the he'll was setting my stomach off.

I've switched to almond milk atm, and (touch wood), so far, so good,


----------



## Guest

I'm making this later today
https://www.forksoverknives.com/rec...campaign=video&utm_source=facebook#gs.0UyeeM0

Without the dill though, no one in this house likes dill that much, and I'll probably tweak some other things 

But first, a big bowl of a 5 grain whole grain blend that is currently cooking on the stove and a 10 mile trail run


----------



## Guest

Soup came out lovely. OH is on his second bowl 

Also made a veggie mishmash with onions & garlic (of course), eggplant, bell pepper, broccoli, mushrooms and some black eyed peas thrown in. Balsamic vinegar and cumin for seasoning, very nice


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I've made a spinach and toasted pine nut pesto with white beans and spaghetti (from forks over knives but I changed basil for spinach as I have lots to use up and added some nutritional yeast as it was a bit sharp). It is rather strong on garlic  Having it with salad and walnut dressing.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I've made a spinach and toasted pine nut pesto with white beans and spaghetti (from forks over knives but I changed basil for spinach as I have lots to use up and added some nutritional yeast as it was a bit sharp). It is rather strong on garlic  Having it with salad and walnut dressing.


I love spinach pesto, as does everyone else in the family, it's a good go-to meal around here  Hadn't thought about adding white beans, sounds good!


----------



## Magyarmum

I made a Moroccan tagine with carrots, courgette, sweet potato, aubergine and chickpeas with couscous for dinner last night. I was going to have something completely different until @Matrod mentioned Sumac, but I'm pleased she did because I really enjoyed it!

I used this recipe but left out the cabbage as I intended to use spinach instead but forgot.

https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/moroccan-style-vegetable-couscous/


----------



## Teddy-dog

Anyone have any suggestions for brunch snacks or a filling breakfast?

Some days I'm fine, but some days (like today!) I feel really hungry around this time and need something to fill me up. I've had an apple and a snack bar since breakfast - but I still want something more.

Normally for breakfast I have a granola (with almond milk). I'm thinking maybe it's not filling me up enough? I'm normally quite rushed in a morning with walking the dog and getting to work so don't have lots of time to make something. But I was thinking if there's anything I could make on a evening/weekend in bulk and have as a snack for the rest of the week?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

The film Plant Pure Nation has just been released on Youtube - its made by Nelson Campbell (son of T Colin Campbell) - perhaps not the hardest hitting of all the recent films but well worth watching


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Teddy-dog said:


> Anyone have any suggestions for brunch snacks or a filling breakfast?
> 
> Some days I'm fine, but some days (like today!) I feel really hungry around this time and need something to fill me up. I've had an apple and a snack bar since breakfast - but I still want something more.
> 
> Normally for breakfast I have a granola (with almond milk). I'm thinking maybe it's not filling me up enough? I'm normally quite rushed in a morning with walking the dog and getting to work so don't have lots of time to make something. But I was thinking if there's anything I could make on a evening/weekend in bulk and have as a snack for the rest of the week?


You could try making some banana and oat cakes - really quick and easy. Mash 3 very ripe bananas and mix in 100 g of oats (I use the large own brand type) then add whatever you like, I use cinnamon and flax but you could add a bit of dried fruit or some chopped nuts. Mix it all together and divide into little patties and bake at 180 for 20 mins - I usually flip them over for another 10 mins. You could also make up little bags with some nuts or take something like hummus and vegetables to dip in or how about a peanut butter sandwich?


----------



## Guest

Teddy-dog said:


> Normally for breakfast I have a granola (with almond milk). I'm thinking maybe it's not filling me up enough? I'm normally quite rushed in a morning with walking the dog and getting to work so don't have lots of time to make something. But I was thinking if there's anything I could make on a evening/weekend in bulk and have as a snack for the rest of the week?


You could experiment with some balls or bars of some sort. 
Most are a combination of dried fruit, nuts, a grain(s) and sweetener (if you need the extra sweet). 
Dates are awesome to blend in with walnuts or pecans as a base, then add in anything else that sounds good to you. 
If you don't want as much crunch, you can use nut butters and coconut or almond flour.

Forks over knives has some good recipes:
This one you could make without the chocolate chips (or with, hey, it's chocolate duh  )
https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/chocolate-cherry-bliss-balls/#gs.biRB4XQ


----------



## Magyarmum

How about making some mini calzone that you can store in the freezer and just get out as and when you need them. I cheat because we can buy the ready to use pizza pastry over here and instead of making my own tomato sauce it comes out of a jar! You can vary the fillings according to whatever's in your fridge.

https://www.theflamingvegan.com/view-post/Vegan-Calzone-From-Scratch

Other ideas are spring rolls https://simpleveganblog.com/simple-vegan-spring-rolls/

or homemade vegetable crisps http://www.wearesovegan.com/vegetable-crisps/

and of course although I'm not sure whether they're vegan, you can buy the frozen, ready to cook spring rolls, vegetable samoosas and pakora from Tesco!

Can't you tell I'm not a great lover of anything sweet?


----------



## Teddy-dog

Thank you all for the ideas! I like the banana oat cakes and the 'balls'. Sound simple enough to make and should keep me going! I do sometimes bring nuts in or similar to work but I end up eating loads as I don't think it gives me the same feeling as eating something larger (it's all in my head!).

@Magyarmum Love the idea of the calzones - I think I'd make them for my lunch!! Definitely need to start batch cooking more when I have time so I'm not looking for easy things to eat/make when I'm in a rush.


----------



## Team_Trouble

What could I put in my sandwich to bulk it out a bit? I was spreading it with a thin layer of hummus, then a small amount of avocado, and whatever leaves I have but I am finding it wanting... something. I have cherry tomatoes separate because I don't like anything wet in the sandwich. I am quite a fussy eater. I used to put quorn chicken style pieces in, but I'm trying to eat fewer processed foods. Any suggestions? Prefably something simple to make or that just goes in.


----------



## Guest

KatieandOliver said:


> What could I put in my sandwich to bulk it out a bit? I was spreading it with a thin layer of hummus, then a small amount of avocado, and whatever leaves I have but I am finding it wanting... something. I have cherry tomatoes separate because I don't like anything wet in the sandwich. I am quite a fussy eater. I used to put quorn chicken style pieces in, but I'm trying to eat fewer processed foods. Any suggestions? Prefably something simple to make or that just goes in.


I'm currently baking some veggie bean burgers. There are so many good recipes for bean/veggie burgers out there, and most can be refrigerated and eaten cold as well as hot 

You can also make them in bulk and freeze some. Really cuts down on the processed foods if you're depending on quorn or other meat replacers


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

KatieandOliver said:


> What could I put in my sandwich to bulk it out a bit? I was spreading it with a thin layer of hummus, then a small amount of avocado, and whatever leaves I have but I am finding it wanting... something. I have cherry tomatoes separate because I don't like anything wet in the sandwich. I am quite a fussy eater. I used to put quorn chicken style pieces in, but I'm trying to eat fewer processed foods. Any suggestions? Prefably something simple to make or that just goes in.


Beetroot? Rings of pepper? Onion? Celery? Chopped walnuts?


----------



## Magyarmum

KatieandOliver said:


> What could I put in my sandwich to bulk it out a bit? I was spreading it with a thin layer of hummus, then a small amount of avocado, and whatever leaves I have but I am finding it wanting... something. I have cherry tomatoes separate because I don't like anything wet in the sandwich. I am quite a fussy eater. I used to put quorn chicken style pieces in, but I'm trying to eat fewer processed foods. Any suggestions? Prefably something simple to make or that just goes in.


You could also make vegetable fritters and instead of bread stuff them into pita bread along with your hummus and salad stuff. I think veggie fritters are just as nice cold as they are hot and you can use whatever veggies you have available.

As you don't like "wet" veggies in your sandwich why not make a side salad to eat at the same time with a nice dressing Again experiment with what you have in the fridge.

Or have your sandwich but make yourself some soup to go with it. I had home made broccoli soup with a pita bread spread with some hummus for lunch today.

https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-fritters-out-of-any-vegetable-231408

https://cookieandkate.com/category/food-recipes/salads/


----------



## Guest

Just took these out of the oven:










They smell amazing and taste really good too. Very hearty.

1/2 red onion 
2 stalks celery 
Cook until soft
(If I had any, mushrooms would have been good to add here too)

In food processor pulse 2/3 cup of oats or 5 grain cereal until flour-like. I used a five grain rolled cereal that has flaxseed in it.
Add one can garbanzos drained
Add onion & celery 
Add several handfuls fresh spinach or green of choice
Salt, pepper or cayenne & garlic powder to taste (red pepper flakes instead of cayenne has a little less "bite") 
Add more oats if needed, you want a it dry but still holds together.

Transfer to bowl & mash in one can black beans drained 
Add 1/2 can corn (or about 1 cup fresh/ frozen)

Scoop out 1/3 cup patties on to parchment paper, flatten & shape 
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes each side

This is really versatile, the oats and garbanzo is your base, and you can really add anything you like to that. Fun to play around with


----------



## AmyRedd

ouesi said:


> I'm making this later today
> https://www.forksoverknives.com/rec...campaign=video&utm_source=facebook#gs.0UyeeM0
> 
> Without the dill though, no one in this house likes dill that much, and I'll probably tweak some other things
> 
> But first, a big bowl of a 5 grain whole grain blend that is currently cooking on the stove and a 10 mile trail run


I find it funny how different people either love or hate certain herbs! I love dill, I make a mean tzatziki which you an eat with literally anything.

My OH hates coriander.... which is annoying as it's in loads of recipes and really difficult to substitute for anything else  I kind of miss it.... it's basically banned in this house


----------



## Jonescat

KatieandOliver said:


> What could I put in my sandwich to bulk it out a bit? .


Slices of one of the flavoured tofus (e.g. smoked, olive, italian or basil) Roasted vegetables (sliced) - you can freeze them, thaw what you need in the fridge over night and use in the morning), squashed or sliced falafel (again you freeze and thaw as you go), veggie sausages. Sandwiches are tricky - I tend to take a box of salady bits, a couple of falafels, a splodge of hummus or other dip, nuts and fruit.


----------



## Magyarmum

For anyone interested in Indian vegan food, I've just discovered a super website with a mind boggling selection of recipes to choose from.

https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/


----------



## Guest

Well this is frightening...

https://today.ucf.edu/study-finds-bacteria-milk-linked-rheumatoid-arthritis/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> Well this is frightening...
> 
> https://today.ucf.edu/study-finds-bacteria-milk-linked-rheumatoid-arthritis/


:Jawdrop Milk & beef/ Crohns & RA - I wonder if they will find any other auto immune conditions linked. Hope this gets publicity and people decide to avoid these products in the first place then they won't need drug therapy to undo the damage.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> :Jawdrop Milk & beef/ Crohns & RA - I wonder if they will find any other auto immune conditions linked. Hope this gets publicity and people decide to avoid these products in the first place then they won't need drug therapy to undo the damage.


I was considering putting the article in general chat for those who don't frequent this thread. Might have to just to get the info out there.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I was considering putting the article in general chat for those who don't frequent this thread. Might have to just to get the info out there.


I'll go and get my tin hat then


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I'll go and get my tin hat then


So far so good! No tin hat required


----------



## Teddy-dog

ouesi said:


> Well this is frightening...
> 
> https://today.ucf.edu/study-finds-bacteria-milk-linked-rheumatoid-arthritis/


I saw this earlier... Very interesting!

I wish it was easier to convince people that eating less animal products is healthier... so many people think that you're getting on your high horse if you even mention cutting it out of a couple of meals!


----------



## Guest

Teddy-dog said:


> I saw this earlier... Very interesting!
> 
> I wish it was easier to convince people that eating less animal products is healthier... so many people think that you're getting on your high horse if you even mention cutting it out of a couple of meals!


There is an author here, Kathy Freston, who does the talk show circuit, blogs, podcasts etc., and she is IMHO the epitome of how to encourage healthy changes in a gentle way that gets the information out there without getting people's defensiveness up.

She's all about "progress, not perfection" and acknowledges how hard the shift to plant based is, and how it might take several years, but every little change does matter and should be celebrated. She's really good 

I want to be more like her when I grow up


----------



## Team_Trouble

I just had a really nummy toastie - it needs some tweaking, as I overblitzed the banana!

Homemade wholegrain bread
Almond butter
Banana

I blitzed the banana, toasted the bread and spread almond butter on. Then heaped on the banana... which promptly leaked out the edges! But it tasted really good, like a real treat. Not something I could take to work though, it was very messy!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

These look yummy

https://www.forksoverknives.com/rec...ailchimp&utm_term=Chickpea-Nuggets#gs.gcpT3Uk


----------



## Jonescat

We had chilli made with some brown-rice-and-green-lentil-mince from the freezer tonight. I think it is the last portion though so will have to make some more soon. It is so much better than the supermarket minced meat substitutes. I love lentils - they are so good for you, they taste good and they are also good for the soil as they increase fetility by fixing nitrogen.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Joel Khan (cardiologist) in a short video not mincing his words about CRAP food.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Another yummy looking meal from forks over knives - Butternut squash lasagna roll ups.


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> These look yummy
> 
> https://www.forksoverknives.com/rec...ailchimp&utm_term=Chickpea-Nuggets#gs.gcpT3Uk


oooh, I like the look of those! Dont have a food processor though....I wonder how to make breadcrumbs without one, or what to substitute?



rottiepointerhouse said:


> Another yummy looking meal from forks over knives - Butternut squash lasagna roll ups.


Also looks tasty, almost like a deconstructed veggie lasagne! Might try that too, only with sweet potatoes instead coz I hate trying to cut up butternut squash!:Shy

Working my way through a giant vat of vegetable curry at the moment though. :Smug


----------



## Rafa

catz4m8z said:


> I wonder how to make breadcrumbs without one, or what to substitute?


I make breadcrumbs using a cheese grater.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://nutritionstudies.org/center...land-hospital-new-nutrition-research-program/

Initial research done through Highland's Weight Management & Lifestyle Center will focus on nutrition and cancer. The pilot project will be a first-of-its-kind study that looks at the effects of plant-based nutrition in patients with advanced breast cancer, who are also receiving conventional therapy. The Center plans to do additional studies on nutrition as an intervention in a variety of diseases, partnering with experts in various specialties at the University of Rochester.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> oooh, I like the look of those! Dont have a food processor though....I wonder how to make breadcrumbs without one, or what to substitute?


I leave the slices of bread out to go a bit stale and just crumble them up or put them in a bag and go over it with a rolling pin although I've got one of those small processors now (about the size of a 400 g tin of beans) so might use that to be fancy.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Please share/recommend to any diabetics you know


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Please share/recommend to any diabetics you know


Should buy a copy for my brother but he likes his junky animal products too much to give them up!

Been bad today in that my cooking used white flour!:Nailbiting In my defense though I have virtually no food in the house and it was all that was left coz it never gets used. Think I'll just buy twice as much wholemeal in the future as I prefer it in everything.
Made chocolate courgette cake for me, carrot cake for the dogs, also Googled bhaji's as I have curry on the go at the moment and they sounded straightforward so made red onion and sweet potato bhaji's as a side (they smell gorgeous).


----------



## Magyarmum

It's been so cold here I haven't ventured out apart from quick trips up to the woodshed to collect logs for the fire. I've kept my self "gainfully employed" by doing some cooking. Made a sort of minestrone soup for my lunch and some homemade rye bread and rolls to go with it.









Sunday night dined on a really delicious Moroccan lentil and chickpea stew seasoned with Ras el Hanout served over spelt and vermicelli.










I'm off now to make some ginger nut biscuits (comfort food) and tonight I'm making Turmeric Millet and Vegetables with a side dish of garlicky Broccoli and Mushroom.

http://www.spiciefoodie.com/2013/03/02/turmeric-and-vegetable-millet-gluten-free-side-dish/

http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/garlic-spiked-broccoli-and-mushrooms-65861#activity-feed

How's everyone else coping with this weather?


----------



## Guest

Magyarmum said:


> How's everyone else coping with this weather?


We're having our early spring craziness where you need to defrost your windshield in the morning and by the afternoon you need the AC. Trees are budding, pollen is about to blanket everything...

Anyway, food-wise, I had a high mileage week last week running and had a couple days where I knew I wasn't getting enough food so I'm looking for some heartier meals.

Tried the Forks over Knives nuggets and they were lovely just a little more labor intensive for my liking. The coating in breading was overkill IMO. I'm making them again tonight except burger sized with mushrooms blended in with the garbanzos and rice and no breading. Everyone loved the nuggets so I'm hoping this version is a hit too. I think the mushrooms will help the texture (and add some more good nutrients).

Will report back


----------



## Guest

I’ve had some yummy meals recently! On the weekend I made a big pot of vegetable soup with lentils and pearl barley and froze it into portions. It’s so yum!

I also found some vegan patties - black bean and kumera- in the supermarket that are ideal for quick meals. I had one in a wrap the other day with salad veges. 

I have a question though. Before I became vegetarian I used to use chicken stock in risottos and soups etc. Obviously I don’t want to use chicken stock any more, but I don’t really like vegetable stock very much - I’ve tried oxo cubes, liquid stock and concentrate. Is there anything else I can substitute instead of stock?


----------



## Lurcherlad

McKenzie said:


> I've had some yummy meals recently! On the weekend I made a big pot of vegetable soup with lentils and pearl barley and froze it into portions. It's so yum!
> 
> I also found some vegan patties - black bean and kumera- in the supermarket that are ideal for quick meals. I had one in a wrap the other day with salad veges.
> 
> I have a question though. Before I became vegetarian I used to use chicken stock in risottos and soups etc. Obviously I don't want to use chicken stock any more, but I don't really like vegetable stock very much - I've tried oxo cubes, liquid stock and concentrate. Is there anything else I can substitute instead of stock?


Use mixed herbs, garlic, marmite and salt and pepper.

Veg oxo contains:

Nutrition Information. *Salt*, *Potato Starch*, *Wheat Flour*(with added *Calcium*, Iron, *Niacin*, *Thiamin*), *Flavour Enhancers* (*Monosodium Glutamate*, *Disodium 5'-ribonucleotides*), Flavourings (contain *Celery*), Palm Oil, Dried *Glucose Syrup*, *Yeast Extract*(contains *Barley*), Dried Tomato, Dried Herbs (*Parsley*, *Thyme*, Bay), *Sugar* ...


----------



## Guest

McKenzie said:


> I don't really like vegetable stock very much - I've tried oxo cubes, liquid stock and concentrate. Is there anything else I can substitute instead of stock?


I don't like veggie stock either, every time I try some it's just gross to me...

Generally I just use water and have fun with my spices. I'll also use the water from canned beans or canned corn. Water from boiled potatoes is good too. I also use salsa a lot, I buy a brand that's basically just a jar of tomatoes and veggies, no preservatives, and I use that for the base in a lot of dishes.


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## Guest

Lurcherlad said:


> Use mixed herbs, garlic, marmite and salt and pepper.


Thanks but I'm not sure that's quite the taste I'm after.

ETA maybe without the garlic?



ouesi said:


> I don't like veggie stock either, every time I try some it's just gross to me...
> 
> Generally I just use water and have fun with my spices. I'll also use the water from canned beans or canned corn. Water from boiled potatoes is good too. I also use salsa a lot, I buy a brand that's basically just a jar of tomatoes and veggies, no preservatives, and I use that for the base in a lot of dishes.


I'm not very good with spices, I never know what goes with what.


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## Magyarmum

I often use yeast extract and water with a mix of herbs and spices which vary according to what I'm cooking I like the Meridian yeast extract with added B12 best. It has a more mellow flavour than Marmite and if I'm making shepherds pie or a dish with lots of mushrooms in it, the extract gives it a lovely "meaty" flavour I think I'm correct in saying the Meridian is an Australian company so you should be able to buy it in NZ

http://www.meridianfoods.co.uk/Prod...-Savoury-Extracts/Natural/Yeast-Extract-340g/.

And my dinner tonight ...... Millet risotto with courgette, red pepper, celery and bok choy plus a side dish of sauteed mushrooms and broccoli


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## Guest

McKenzie said:


> I'm not very good with spices, I never know what goes with what.


Whatever tastes good to you 

I usually go by smell. To me most spices smell like what they taste like, so I'll taste whatever I'm cooking, smell the spice, and if it seems like it would go together, add it. 
Basically you just have to experiment and get to know what you like. Don't have to go crazy, I only use a base of maybe 5 or 6 spices, and generally only use 2 or so in each recipe because IMO the food itself adds a lot of nice flavor.

Just my own tastes... Cumin goes very well with "meaty" dishes like beans, lentils, mushrooms add in a little balsamic vinegar too. Celery seed is great for potato based dishes, love it with garlic in mashed potatoes.
Curry spice in stir fries, I also like red pepper flakes in veggies. Just a little goes a long way. 
Paprika is another one that does well with beans or in bean burgers. A little goes a long way especially with younger kids eating it. 
Basil, parsley tend to "lighten" heavier dishes. I also like lemon or lime juice to enhance the flavors already in there.

And don't forget good old garlic powder and onion powder added in to all sorts of things helps the flavor, reach for those before the salt and you'll find yourself needing far less salt too.


----------



## Lurcherlad

McKenzie said:


> Thanks but I'm not sure that's quite the taste I'm after.
> 
> ETA maybe without the garlic?
> 
> I'm not very good with spices, I never know what goes with what.


I didn't mean all at once


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## Guest

Lurcherlad said:


> I didn't mean all at once


Oh!!! :Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious


----------



## Jonescat

I make my own stock and freeze it in tubs, but also sometimes use just a teaspoon of tomato puree in a measuring jug of water or a little wine or a small amount of chilli sauce.

I do use stock cubes sometimes too - usually Kallo brand - as it comes in very distinguishable flavours - mushroom, onion, tomato or veg I think so you can get one that suits what you are cooking. I do like the mushroom one for mushroom risotto.

Lemon or lime juice also pep things up and reduces the need for salt.


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## Jonescat

Magyarmum said:


> How's everyone else coping with this weather?


Soup! I have ditched my lunchtime sandwich in favour of soup for now. Today's is two carrots, an onion, garlic, a sweet potato,a red pepper and some swede, a handful of red lentils and half a lemon with a bit of ground cumin and thyme. I am aiming for a steaming orange bowl of warmth to remind me the sun will come back


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## Guest

ouesi said:


> I'm making them again tonight


I lied. Didn't have a chance to cook anything last night. Will try tonight


----------



## Team_Trouble

I am just about to make a curry and realised I've forgotten the coconut milk  any idea what would be a suitable substitute? I have oat milk, would that do? I also have some coconut yogurt


----------



## Magyarmum

KatieandOliver said:


> I am just about to make a curry and realised I've forgotten the coconut milk  any idea what would be a suitable substitute? I have oat milk, would that do? I also have some coconut yogurt


You can add the coconut yoghourt or if you don't fancy that then leave it out and add a little more chopped tomato. If you have a google you'll find a lot of curry recipes which don't use coconut milk that you could make instead.


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## Guest

I made the chickpea patties last night and they were a huge hit. Delicious!

Started with 2 stalks of celery, half an onion, and about 2 cups of sliced mushrooms, 4 cloves of garlic, and cooked them down in a small drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Added a handful of fresh spinach and wilted that in. 

Threw that in the food processor with about a cup of cooked brown rice, nutritional yeast, cumin, red pepper flakes, and salt. 

Added 2 cans of garbanzos, drained, pulsed all that in. This mix alone was delicious - like a hummus, really yummy  

Shape in to patties, bake at 425 on parchment paper for about 20 minutes each side. Everyone liked 'em and they were all gone before I could take photos


----------



## catz4m8z

Chickpea patties sound lovely, def going on my list to make later!
Just having bean burgers and baked potatoes today. Also roasted an onion which Im using tomorrow for a chilli...it feels like chilli weather, plus the added benefit of warming your hands on the slow cooker when you walk past!LOL

Also made more chocolate courgette cake. (Im kidding myself that all the courgettes, oats and wholemeal flour means its healthy, just nm the chocolate ok!?):Shy


----------



## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> Chickpea patties sound lovely, def going on my list to make later!
> Just having bean burgers and baked potatoes today. Also roasted an onion which Im using tomorrow for a chilli...it feels like chilli weather, plus the added benefit of warming your hands on the slow cooker when you walk past!LOL
> 
> Also made more chocolate courgette cake. (Im kidding myself that all the courgettes, oats and wholemeal flour means its healthy, just nm the chocolate ok!?):Shy


They're really good, definitely going to make a bigger batch and freeze some. The mushrooms and rice added gave 'em a good texture.

I'm going to need to see that chocolate courgette cake recipe  Sounds yummy!


----------



## Guest

Potato and veggies stew:










I don't know if you can see the size of that pot, but that's 10 pounds of potatoes plus a ton and a half of veggies most of which I blended so I don't have to listen to the "I don't like cooked carrots, I only like them raw" comments from the peanut gallery. If I just throw everything in the blender, everyone eats it and doesn't realize they're eating what they say they don't like.

But yeah, a ton of food. 
It will be gone by tomorrow. Boy child just ate two bowls. I left the kitchen, there might be a third bowl eaten here soon. 
I think I need to write a book on how to feed teens on a WFPB diet without going crazy LOL 

Anyway the recipe:
Peel and rough chop 10 pounds of potatoes and boil until soft. Keep the water.

In a separate pot, 3 bell peppers, one large onion, 6 to 7 cloves garlic, 4 stalks celery, (all rough chopped), 2 pound bag frozen cauliflower (or one head fresh), about 4 cups chopped mushrooms. Cook until soft. Season with cumin, red pepper flakes & whatever else sounds good. 
Cook covered so the veggies stay in their own juices, then throw everything in the blender. 
Salt and pepper the potatoes, add the blended veggies, add corn, add green beans (broccoli is good too). Mix it up, let it stand as long as you can fight people off, and dig in


----------



## catz4m8z

ouesi said:


> I'm going to need to see that chocolate courgette cake recipe  Sounds yummy!


Recipe??:Wideyed whats that!?
 I just eyeball everything TBH. Though the basics are oats, wm flour, baking powder, grated courgettes, walnuts, plant milk and chocolate. I use Cadburys hot chocolate (and a packet of choc drops this time) but you could use plain cocoa powder and a natural sweetener to make it healthier.

I like the look of the stew. I tend to 'hide' veggies like carrots and courgettes in most things by grating them....not coz I dont like them but coz it makes thing stretch farther! My giant vat of chilli currently cooking has carrots, courgettes and baby corn shoved in so it should last several days.


----------



## Guest

I'm making this for late lunch, early dinner today. Without the olive oil, and I'll probably use mushrooms instead of sundried tomatoes unless I make it to the store which right now isn't likely. 
I'm excited to see how it turns out, I hadn't thought of using hummus in pasta, and have to say it looks really nice and hearty 

https://www.bosh.tv/recipes/hummus-pasta


----------



## Jonescat

Ooh that looks really good. I haven't got any spinach but I do have kale so this might be our tea too


----------



## Guest

Okay, hummus pasta is what has been missing from my life!!!










Guys, this was sooooo good!!! I cooked up the onion and mushrooms in balsamic vinegar, a little water, and cumin wilted in the spinach right at the end. The hummus was just plain garbanzos, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. I didn't water it down like in the recipe, and seeing how quickly it dried out, I probably should have, but oh man, the flavor was delicious!


----------



## Guest

I’m trying to get in the habit of making soup in the slow cooker on sundays to use up old veges, and so I’ve got some easy lunches/dinners during the week.

Today I have thrown in kumera, book choy, celery and carrots, along with lentils, pearl barley, split peas etc. It smells amazing and I’m looking forward to dinner!


----------



## Team_Trouble

I have a slow cooker but I am a little afraid of putting anything in it! Anyone got a simple recipe I could try?

Also @ouesi si I have that vegetable stew planned for later this week - blended veggies is a really good idea, especially as I am fussy about textures.


----------



## Cleo38

Oooh, that hummus pasta looks lovely @ouesi ! I keep seeing that on various FB pages & wasn't sure if it would work but it does look yummy.

I haven't stopped eating lovely things lately but what's been great is that I have still lost weight despite stuffing my face so much 

Last night I made another stew with a mixture of beans (butter, cannellini, pinto & kidney), green lentils, pearl barley, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, vegetable stock, tinned tomatoes & fresh thyme & oregano, cooked in the oven on low for a couple of hours.. I was going to put some veggie sausages in but tbh it really didn't need any added. Was just what was needed after such a cold few days.

On Friday I had one of the Wicked Kitchen vegan pizzas, not strictly a healthy choice but it was in the reduced section & I wanted to try one. It really was nice so would definitely recommend that if anyone fancies pizza but can't be bothered to make one ... as I was on Friday 

This morning's breakfast was homemade wholemeal granary bread toasted (not made by me but a friend) with chestnut mushrooms that had been marinated overnight (soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, liquid smoke & a tiny drizzle of sesame oil & maple syrup) ....... so nice & really gave them such a nice flavour.


----------



## Guest

Cleo38 said:


> with chestnut mushrooms that had been marinated overnight (soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, liquid smoke & a tiny drizzle of sesame oil & maple syrup) ....... so nice & really gave them such a nice flavour.


Oh that sounds yummy, going to have to try that!!


----------



## Jonescat

This was mine. I think you are right that it needs a little something like balsamic or in our case a bit of chilli sauce. I also put in a handful of whole chick peas that escaped the hummus just for fun. The hummus also wanted to stick when it was heating - you have to keep an eye on it.

There is still some left and I have to say it makes quite a good salad  I wasn't too sure about hot hummus but I really like it as a cold dish. Thanks for the idea


----------



## Guest

Jonescat said:


> View attachment 347083
> 
> 
> This was mine. I think you are right that it needs a little something like balsamic or in our case a bit of chilli sauce. I also put in a handful of whole chick peas that escaped the hummus just for fun. The hummus also wanted to stick when it was heating - you have to keep an eye on it.
> 
> There is still some left and I have to say it makes quite a good salad  I wasn't too sure about hot hummus but I really like it as a cold dish. Thanks for the idea


That looks good!! 
And you're right I bet it's really good cold too!


----------



## lullabydream

Sometimes I do wonder with my OH...

Today I made chilli how I always make it...either with quorn mince or lentils.

So first time OH offered to help so he can learn to make it...recipes on my notice board...mainly for the spices.
Start cooking..I prep so much on the job then transfer to slow cooker. Exactly how I did when I used meat. Just habit no real need I guess..but there you go 

OH in charge of hob whilst I make up the spice mix. Do this, that etc. Tell him to add the lentils...where he goes what are those..they don't look nice. I say nothing 

It's 50/50 what I cook with...he's not said a blooming thing when eating the chilli at the end of the day. I cook with what's in the house at the time .We make plenty which he takes to work too to eat for lunch!

The irony to this..is he's mainly responsible for food shopping as I was working weekends...then too ill to go. He's picked up lentils often and not said a word!


----------



## Guest

lullabydream said:


> Sometimes I do wonder with my OH...
> 
> Today I made chilli how I always make it...either with quorn mince or lentils.
> 
> So first time OH offered to help so he can learn to make it...recipes on my notice board...mainly for the spices.
> Start cooking..I prep so much on the job then transfer to slow cooker. Exactly how I did when I used meat. Just habit no real need I guess..but there you go
> 
> OH in charge of hob whilst I make up the spice mix. Do this, that etc. Tell him to add the lentils...where he goes what are those..they don't look nice. I say nothing
> 
> It's 50/50 what I cook with...he's not said a blooming thing when eating the chilli at the end of the day. I cook with what's in the house at the time .We make plenty which he takes to work too to eat for lunch!
> 
> The irony to this..is he's mainly responsible for food shopping as I was working weekends...then too ill to go. He's picked up lentils often and not said a word!


:Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious

Sounds about right. 
My OH and son both swear up and down that they hate celery. Yet if I hide celery in things by blending the snot out of it, they love the flavor. Daughter is the same with carrots. "Don't put carrots in it mom, you know I hate carrots." I put the carrots in, blended so no one knows, daughter announces this is the best stew I've made yet. :Bored


----------



## lullabydream

ouesi said:


> :Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious
> 
> Sounds about right.
> My OH and son both swear up and down that they hate celery. Yet if I hide celery in things by blending the snot out of it, they love the flavor. Daughter is the same with carrots. "Don't put carrots in it mom, you know I hate carrots." I put the carrots in, blended so no one knows, daughter announces this is the best stew I've made yet. :Bored


Yeah have done finally grated carrots..that my children didn't like for years too! They have eaten them quite happily!


----------



## Guest

That hummus pasta was so good I'm making it for dinner again tonight only I'm also adding some soaked and blended cashews for creaminess. We shall see how the experiment goes. 

I wonder if cashews count as seeds or nuts? 
Was thinking about Dr. Furhman's G-BOMBS acronym for getting enough nutrients, and the hummus pasta hits on everything except berries and seeds. If I add cashews does that count?


----------



## lullabydream

My chilli saga continues...

We had chilli twice in a row, which everyone loved!

OH just text to say his lunch was amazing...had made up some 'burritos' with the final lot of chilli...chilli and quinoa in a wrap. Filled it really full..and suggested he eat it on a plate with knife and fork...

So much for complaining about the lentils!


----------



## catz4m8z

Jonescat said:


> I wasn't too sure about hot hummus but I really like it as a cold dish.


Ive used it as a risotto sauce before and it was yummy. TBH though my cooking style is usually just randomly throwing whatever I have in my kitchen into things and hoping for the best!LOL:Shy

Having a big batch cooking day today for 2 reasons. 1-to clear out all the old fruit and veg and 2-now I dont have to cook anything for another week and Im lazy!LOL Im making
bean and potato BBQ casserole
cous cous with roasted veggies and tofu
chia seed and red onion wm rolls
apple cinnamon loaf cake
oh, and a big vat of dog food too!
(I might do a side of red cabbage, apple and beetroot as I have some cabbage left verging on iffy).


----------



## Magyarmum

As most of the snow had disappeared and it wasn't bitterly cold I decided to make the trip into the city to do a big food shop. Came back with a boot full of groceries,and an empty purse, but at least I won't have to shop again for a couple of weeks. Sadly no kale, but not a problem because I still have a little left and more in the freezer. I did come home with 4 frozen sweet corn cobs and my latest discovery .... a vegan "tuna" spread some of which I had in a sandwich for lunch today and did I enjoy it! Made with chickpeas rather than soya by this Slovakian company.

http://www.natureline.sk/indexen.htm

It was so good I looked up the recipe for making it at home and found this one from Forks over Knives

https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-no-tuna-salad-sandwich/#gs.qZBIDyE

Last night because I had stacks of groceries to pack away, I just had a baked potato topped with chili veggies and kidney beans. Tonight I'm being indulgent and making pizza! Oh and I finally found a recipe for homemade phyllo pastry, something we can't get over here! Can't wait to try it!


----------



## Guest

Magyarmum said:


> As most of the snow had disappeared and it wasn't bitterly cold I decided to make the trip into the city to do a big food shop. Came back with a boot full of groceries,and an empty purse, but at least I won't have to shop again for a couple of weeks. Sadly no kale, but not a problem because I still have a little left and more in the freezer. I did come home with 4 frozen sweet corn cobs and my latest discovery .... a vegan "tuna" spread some of which I had in a sandwich for lunch today and did I enjoy it! Made with chickpeas rather than soya by this Slovakian company.
> 
> http://www.natureline.sk/indexen.htm
> 
> It was so good I looked up the recipe for making it at home and found this one from Forks over Knives
> 
> https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-no-tuna-salad-sandwich/#gs.qZBIDyE
> 
> Last night because I had stacks of groceries to pack away, I just had a baked potato topped with chili veggies and kidney beans. Tonight I'm being indulgent and making pizza! Oh and I finally found a recipe for homemade phyllo pastry, something we can't get over here! Can't wait to try it!


I've been meaning to try that garbanzo "tuna" from Forks over Knives, I saw it ages ago and forgot about it. Thanks for reminding me  
I made another batch of garbanzo veggie burgers and I think I've finally got the recipe right. Everyone raved about this last batch and is bugging me to make more. They don't take long to prep, but they do take about an hour in the oven to cook. Plus my food processor is tiny and I really need to double the batch which is going to be complicated.

The other thing I need to figure out is how to make them less "wet". They're really mushy at first and I just need them to be a teeny, tiny bit more solid before I bake them. 
Those of you good with recipes can you look at this and see what you think? Maybe just more rice? Or more mushrooms?

2 cans of prepared garbanzos
1 cup rice 
onion, garlic, mushrooms, fresh spinach
Seasoning is:
cumin, liquid smoke, balsamic vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, lemon juice, nutritional yeast


----------



## Magyarmum

ouesi said:


> I've been meaning to try that garbanzo "tuna" from Forks over Knives, I saw it ages ago and forgot about it. Thanks for reminding me
> I made another batch of garbanzo veggie burgers and I think I've finally got the recipe right. Everyone raved about this last batch and is bugging me to make more. They don't take long to prep, but they do take about an hour in the oven to cook. Plus my food processor is tiny and I really need to double the batch which is going to be complicated.
> 
> The other thing I need to figure out is how to make them less "wet". They're really mushy at first and I just need them to be a teeny, tiny bit more solid before I bake them.
> Those of you good with recipes can you look at this and see what you think? Maybe just more rice? Or more mushrooms?
> 
> 2 cans of prepared garbanzos
> 1 cup rice
> onion, garlic, mushrooms, fresh spinach
> Seasoning is:
> cumin, liquid smoke, balsamic vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, lemon juice, nutritional yeast


How about adding a little gram flour which is made out of chickpeas anyway. You can either buy it from an Asian store ... It's used a lot to make things like pakora ..... or you can make it yourself with dried chickpeas.

https://www.thespruce.com/making-chickpea-flour-2394971


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## Guest

Magyarmum said:


> How about adding a little gram flour which is made out of chickpeas anyway. You can either buy it from an Asian store ... It's used a lot to make things like pakora ..... or you can make it yourself with dried chickpeas.
> 
> https://www.thespruce.com/making-chickpea-flour-2394971


That's a good idea, I was thinking of adding some sprouted wheat flour I have, see if that works, but chickpea flour would be good too. 
I wonder if I prepared the garbanzos myself instead of using canned if I'd get a better texture....


----------



## Guest

I figured I would share on this thread also. Super easy "cheese" sauce for pastas, or as a topping or dip. 

Soak 1/2 cup of raw cashews overnight or for about 8 hours (you can actually soak less if you have a strong blender, they're just less creamy).
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup prepared garbanzos (chickpeas). I use canned garbanzos and keep a little of the canned water, the 'aquafaba' which helps with the creaminess. 
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
4 to 6 tablespoons of salsa (just add, mix, taste, then add more if needed). 
salt, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper to taste (same as above, add, mix, taste, and play around with it).

Definitely not low fat/low calorie, but still way better for you than cheese. Plus my teens are certainly not counting calories or fat LOL! They love it


----------



## Guest

I love autumn!

I have a pot of carrot and red lentil soup in the slow cooker and am just stewing a pot of apples. Yum!


----------



## catz4m8z

wow, stewed apples sound so nice. Id probably ruin it with ice cream though!LOL:Shy

I really need to get back in the swing of things but all this grey cloudy weather leaves me feeling like I just cant be bothered. Eating lots of sandwiches and bowls of cereal at the moment!
On another note just bought myself a pair of faux Ugg boots as I needed some nice warm 'slipper' boots for going out in the garden and shouting at Hannah when she wont stop barking! First time Ive been shoe shopping and had to think about making sure its all synthetic first (but I found some nice and cheap and more importantly....purple!:Woot).


----------



## catz4m8z

Just finished my taste test on plant milks coz I was fed up with soya. My new favourite is........ hazelnut milk! Tastes sooooo good in hot chocolate and on cereal.
Althouogh I am curious now why some nuts get 'milked' and not others. I mean peanuts have to be the popular nut and yet no peanut milk!:Bored Would peanut milk taste horrible? I really want to know.


----------



## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> all this grey cloudy weather leaves me feeling like I just cant be bothered.


I hear ya! I'm so tired of being cold!!!!
We're in another cold snap, and usually by this time of year we should be in short sleeves. I'm still in sweaters 

I didn't get anything cooked this past weekend except a giant pot of rice (I do a huge pot of half brown, half white that we use for bowl meals throughout the week). I also got a pot of quinoa made and by Wednesday it was all gone. So we're existing off pasta and frozen veggies with canned beans thrown in. BORING!

I did treat myself to some overpriced veggie sushi at Whole Foods last night, and it was my lunch today. Avocado and mango, was delicious! I may have to figure out how to make that for myself at home! I forgot I like mangos and black beans together, I bet a black bean bowl with mango salsa and avocado would be awesome!! Now I have to wait for mango season to hurry up and get here!


----------



## Team_Trouble

What is everyone's favourite veggie or bean burger recipe?


----------



## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> Just finished my taste test on plant milks coz I was fed up with soya. My new favourite is........ hazelnut milk! Tastes sooooo good in hot chocolate and on cereal.
> Althouogh I am curious now why some nuts get 'milked' and not others. I mean peanuts have to be the popular nut and yet no peanut milk!:Bored Would peanut milk taste horrible? I really want to know.


If you really want to know what it tastes like here's a recipe for making peanut milk ....

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/how-to-make-peanut-milk/

My favourite is Buckwheat milk, followed by Spelt or Barley milk none of which I don't think you can buy in the UK but they're very popular in this part of Europe.


----------



## Jonescat

I always have real trouble making burgers stick together, but I do find butter beans very good as glue


----------



## Guest

KatieandOliver said:


> What is everyone's favourite veggie or bean burger recipe?


Everyone in my house loves these, I'm still playing with the consistency, but the flavor is YUM!










2 cans garbanzos 
1 1/2 cup cooked brown rice 
1/2 onion 
8 oz mushrooms 
2 cups fresh spinach 
4 cloves garlic 
Juice of 1/2 lemon 
1/4 cup nutritional yeast 
Cumin 
Worcestershire sauce 
Liquid smoke 
Red pepper flakes 
Salt

Pulse veggies in food processor w/ one can garbanzos 
Pulse rice w/ other can & seasoning <-- this is the part where I think I'm going wrong, I think the rice needs to be whole, not pulsed. 
Mix all together in a big bowl

1/2 cup scoop on to parchment paper, shape (they will be pretty wet)
Bake 425 30 min each side


----------



## Magyarmum

KatieandOliver said:


> What is everyone's favourite veggie or bean burger recipe?


This is a nice "flavoursome" burger and very easy to make.

https://holycowvegan.net/bean-walnut-mushroom-burgers-grillable/


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## Guest

Magyarmum said:


> This is a nice "flavoursome" burger and very easy to make.
> 
> https://holycowvegan.net/bean-walnut-mushroom-burgers-grillable/


Oh I'm trying this one! I have some pecans I need to do something with, and I bet I could replace the walnuts with pecans!


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## Matrod

Magyarmum said:


> This is a nice "flavoursome" burger and very easy to make.
> 
> https://holycowvegan.net/bean-walnut-mushroom-burgers-grillable/


They sound amazing, I'll definitely be making those very soon.


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## Magyarmum

ouesi said:


> Oh I'm trying this one! I have some pecans I need to do something with, and I bet I could replace the walnuts with pecans!





Matrod said:


> They sound amazing, I'll definitely be making those very soon.


I've cooked quite a few of her recipes and they've all been very good. I must try this one the next time I've got fresh broccoli ... looks yummy!

https://holycowvegan.net/pasta-broccoli-beans/

It's poured with rain all day here and as I'm definitely in need of comfort food, especially after spending most of my day cleaning kitchen cupboards, I'm having one of my favourite Mauritian dishes Sauteed Potatoes and Cabbage.

http://veganlovlie.com/sauteed-cabbage-potatoes-recipe/

I've added some small button mushrooms to it and am serving it with spelt, vermicelli and tomato.


----------



## Cleo38

I had some spare time today so made some healthy biscuits.

They don't look great but are bloody lovely!

Made with:
400g of dates
4 heaped table spoons of peanut butter
A large handful of chopped nuts
Bit of oat milk
Mix up in a food processor then bake ... but I can't remember how long for!

When cooled drizzle some melted dark chocolate over the top.









Edited to add: I was supposed to add 2 tea spoons of vanilla extract aswell but I forgot


----------



## Lurcherlad

Yum!

I’ve been making a kind of Rocky Road using popcorn, rice crispies, chopped nuts and sultanas mixed up with dark chocolate.

Satisfies a need for something sweet but the chocolate goes a long way 

Going to concoct a healthier flapjack and drizzle with dark chocolate too to put in lunchboxes.


----------



## Cleo38

Lurcherlad said:


> Yum!
> 
> I've been making a kind of Rocky Road using popcorn, rice crispies, chopped nuts and sultanas mixed up with dark chocolate.
> 
> Satisfies a need for something sweet but the chocolate goes a long way
> 
> Going to concoct a healthier flapjack and drizzle with dark chocolate too to put in lunchboxes.


Oh that sounds nice, I might try similar next time ..... am just trying not to scoff this lot in one go though


----------



## Jonescat

I am reading the free monthly mag from Tesco and it has a recipe of vegan moussaka with a suggestion for topping that I think is worth sharing.

350g butternut squash steamed and pureed
25g fairy free spread
25g wholemeal flour
300 ml cashew milk

melt the spread, and add the flour to make a roux, whisk in the cashew milk. Simmer for two mins and add the squash and seasoning to taste. Spoon over the base and bake for 25 mins.

I am trying this in the next few days, think it sounds a really good idea. I think I may well add a little dried onion,thyme or nutritional yeast but will taste it before I decide.


----------



## lullabydream

Ok it's not healthy and is not plant based but I bought my son some sweets yesterday..ok he's 23 but who cares he's still my son and can eat sweets right..vegetarian jelly snakes from M and S...they were lovely! I don't normally do sweets but had to give him the bag back when I he offered me one...


Husband is still moaning about the amount of lentils in our food when we are sharing the cooking...he's still eating loads though!


----------



## Guest

My mum has a feijoa tree (not sure you have feijoas there?) that has come into fruit so this evening I stewed some feijoas along with some pears and made a crumble topping with olive oil instead of butter. SO yum!


----------



## Jonescat

McKenzie said:


> My mum has a feijoa tree (not sure you have feijoas there?)


I don't think we do - I had to google them but they sound yummy. However I did read it as feijoada to start with and was a very confused person for a few minutes! (Feijoada = Portuguese bean and meat stew)


----------



## Whompingwillow

Jonescat said:


> I am reading the free monthly mag from Tesco and it has a recipe of vegan moussaka with a suggestion for topping that I think is worth sharing.
> 
> 350g butternut squash steamed and pureed
> 25g fairy free spread
> 25g wholemeal flour
> 300 ml cashew milk
> 
> melt the spread, and add the flour to make a roux, whisk in the cashew milk. Simmer for two mins and add the squash and seasoning to taste. Spoon over the base and bake for 25 mins.
> 
> I am trying this in the next few days, think it sounds a really good idea. I think I may well add a little dried onion,thyme or nutritional yeast but will taste it before I decide.


Fairy free spread !  I do like quite a lot actually


----------



## catz4m8z

Cleo38 said:


> View attachment 348504


OMG, those look proper droolworthy!rool
Dates are the one thing I really want to get a food processor for. Most stuff I can get away with just mashing but it doesnt work for dates, and they have that lovely toffee-like taste which is just awesome for biscuits and flapjacks.

Cold weather is soup weather so I raided the fridge to see what I could come up with. Wound up with broccoli, cauliflower, red onion, white sweet potato, celery and apple seasoned with coconut milk, garlic, ginger and cinnamon. yummy.


----------



## Magyarmum

We had the most awful weekend weather wise with gale force winds and snowing a blizzard. I had to dig about 2 feet of snow from in front of the woodshed door and when I opened it found a PVC roof panel had been ripped off. No idea where it is because the snow's too deep to investigate!

Anyway it was definitely soup weather so on Saturday I made a really tasty cream of mushroom soup with coconut milk. Yesterday afternoon looked in the fridge and decided to make a vegetable soup, some of which I had for lunch today, and for dinner last night a stir fry which I had with rice.

This afternoon I made this recipe ...

https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/cannellini-bean-and-broccoli-rabe-meatballs/

but replaced the broccoli rabe with spinach and red pepper, I also used za'atar instead the Italian seasoning. I had them tonight with mashed potatoes, peas and onion gravy. I enjoyed them but think unless I'm going to have them with pasta and tomato sauce, I'll make them into patties rather than meatballs

Another interesting recipe which I was tempted to make is for Swedish vegan meatballs made with chickpeas but decided to make it when my son and DIL are over next month.

https://www.thevegspace.co.uk/recipe-gronsaksbullar-swedish-vegan-meatballs/


----------



## catz4m8z

went to the local shop for some spread for my crumpets and came back disappointed. Sunflower spread....contains milk, Flora ('made with plants!' on the tub presumably as a big selling point!)...contains milk.:Banghead None of the plant based options in there were free from animal products.
am now grumpy....:Shifty


----------



## Lurcherlad

catz4m8z said:


> went to the local shop for some spread for my crumpets and came back disappointed. Sunflower spread....contains milk, Flora ('made with plants!' on the tub presumably as a big selling point!)...contains milk.:Banghead None of the plant based options in there were free from animal products.
> am now grumpy....:Shifty


I know, you found that too. Why put dairy in a spread heavily advertised as "sunflower"?

There are lots more vegan spreads in supermarkets now though. I've run out of mine too and the only one available locally I'm not mad about.

If you eat mayo I find that an acceptable stand in - just a scrape.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> went to the local shop for some spread for my crumpets and came back disappointed. Sunflower spread....contains milk, Flora ('made with plants!' on the tub presumably as a big selling point!)...contains milk.:Banghead None of the plant based options in there were free from animal products.
> am now grumpy....:Shifty


I use this one for the rare occasions I need a spread - its sold in most supermarkets.

https://veganuary.com/products/pure-dairy-free-sunflower-spread/

Flora do make one too

http://www.flora.com/product/detail/1097537/flora-freedom


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I use this one for the rare occasions I need a spread - its sold in most supermarkets.
> 
> https://veganuary.com/products/pure-dairy-free-sunflower-spread/


I usually buy that one (well, the soya version) but I was being lazy coz I didnt want to have to walk all the way into town just for marg!:Shy
Think I might bulk buy for the month next time I shop on-line.


----------



## Matrod

I made these for the second time last week, I love them

https://www.abelandcole.co.uk/recipes/spicy-satay-skewers-with-fresh-noodle-salad

The recipe says to fry them in a pan but it's impossible when they're on skewers so I cook them under the grill. Any leftovers are great with hummus the next day.


----------



## Guest

Matrod said:


> I made these for the second time last week, I love them
> 
> https://www.abelandcole.co.uk/recipes/spicy-satay-skewers-with-fresh-noodle-salad
> 
> The recipe says to fry them in a pan but it's impossible when they're on skewers so I cook them under the grill. Any leftovers are great with hummus the next day.


Looks yummy!! Thanks for sharing


----------



## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> I usually buy that one (well, the soya version) but I was being lazy coz I didnt want to have to walk all the way into town just for marg!:Shy
> Think I might bulk buy for the month next time I shop on-line.


I'm not sure whether you have Rama in the UK? This has a nice flavour and is vegan!

They also do several others that are suitable for vegetarians.

https://www.rama.de/produkte/rama-100-pflanzlich/8714100296110


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Another inspiring story of a doctor who reversed her MS with a plant based diet






She is making a new film due out Autumn of this year called "Code Blue" - short clip on the link

http://www.codebluedoc.com/#our-story


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Another inspiring story of a doctor who reversed her MS with a plant based diet
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> She is making a new film due out Autumn of this year called "Code Blue" - short clip on the link
> 
> http://www.codebluedoc.com/#our-story


I am obsessed with stories like these of people completely reversing chronic, debilitating health conditions. It's so hopeful and such a wonderful, positive message that *we* have control over our health. We don't have to sit around and wait for doctors to figure it out or for pharmaceutical companies to come up with the next prescription. All we have to do is change what we eat. I love it


----------



## catz4m8z

Magyarmum said:


> I'm not sure whether you have Rama in the UK? This has a nice flavour and is vegan!
> 
> They also do several others that are suitable for vegetarians.


Looks similar to what I buy usually.
Was in the shops today and found vegan Cornettos in the freezer aisle!:Woot I know its not healthy and its def not ice cream weather but it just made me happy to see the option available.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> I am obsessed with stories like these of people completely reversing chronic, debilitating health conditions. It's so hopeful and such a wonderful, positive message that *we* have control over our health. We don't have to sit around and wait for doctors to figure it out or for pharmaceutical companies to come up with the next prescription. All we have to do is change what we eat. I love it


I posted a similar story (on the auto immune thread) again about a doctor who had lupus and another autoimmune condition resulting in kidney failure, completely resolved when she changed to WFPB with lots of green smoothies, even went on to have children despite two years of chemotherapy when she was younger and being advised it would cause her condition to deteriorate. They are so inspiring.


----------



## Cleo38

I was really hoping that my BP would be down having made so many changes but unfortunately it's still much too high 

I have been talking to my Dr (the plant based one who unfortunately is now going on maternity leave) & she has suggested some new meds as she thinks it might be anxiety based, which I agree. I felt like a failure again but again that just ties in with my mindset which has to change. I've just finished listening to Ruby Wax's book A Mindful Guide for the Frazzled which I really enjoyed & gave some really good advice regarding anxiety & management techniques. Hopefully some more changes & some more mindful meditation which also help as I really don't want to be on medication forever


----------



## Cleo38

Anyway ... tonight I made the patties that @ouesi posted the recipe for ... but with a tweak. I added oregano & thyme instead of cumin.

Mmmm, lovely! I made a coleslaw to go with it with some chopped fresh spinach then some stir fried kale with a handful of mixed veg.


----------



## Rafa

Someone called nightkitten has started a thread in General, looking for vegan recipes.

I've told her about this thread and she's looking for it.

Could someone link her to it please? I don't know how.


----------



## Cleo38

Rafa said:


> Someone called nightkitten has started a thread in General, looking for vegan recipes.
> 
> I've told her about this thread and she's looking for it.
> 
> Could someone link her to it please? I don't know how.


Done!


----------



## Rafa

Cleo38 said:


> Done!


Thanks.


----------



## catz4m8z

I really love this way of eating!
Have to say Im a life long binge eater and yoyo dieter and have next to no will power so I fall off the 'healthy lifestyle' wagon frequently.:Shy However since going vegan (and still having weeks or months when Im eating crap) my weight is the most stable its ever been. Also I just dont seem to feel so bad after eating junk food and seem to bounce back to healthy eating easier.
I think not only is it easier to make healthy choices if you are plant based but even the junk food options arent as damaging to you in terms of calories and fat.
Maybe I havent slimmed down to supermodel proportions but its lovely to get off of that binge/diet rollercoaster!


----------



## Royoyo

This is my go to food at the moment, it’s called Lentil Dahl. Probably doesn’t look as pretty as other food posted here but it is so tasty (if you like Indian food) and keeps you feeling full!


Yes, that is a baking spatula being used to make lentils


----------



## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> I really love this way of eating!
> Have to say Im a life long binge eater and yoyo dieter and have next to no will power so I fall off the 'healthy lifestyle' wagon frequently.:Shy However since going vegan (and still having weeks or months when Im eating crap) my weight is the most stable its ever been. Also I just dont seem to feel so bad after eating junk food and seem to bounce back to healthy eating easier.
> I think not only is it easier to make healthy choices if you are plant based but even the junk food options arent as damaging to you in terms of calories and fat.
> Maybe I havent slimmed down to supermodel proportions but its lovely to get off of that binge/diet rollercoaster!


It definitely takes out a lot of the decision making fatigue when it comes to healthy choices. I like the ease of deciding what to eat. And yes, it's so nice not to feel like you have to "diet" as in restrict yourself. 
I think it is a normal human need to feel the comfort of fullness. We are designed to want to feel full and denying ourselves that comfort of feeling full just leads to all sorts of unhealthy behaviors (IMO). Plant based eating means I can eat as much as I want to feel full, but still maintain a healthy weight.


----------



## catz4m8z

Royoyo said:


> This is my go to food at the moment, it's called Lentil Dahl.


ooooh, inspiration!:Woot I fancied a big plate of roasted veggies for tea but couldnt work out what meaty substitute/protein type thing I could have with it. Am now going to roast veggies with indian spices and do a Dahl to go with.
thanks for that!LOL:Smug


----------



## Magyarmum

Royoyo said:


> This is my go to food at the moment, it's called Lentil Dahl. Probably doesn't look as pretty as other food posted here but it is so tasty (if you like Indian food) and keeps you feeling full!
> 
> Yes, that is a baking spatula being used to make lentils


I did something similar ..... a Turkish Split Pea Stew! I had it with a mixture of brown rice, peas and mushrooms which were left over from the stuffed tomato I had for dinner last night!

http://instantpoteats.com/turkish-split-pea-soup-instant-pot-recipe/


----------



## Jonescat

Went to an 80th birthday at the weekend where the instructions to the cooks were "Bring pasta sauce and a salad to share". I took this orange and fennel salad, a sort-of-waldorf salad (apple/walnut/watercress/raisin/celery in vegan mayo) and a mushroom/shallot/thyme sauce. I was amazed how many of the non-veggies tucked in and how quickly it all vanished  10 years ago they stuck to their meaty sauces and poked fun at the oddballs. I even had a conversation with someone about our favourite vegan mayo - definitely a first. I do believe something in the ether is changing...


----------



## catz4m8z

Jonescat said:


> 10 years ago they stuck to their meaty sauces and poked fun at the oddballs. I even had a conversation with someone about our favourite vegan mayo - definitely a first. I do believe something in the ether is changing...


Not so much round my way! Somebody at work actually pointed me out to everybody else as the only vegan he had ever met in real life! 'and she doesnt even use anything tested on animals or any animal products!!' (*ooooooooooooh!*:Wideyed).
I felt like an endangered species in the zoo!LOL:Hilarious

Those salads sound and look lovely though @Jonescat


----------



## catz4m8z

So...I have no fresh food in the house at all resulting in a cupboard trawl for lunch.
wh spaghetti+black beans+frozen mixed veg+couple spoonfuls of pasta sauce= lazy minestrone soup!
really tasty, will def make again!


----------



## Jonescat

Baked tomato/mushroom/spinach risotto with a stuffed mushroom topper. The risotto took forever to cook but was very yummy once done.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

In case anyone missed this (think I posted it in health) the diabetes summit starts today - free to register and watch lectures

http://www.masteringdiabetes.org/summit/?affiliate=pbn

They have an incredible list of speakers for the first day


*Neal Barnard, MD* - How Cheese and Low-Carbohydrate Diets Cause Diabetes and Chronic Disease
*David Katz, MD - *The Evidence-Based Truth About Sugar, Whole Carbohydrates and Insulin Resistance
*Garth Davis, MD - *The Fallacies of High-Fat, High-Protein, and Ketogenic Diets
*Cyrus Khambatta, PhD - *Why Insulin Resistance Underlies All Forms of Diabetes - and What You Can Do About It
*Michelle McMacken, MD - *The True Dietary Causes of Insulin Resistance in Type 2 Diabetes


----------



## Magyarmum

Jonescat said:


> Baked tomato/mushroom/spinach risotto with a stuffed mushroom topper. The risotto took forever to cook but was very yummy once done.
> 
> View attachment 349838


I made a leek, celery, mushroom and rice with red lentil risotto for dinner tonight. I normally use arborio rice but tonight decided to use some mixed rice - brown, basmati and black -- I bought the other week.

It said on the packet the rice would take 35 minutes to cook. An hour later some of the rice wasn't quite cooked, but by that time I was starving, so ate it anyway!

I won't be using it again for a risotto but instead will use it up in soups which can be left to simmer for hours!


----------



## Guest

What is people’s feelings about olive oil?


----------



## Guest

McKenzie said:


> What is people's feelings about olive oil?


I'm cooking mostly oil-free these days. I do have a lovely bottle of very nice olive oil that I should probably give away because I'm just not using it...

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/olive-oil-and-artery-function/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

McKenzie said:


> What is people's feelings about olive oil?


I keep oil to a minimum too, its processed and is pretty much empty calories - very high on the calorie density scale too.

Talking of fat saw this interesting short clip by cardiologist Dr Joel Kahn today






This is the study he is talking about which someone kindly linked to in the comments section - even the Daily Mail were running a story on it

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41374-018-0038-3


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

We are having this for dinner tonight - its one of our current favourites although I don't bother making the chutney and have adapted the recipe slightly by changing swede for sweet potato and adding some green lentils. Also don't bother with the oil for frying or coating the veggies for roasting.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...as-recipe-coriander-chutney-vegan-meera-sodha

Thanks to @MollySmith for the link a while back, I love her recipes

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/series/the-new-vegan


----------



## Magyarmum

My "go to first" website when I'm looking for inspiration is The Spruce. They have a really good selection of vegetarian/vegan recipes about almost anything you care to cook.

https://www.thespruce.com/

Another one I really like is Veganlovlie which has Mauritian recipes.

http://veganlovlie.com/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Diabetes summit for today (a lot of these lectures will be really interesting for non diabetics too) - I think they may have made a mistake giving Dean Ornish and Joel Kahn the same lecture titles though.


*Michael Greger, MD* - The Dangers of Eggs and Milk, and the Importance of Fruit for People with Diabetes
*Dean Ornish, MD* - How Minimizing Animal Foods Reverses Chronic Disease and Slows the Rate of Aging
*Joel Kahn, MD* - How Minimizing Animal Foods Reverses Chronic Disease and Slows the Rate of Aging
*Rosane Oliveira, PhD* - The Truth About Diabetes and Metabolic Dysfunction: Your Genes are NOT to Blame
*Matt Lederman, MD* - Creating Sustainability on a Plant-Based Diet by Understanding Calorie Density


----------



## Guest

My morning shake: 
I use whatever I have at home so today it was spinach,avocado,banana,black/blueberries,2 dates,spirolina, Chia seeds with almond milk and ice.
It tasted really nice but colour is a bit off at green/black.


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Also don't bother with the oil for frying or coating the veggies for roasting.


Once you stop using any oil you really find you dont miss it on most things, right? (my one exception is a quick smear on a baked potato).
Love roast veggies though and Ive only recently discovered how lovely roast cauliflower is.


----------



## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> Once you stop using any oil you really find you dont miss it on most things, right?


No, don't miss it at all! Neither does anyone in my family. All of the most popular meals I make have zero added oil/fat and everyone snarfs them up


----------



## Jonescat

McKenzie said:


> What is people's feelings about olive oil?


I still use oil for some things but more likely rape seed than olive. I love the colour, it has some (comparative) health benefits and it can be grown in the UK.


----------



## Jonescat

Magyarmum said:


> Another one I really like is Veganlovlie which has Mauritian recipes.
> http://veganlovlie.com/


Now that does look interesting.


----------



## catz4m8z

well, its wet, windy and freezing out there and I had a craving for a salad for tea!LOL Massive amount of spinach with salad veggies, pickled onions (after having a lonely jar in the fridge for months I now cant stop eating them) and topped with loads of black eyed beans. nom!
Weird to think that pulses had no role in my diet before I went vegan and now I bloody love them!:Smug

The salad was very healthy though:Shifty...might need a toasted bagel for supper just to off set it!:Smuggrin


----------



## Cleo38

For dinner tonight I cooked some wholewheat spaghetti then added some fried mushrooms, mixed peppers, onions, garlic, black olives, basil, kale & spinach (I think I have them with every dinner!) & mixed in some red pepper hummus ...... OMG, so nice!

In fact it was a bit too nice & I have made a bit of a pig of myself .... but I did run today then did loads of walking with the dogs in the afternoon so I figure I deserved it. Lots let for tomorrow as well ..... unless I scoff it all tonight!


----------



## Rafa

I thought you may like this, in a lighthearted way.


----------



## Guest

I’m just wondering about vitamin B12. I was watching a doco thatsaid this is the only nutrient you can’t get from plants. Just wondering if you people supplement it somehow, and if so to what degree.


----------



## catz4m8z

I take a multivitamin a couple of times a week (when I remember) but TBH vitB12 doesnt worry me. I drink tons of plant milk which is fortified and often sprinkle nutritional yeast on stuff, plus the odd bit of marmite on toast Im covered!


----------



## Jonescat

Marmite


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I supplement B12.


----------



## Guest

McKenzie said:


> I'm just wondering about vitamin B12. I was watching a doco thatsaid this is the only nutrient you can't get from plants. Just wondering if you people supplement it somehow, and if so to what degree.


The nutritional yeast I eat has b12 and when I remember to take my supplements I take a B12 also.
A healthy body stores b12 very well, I believe up to 3 years. So unless you have issues specifically related to b12 it's not something I would worry too much about. Get it in your food, take a supplement, but don't stress if you're like me and you go months without remembering to take a b12


----------



## Guest

Thanks everyone. I do like marmite but don’t eat a lot of bread, and I haven’t found a plant milk that is fortified with B12. I do have about half a bottle of a multi vit so I’ll finish those off and then get a B12 supplement.


----------



## Jonescat

Most of the Alpro range has B12 I believe. Oatly has B12. Aldi and Lidl soya do as well. What brands have you got available to you?


----------



## Guest

Jonescat said:


> Most of the Alpro range has B12 I believe. Oatly has B12. Aldi and Lidl soya do as well. What brands have you got available to you?


I live in NZ so none of those. I'll have a proper search next time I'm at the supermarket but none of the brands I usually buy do.


----------



## Jonescat

Aah! I see. I thought I was missing something.


----------



## catz4m8z

McKenzie said:


> I live in NZ so none of those. I'll have a proper search next time I'm at the supermarket but none of the brands I usually buy do.


wow, that sucks. In the UK you'd have to really look to find a plant milk that wasnt fortified!


----------



## Magyarmum

Jonescat said:


> Most of the Alpro range has B12 I believe. Oatly has B12. Aldi and Lidl soya do as well. What brands have you got available to you?


We can buy Alpro over here in Hungary, but it doesn't say on the carton that it has B12. The only way you can find out is by going to their Hungarian website and looking at the ingredients. I buy The Bridge which is made in Italy because I personally think it's a far better product, but unfortunately it doesn't have added B12.

I take a B12 supplement, when I remember and also sometimes add Nutritional Yeast or Marmite to my cooking.


----------



## Matrod

Does anyone here take iodine supplements? And if so which one?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Matrod said:


> Does anyone here take iodine supplements? And if so which one?


I take a multi vitamin that is specifically for vegans so it doesn't have a lot of the vitamins and minerals that we already get plenty of but does have Vit D, & B12, some calcium, magnesium and zinc plus iodine. I don't take it every day, probably every other. I also use Dulse flakes (seaweed) in some of my cooking - just a teaspoon in a stew or strongly flavoured soup and buy iodised salt which I use in my bread.


----------



## Matrod

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I take a multi vitamin that is specifically for vegans so it doesn't have a lot of the vitamins and minerals that we already get plenty of but does have Vit D, & B12, some calcium, magnesium and zinc plus iodine. I don't take it every day, probably every other. I also use Dulse flakes (seaweed) in some of my cooking - just a teaspoon in a stew or strongly flavoured soup and buy iodised salt which I use in my bread.


Thanks for that, I didn't realise as a vegan I wouldn't be getting it or enough of it in my diet. I already take vitamin d & b complex. I hate seaweed so I'll get a supplement.


----------



## Guest

Just be careful with supplementing iodine. You can also take too much. As a kid we used iodine tablets in water to sanitize it for cooking and washing vegetables, and as a result, years later, I had thyroid issues that eventually led to having the whole thing removed I wish I had known then what I know now, I probably could have healed myself with food, but it is what it is. I have no thyroid, and will have to take thyroid hormone the rest of my life.
But yeah, watch that iodine intake


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Day 3 speakers


*Joel Fuhrman, MD* - The Power of the Nutritarian Diet for Reversing Diabetes For the Rest of Your Life

*Robert Ostfeld, MD* - How to Reverse Coronary Artery Disease and Diabetes Simultaneously

*Hans Diehl, DrHSc* - The Cause and Cure of Type 2 Diabetes - The Power is on Your Plate

*John McDougall, MD* - Pharmaceutical Medication vs. a Plant-Based Diet - Which is More Effective?

*Ray Cronise* - The Exact Formula to Reverse Insulin Resistance in Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes


----------



## Matrod

ouesi said:


> Just be careful with supplementing iodine. You can also take too much. As a kid we used iodine tablets in water to sanitize it for cooking and washing vegetables, and as a result, years later, I had thyroid issues that eventually led to having the whole thing removed I wish I had known then what I know now, I probably could have healed myself with food, but it is what it is. I have no thyroid, and will have to take thyroid hormone the rest of my life.
> But yeah, watch that iodine intake


My sister is a naturopath so I'm going to be guided by her, she said I would only need a small amount, it was her that told me I need to supplement it in my diet. Thyroid problems are an issue on my mum's side of the family so I need to make sure I'm not deficient.


----------



## catz4m8z

I have iodine supplements as I dont have any at all in my diet but I only take it a couple of times a week. Id rather go abit under then over!
TBH I think vegans are probably less deficient in most things coz we actually pay more attention to what we might be missing in our diets.


----------



## Whompingwillow

McKenzie said:


> What is people's feelings about olive oil?


I like olive oil a lot, I feel good about it! Its the only oil I would go for


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I'm not into cake but if I was I would definitely give this one a go

https://www.veganrecipeclub.org.uk/...zzle-cake?mc_cid=c54ba773a9&mc_eid=1d1714d491


----------



## Lurcherlad

Just made and scoffed my first pizza since going dairy free last year.

Very tasty! :Happy










Dairy free veggie base
Tomato purée mixed with a little vegan pesto
Sliced onion, mushroom, SD tomato, red & yellow pepper
Sprinkle of vegan yeast flakes
Sprinkle of Sainsbury's Free From grated cheddar
Chopped olives


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

That looks yummy @Lurcherlad


----------



## Guest

I'll be making my version of "cowboy caviar" later on today:
https://cafedelites.com/chili-lime-texas-caviar/

I don't do the dressing on there, I just use lime, salt, and red pepper flakes for seasoning sometimes cumin depending on my mood  
I also add a diced apple for sweetness. 
It's soooo yummy! We just eat it straight, but on a bed of fresh spinach, it makes a lovely salad, or stuffed in to a pita pocket, makes a lovely sandwich or wrap.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Speakers for today


*Brenda Davis, RD* - How Low-Carbohydrate Diets Cause Lipotoxicity, Oxidative Stress, and Dysbiosis
*Ronald Weiss, MD* - Understanding Why Your Microbiome Determines Your Metabolic Health
*Rick Dina, DC* - Understanding the Truth About Essential Fatty Acids on a Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet
*Valter Longo, PhD* - How the Fasting Mimicking Diet Reprograms Your Immune System
*Robby Barbaro* - Understanding the Differences Between Various Plant-Based Diets


----------



## Magyarmum

@Lurcherlad - that looks yummy!

I started off with the intention of making a leek, mushroom and chickpea pie for dinner tonight which I was going to have with tiny boiled potatoes, fresh broccoli and some really tasty gravy. Unfortunately when I got the ready made pastry out of the freezer I discovered it was wafer thin - ideal for spring rolls or recipes with phyllo pastry, but definitely not MY pie!

I know I really should have made the effort and quickly made some pastry, but it's poured with rain here all day and after playing doorkeeper all day to two bored dogs and having dried them off more times than I can remember - I couldn't be bothered, so just sliced the spuds thinly and put them on top of the "meat" mixture! Tasted great despite the lack of pastry.

https://www.ricardocuisine.com/en/recipes/1075-vegetarian-savoury-pie-with-chickpeas-and-mushrooms


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Speakers for today - Alan Goldhamer is one of my favourites


*Alan Goldhamer, DC* - How to Escape the Pleasure Trap Using Intermittent Fasting and Plant-Based Nutrition
*Susan Peirce Thompson, PhD* - How to Achieve Permanent Weight Loss by Overcoming Food Addiction
*Adam Sud* - A Straightforward and Practical Way to Overcome Food Addiction For the Rest of Your Life
*Daniele Hargenrader* - How to Unleash Your Inner Diabetes Dominator and Transform Your Mental Health
*Marc Ramirez* - The Unbelievable Power of Full Commitment to Whole-Food, Plant-Based Nutrition


----------



## catz4m8z

well, its now my one year veganversary!:Woot

I found it surprisingly easy to stick to (once you make the connection between animal cruelty and what goes in your mouth it really puts you off animal products!LOL). I feel so much better in general as well. No more yo yo dieting or emotional eating, I just dont have the same cravings for junk as I used to.
Id say Im about 80% WFPB and 20% processed vegan foods but even my processed foods tend to be things like bread or pasta sauce most days rather then crisps or chocolate.
It doesnt feel like a diet or an eating plan either, its just how I eat now!:Smug

Anybody thinking of trying to go vegan either for ethical reasons or health, give it a go...you wont regret it!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> well, its now my one year veganversary!:Woot
> 
> I found it surprisingly easy to stick to (once you make the connection between animal cruelty and what goes in your mouth it really puts you off animal products!LOL). I feel so much better in general as well. No more yo yo dieting or emotional eating, I just dont have the same cravings for junk as I used to.
> Id say Im about 80% WFPB and 20% processed vegan foods but even my processed foods tend to be things like bread or pasta sauce most days rather then crisps or chocolate.
> It doesnt feel like a diet or an eating plan either, its just how I eat now!:Smug
> 
> Anybody thinking of trying to go vegan either for ethical reasons or health, give it a go...you wont regret it!


That is such positive news  I've been spending more time getting back involved with the ethical side of the coin recently and came across this excellent resource for people wanting to give it a try but needing a bit of help and support, they provide a mentor and have dietitians to help.

https://www.challenge22.com/challenge22/?group=351


----------



## Jonescat

I'm having this for tea
http://everydaydishes.com/simple-food-recipes/vegan-mushroom-and-adzuki-bean-stew/

with sweet potato subbing for the squash and ordinary mushroom not oysters (I do have porcini though). I am cooking loads of the beans in the pressure cooker, so will be eating aduki beans all week, or else freezing some.


----------



## Guest

Happy Veganversary @catz4m8z !!!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Plant based news interview with Rich Rolls - not too long. He is a favourite of mine and @ouesi


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Interesting short analysis of a new research paper on butter/olive oil/coconut oil.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Award winning vegan cheese to launch in UK stores including Sainsburys

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-7d8003dc44-192763785


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Award winning vegan cheese to launch in UK stores including Sainsburys


oooh, interesting! I quite like the Sainsburys own but most of the other brands taste abit rubbery to me. Daiya does seem popular though elsewhere.
Not that I eat much vegan cheese, mine lives in the freezer coz I hardly ever use it!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.forksoverknives.com/reversing-indias-diabetes-problem/#gs.7tm_eL4

Thought this bit was particularly interesting

"As a medical doctor in India, it's clear to me that vegetarians and non-vegetarians get exactly the same diseases at the same frequency, and that's because meat and milk have the same properties: high protein, high fat, and no fiber. Vegetarians consume a lot of dairy-milk, yogurt, paneer (cottage cheese), cheese, sweets made of milk solids and ghee, butter, and cream-in their daily diet.

One of the main causes of diabetes and heart disease is high fat and low fiber, so with increasing consumption of animal products-dairy, eggs, meat, fish, or chicken-diabetes and heart disease are common in India."


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Award winning vegan cheese to launch in UK stores including Sainsburys
> 
> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-7d8003dc44-192763785


We have Daiya in the US, and I'm not a fan 
I've not had any non dairy cheese that I like really, except the "cheesy" sauce I make myself with cashews.

But really, I don't miss cheese at all, and I know my taste buds have changed because I used to not be able to stand nutritional yeast, and now I put it on everything. 
Maybe the non dairy cheese tastes too much like actual cheese LOL!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> We have Daiya in the US, and I'm not a fan
> I've not had any non dairy cheese that I like really, except the "cheesy" sauce I make myself with cashews.
> 
> But really, I don't miss cheese at all, and I know my taste buds have changed because I used to not be able to stand nutritional yeast, and now I put it on everything.
> Maybe the non dairy cheese tastes too much like actual cheese LOL!


I only use a non dairy cream cheese about once a month for one of my pasta dishes as it makes a creamy type of sauce. I love nutritional yeast and even have it on my beans on toast


----------



## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


> https://www.forksoverknives.com/reversing-indias-diabetes-problem/#gs.7tm_eL4
> 
> Thought this bit was particularly interesting
> 
> "As a medical doctor in India, it's clear to me that vegetarians and non-vegetarians get exactly the same diseases at the same frequency, and that's because meat and milk have the same properties: high protein, high fat, and no fiber. Vegetarians consume a lot of dairy-milk, yogurt, paneer (cottage cheese), cheese, sweets made of milk solids and ghee, butter, and cream-in their daily diet.
> 
> One of the main causes of diabetes and heart disease is high fat and low fiber, so with increasing consumption of animal products-dairy, eggs, meat, fish, or chicken-diabetes and heart disease are common in India."


For many years I lived in Durban South Africa which has the largest Indian population of any city outside India. And as in India itself, the incidence of diabetes and heart disease is high amongst the population, irrespective of their religion.

I have to say though South African Indian food is absolutely delicious and slightly different to Indian Indian food!


----------



## Cleo38

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Award winning vegan cheese to launch in UK stores including Sainsburys
> 
> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-7d8003dc44-192763785


Will have to look out for this. I don't eat much vegan cheese at all tbh but it's nice to have occasionally. I had cheese & Marmite on toast at the weekend for the first time in ages & it was lovely (used the Tesco Jalapeno & Chilli Free From cheese).


----------



## Jonescat

rottiepointerhouse said:


> https://www.forksoverknives.com/reversing-indias-diabetes-problem/#gs.7tm_eL4
> "As a medical doctor in India, it's clear to me that vegetarians and non-vegetarians get exactly the same diseases at the same frequency, and that's because meat and milk have the same properties: high protein, high fat, and no fiber. Vegetarians consume a lot of dairy-milk, yogurt, paneer (cottage cheese), cheese, sweets made of milk solids and ghee, butter, and cream-in their daily diet.
> 
> One of the main causes of diabetes and heart disease is high fat and low fiber, so with increasing consumption of animal products-dairy, eggs, meat, fish, or chicken-diabetes and heart disease are common in India."


Lifestyle is important in diabetes prevention and management but it is important to remember there is a huge genetic component. It is not all about diet and weight, especially for Indians. 
http://www.natureasia.com/en/nindia/article/10.1038/nindia.2011.126


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Jonescat said:


> Lifestyle is important in diabetes prevention and management but it is important to remember there is a huge genetic component. It is not all about diet and weight, especially for Indians.
> http://www.natureasia.com/en/nindia/article/10.1038/nindia.2011.126


I don't think any disease is all about diet and weight, lots of other factors can influence whether genes are expressed or not as this part of the article touches on.

"According to Mohan, the discovery of these genes is a very important step to understand the genetics of diabetes in Indians. "It should be stressed that these genes relate to a predisposition for developing diabetes," he said.

"However, studying how these genes are regulated and expressed is the next important and logical step to understand the biology of the disease."


----------



## Guest

Jonescat said:


> there is a huge genetic component.


@rottiepointerhouse probably knows better than me, but I think it's Dr. Neil Barnard who talks about not being 'victims' of our genetics. Just because we have a genetic predisposition to something, doesn't mean we will succumb to that thing whatever it is. We still have tremendous power to influence our own health through lifestyle and diet choices. I find that to be a very positive, uplifting message.

He also talks about habits being passed down - eating and lifestyle habits. That's not genes so much as what you're used to.

I mean, of course genes matter. But in the sense that you can look at 10 people who are 100lbs or more overweight, 8 of those 10 have diseases related to obesity, the two that don't have some genetic protection, but if all of them change those habits that made them overweight to begin with, they will ALL reap benefits from those lifestyle changes.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ouesi said:


> @rottiepointerhouse probably knows better than me, but I think it's Dr. Neil Barnard who talks about not being 'victims' of our genetics. Just because we have a genetic predisposition to something, doesn't mean we will succumb to that thing whatever it is. We still have tremendous power to influence our own health through lifestyle and diet choices. I find that to be a very positive, uplifting message.
> 
> He also talks about habits being passed down - eating and lifestyle habits. That's not genes so much as what you're used to.
> 
> I mean, of course genes matter. But in the sense that you can look at 10 people who are 100lbs or more overweight, 8 of those 10 have diseases related to obesity, the two that don't have some genetic protection, but if all of them change those habits that made them overweight to begin with, they will ALL reap benefits from those lifestyle changes.


Yes Dr Barnard usually says genes are the gun but diet and lifestyle pull the trigger. T Colin Campbell in the China Study also looked at how diet can turn some genes (cancer in his work) on and off.

This is also one of the lectures on the Diabetes summit I've been posting links for - I haven't listened to it yet but will try to make it the next one on my list. I will report back anything interesting.

Rosane Oliveira, DVM, PhD

The Truth About Diabetes and Metabolic Dysfunction: Your Genes are NOT to Blame

Rosane Oliveira, DVM, PhD is Founding Director of UC Davis Integrative Medicine and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Department of Public Health Sciences at the School of Medicine at the University of California Davis. Blending a life-long passion for food and nutrition with over 20 years of scientific experience in genetic research, Dr. Oliveira is devoted to educating people about how food and lifestyle choices can affect genetic expression - i.e. how genes are turned on and off and either cause disease or promote health. She is a native of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and has lived in the US since 2003.

I did find this Youtube video of a talk she gave which sounds like it might be pretty similar material - she comes on at 1 min 30.


----------



## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Award winning vegan cheese to launch in UK stores including Sainsburys
> 
> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-7d8003dc44-192763785


Over here the only one you can occasionally buy from Tesco is Violife vegan cheese which is made in Greece. I've never been a cheese eater but do like it on top of cauliflower cheese or pizza, and feta, spinach, tomato and black olives are one of my favourite fillings for calzone.

My son and DIL will be over in 3 weeks time and I had a bit of a problem as my DIL is lactose intolerant so no more sneakily sprinkling parmesan on pasta! I was however, extremely proud of myself because yesterday I managed to google = track down an online health food shop in Budapest who stocks the Violife. Not the whole range but at least I managed to order some mature cheddar, mozzarella and feta which will be arriving tomorrow.

Just hope after all that effort it's not totally tasteless!

https://violifefoods.com/our-products/


----------



## Guest

Magyarmum said:


> Over here the only one you can occasionally buy from Tesco is Violife vegan cheese which is made in Greece. I've never been a cheese eater but do like it on top of cauliflower cheese or pizza, and feta, spinach, tomato and black olives are one of my favourite fillings for calzone.
> 
> My son and DIL will be over in 3 weeks time and I had a bit of a problem as my DIL is lactose intolerant so no more sneakily sprinkling parmesan on pasta! I was however, extremely proud of myself because yesterday I managed to google = track down an online health food shop in Budapest who stocks the Violife. Not the whole range but at least I managed to order some mature cheddar, mozzarella and feta which will be arriving tomorrow.
> 
> Just hope after all that effort it's not totally tasteless!
> 
> https://violifefoods.com/our-products/


You're handy in the kitchen, you should check out making your own cheeses  
https://www.thebuddhistchef.com/recipe/vegan-cheese/






I may try that almond cheese, it looks delicious!


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Yes Dr Barnard usually says genes are the gun but diet and lifestyle pull the trigger.


It is interesting though. My family are pretty healthy on one side and genetically screwed on the other! Despite me and my brother being similarly unhealthy and overweight only my brother has developed the type 2 diabetes and hypertension that runs in the family. Although I know that just coz I dodged the gene bullet it does nothing to protect me long term unless I improve my health and fitness.
It seems sometimes people use it like an excuse too, 'ohwell, its my genes. cant do anything about it!'.

On another note just stuffed my face for tea!:Shy Had a stir fry with marinated tofu and sweet chilli sauce. Even though it was just a single serving of tofu and wholewheat noodles with all the veggies it created a mountain of food! rool (honestly I think I will always be a pig for food but Im just as happy with a giant plate of WFPB stuff as I am with anything else!LOL).


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> It is interesting though. My family are pretty healthy on one side and genetically screwed on the other! Despite me and my brother being similarly unhealthy and overweight only my brother has developed the type 2 diabetes and hypertension that runs in the family. Although I know that just coz I dodged the gene bullet it does nothing to protect me long term unless I improve my health and fitness.
> It seems sometimes people use it like an excuse too, 'ohwell, its my genes. cant do anything about it!'.
> 
> On another note just stuffed my face for tea!:Shy Had a stir fry with marinated tofu and sweet chilli sauce. Even though it was just a single serving of tofu and wholewheat noodles with all the veggies it created a mountain of food! rool (honestly I think I will always be a pig for food but Im just as happy with a giant plate of WFPB stuff as I am with anything else!LOL).


Hopefully you will never find out whether you too would have gone on to develop the diabetes and hypertension if you hadn't changed your diet. I definitely think people do use genes as an excuse not to bother making changes which is sad, knowing you might carry certain genes should be an incentive to try harder not the other way around.


----------



## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> It seems sometimes people use it like an excuse too, 'ohwell, its my genes. cant do anything about it!'.


Which is why doctors like Dr. Barnard are so adamant about changing that mentality, and making the message one of empowerment - you *can* do something about it.


----------



## Magyarmum

ouesi said:


> You're handy in the kitchen, you should check out making your own cheeses
> https://www.thebuddhistchef.com/recipe/vegan-cheese/
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I may try that almond cheese, it looks delicious!


I probably would try to make my own cheese if my family lived with me or lived close to me, but it's not really worth it when you're only cooking for one and I'm not a big eater at the best of times!

Anyway the good news is that my Violife cheese arrived today! I haven't tasted the Mozzarella or the Feta yet, but the Mature Cheddar tastes like the real thing. And the texture is great as well! I can definitely recommend it!

A also bought this as an alternative to porridge - it's rice and corn and all you have to do is add boiling water then leave for about 5 minutes. Looks interesting!

https://veganfoodmarket.hu/naturmind-instant-rizs-kukorica-kasa-300gx20-2310

Please excuse the google translation, this one's not too bad but sometimes it can get quite pornographic!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Interesting interview with "What The Health" director Kip Anderson by Plant Based News. He talks a fair bit about the new film Game Changers due out soon.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I'm so loving the Esselstyn mother and daughter videos - my favourite breakfast is now banana oatmeal after watching Jane make it a while back. This one is making an oil free hummus with variations


----------



## baubbles

@rottiepointerhouse He's one laid back dude! Very interesting indeed just watching What The Health now on Netflix- Thank you!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

baubbles said:


> @rottiepointerhouse He's one laid back dude! Very interesting indeed just watching What The Health now on Netflix- Thank you!


Hope you enjoy it.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I made a red lentil spag bol tonight from @picaresque 's sister's vegan cook book, it was so easy to make and my OH said it was the nicest spag bol he ever tasted. I asked if he meant since going vegan (I've tried a few recipes) but he said no, the nicest one ever. Looking forward to trying a few more of her recipes out on him now as he can be a bit of a fuss pot about new meals.


----------



## picaresque

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I made a red lentil spag bol tonight from @picaresque 's sister's vegan cook book, it was so easy to make and my OH said it was the nicest spag bol he ever tasted. I asked if he meant since going vegan (I've tried a few recipes) but he said no, the nicest one ever. Looking forward to trying a few more of her recipes out on him now as he can be a bit of a fuss pot about new meals.


So glad you liked it @rottiepointerhouse , I'll have to pass that on


----------



## Cleo38

I made the nicest Shepherd's pie ever this week, sort of using the recipe posted on here but I also added roasted garlic to it & fresh thyme which really increased the flavour. I also made the mash with a combination of spuds & parsnips, it was so nice! I had a huge plateful last night with stir fried black kale, spinach & peas. Luckily I had a run today as I really did make a pig of myself ..... again!

This week am going to make another variation of the Ethiopian cabbage dish, with quinoa this time. I also need to have a go at making a lasagne at some point as I have some wholewheat pasta sheets.


----------



## baubbles

Sounds great! both the spag bol and shepherds pie. Where can I get the cookbook please!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

baubbles said:


> Sounds great! both the spag bol and shepherds pie. Where can I get the cookbook please!


The one I mentioned is called "The Occasional Vegan" and its by Sarah Philpott. I got mine from Amazon.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Love this video showing what these vegan kids eat in a day.


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> I made the nicest Shepherd's pie ever this week, sort of using the recipe posted on here but I also added roasted garlic to it & fresh thyme which really increased the flavour. I also made the mash with a combination of spuds & parsnips, it was so nice! I had a huge plateful last night with stir fried black kale, spinach & peas. Luckily I had a run today as I really did make a pig of myself ..... again!
> 
> This week am going to make another variation of the Ethiopian cabbage dish, with quinoa this time. I also need to have a go at making a lasagne at some point as I have some wholewheat pasta sheets.


Snap! I had shepherds pie last night as well. I added cooked green lentils and a dash of red wine to mine and topped it with a cheesy potato and parsley mash. I cooked some broccoli to go with it .... delish! As we're off to training tomorrow afternoon I'll save the rest to have for dinner on Sunday evening.

At the moment I'm a bit "betwixt and between" what food to eat which is so frustrating. It's getting too warm for heavy dishes like hearty soups and stews, but not warm enough to have cold lighter food for dinner and I'm wasting time searching for recipes that aren't either stir fry or salads.

Tonight I've opted for Braised Coconut Spinach and Chickpeas with Lemon which I'll have with Basmati rice.

https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-br...eas-with-lemon-recipes-from-the-kitchn-164551


----------



## Jonescat

I just made some butter. It's vegan, it has no palm oil and it is plastic-free. It is in the fridge setting at the moment but before it went in, I smeared a bit on bread and it was tasty. Because it has a bit of cider vinegar in it, it is a little tangy so perhaps not for eating with sweet breads but I reckon will be really good on its own with toast, a baked potato or anywhere else that just needs a bit of gratuitous fat 

http://www.veganbaking.net/recipes/fats/vegan-butters/vegan-butter


----------



## catz4m8z

wow, making your own butter!? Thats next level vegan stuff there! LOL

Ive just put my food into Cronometer for the day to see if Im getting it right (I havent used it since last year as I figured I kinda knew what I was doing now!).
Turns out Im meeting 96% of my nutritional targets today! :Woot
In case you wondered what that looked like:Shy;
breakie- oatmeal with plant milk, raspberries, mixed seeds and cinnamon.
lunch- homemade veggie soup, packet of seeded oatcakes.
tea- wholewheat pasta with peas, sweetcorn, onion, spinach, chickpeas and a couple tbsps of hummus.
snacks- 2 plant milk hot chocolates and 1 onion and chive toasted bagel(to be eaten later!).


----------



## Jonescat

I just wanted to know if I could I think (and I can ). I like to know how things are made and it makes me less dependent on brands and supermarkets, and it helps me understand why certain ingredients are in the brands as well.

I am not owning up to what I have eaten today - I had to have a "morning after" breakfast :Hungover


----------



## Matrod

Jonescat said:


> I just made some butter. It's vegan, it has no palm oil and it is plastic-free. It is in the fridge setting at the moment but before it went in, I smeared a bit on bread and it was tasty. Because it has a bit of cider vinegar in it, it is a little tangy so perhaps not for eating with sweet breads but I reckon will be really good on its own with toast, a baked potato or anywhere else that just needs a bit of gratuitous fat
> 
> http://www.veganbaking.net/recipes/fats/vegan-butters/vegan-butter


That sounds interesting, I'll have to give it a go. I wonder if it would work with almond milk instead of soy.


----------



## Jonescat

I think it would, but the curdling bit might not go so well as there is less protein to curdle. Having said that I am not completely convinced by the curdling idea and am wondering it you just used milk (Iwas thinking cashew) then you would get a creamier less tangy butter.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Haven't read the whole article yet but looks interesting

Health, climate change, animal welfare... what's driving more people and brands to embrace a plant-based lifestyle? We investigate, and, below, four vegans explain their choice

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...lennials-health-climate-change-animal-welfare


----------



## Jonescat

Good article - it's a big tent with room for all. My primary drive is I don't want to eat my friends, and then I don't want to damage the planet. I am interested in the helath benefits but it is not my first concern. So my decision tree is
am I killing to eat - yes ?- reject
am I damaging the planet too much? ( bearing in mind that this is very complex) - yes - reject
(includes making local choices like british pulses, rejecting plastic packaging, rejecting palm oil, choosing organic, seasonal eating)
could I eat a healthier option? - yes - probably reject unless I want to be bad. 

There is also the fact that I like cooking and enjoy being able to make just about anything from plants, and making food that diehard carnivores want more of. It has taken me down some routes that more sensible people would avoid, but it does mean that when the shop shelves are bare (as happened with the recent snow) I often don't notice. And there are some interesting side effects like I can't grow enough tomatoes for homemade ketchup but I live in a part of the world where brambles are plentiful. Blackberry ketchup is gorgeous, and it's a lovely purple colour. 

One thing we haven't covered yet on this thread is the benefits of a vegan diet specifically for women around the menopause. There seem to be a lots of ways to control the effects with the food you eat (pulses rock) and this would improve so many peoples lives


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Jonescat said:


> Good article - it's a big tent with room for all. My primary drive is I don't want to eat my friends, and then I don't want to damage the planet. I am interested in the helath benefits but it is not my first concern. So my decision tree is
> am I killing to eat - yes ?- reject
> am I damaging the planet too much? ( bearing in mind that this is very complex) - yes - reject
> (includes making local choices like british pulses, rejecting plastic packaging, rejecting palm oil, choosing organic, seasonal eating)
> could I eat a healthier option? - yes - probably reject unless I want to be bad.
> 
> There is also the fact that I like cooking and enjoy being able to make just about anything from plants, and making food that diehard carnivores want more of. It has taken me down some routes that more sensible people would avoid, but it does mean that when the shop shelves are bare (as happened with the recent snow) I often don't notice. And there are some interesting side effects like I can't grow enough tomatoes for homemade ketchup but I live in a part of the world where brambles are plentiful. Blackberry ketchup is gorgeous, and it's a lovely purple colour.
> 
> One thing we haven't covered yet on this thread is the benefits of a vegan diet specifically for women around the menopause. There seem to be a lots of ways to control the effects with the food you eat (pulses rock) and this would improve so many peoples lives


Interesting. My decision this time around was primarily health based but the ethical issues were always there nagging away at me and certainly when we were vegetarian for many years back in the 80's & early 90's (and vegan for a while) it was purely for ethical reasons. This time I've spent a long long time getting myself educated so that I know vegan is sustainable for us from a health point of view and studying the health benefits/research but as time goes on the ethical side is coming more to the fore and I've started looking at getting more involved with activism again although until we retire that will be limited to always being within the law. Don't know if anyone has seen the work of anonymous for the voiceless and the cube of truth they do but that is the sort of thing I'm interested in/thinking of. Initially funding other people who do it as there are no groups near me but perhaps there will be in the future.

https://www.anonymousforthevoiceless.org


----------



## Guest

Jonescat said:


> My primary drive is I don't want to eat my friends, and then I don't want to damage the planet. I am interested in the helath benefits but it is not my first concern.


Listening to the WFPB advocates, the consensus seems to be that the way to convert more people is not through the ethical side, but the health side. Basically people are selfish and if it will benefit them they're more interested - hey whatever works! 

My reasons started out ethical, I gave up meat decades ago, but it took me a long time to get out of rationalizing dairy. 
However the health benefits this time around (I've gone vegan before) eating a healthful WFPB diet were too hard to ignore and really helped encourage me to continue and dive deeper in to this way of eating. So while I went in to it for ethical reasons, how good I feel eating this way keeps me eating this way.

Today was a cooking day, finally got a weekend day at home so I made a huge batch of veggie burgers that are so easy to just pop in the microwave for a quick meal, heck you can eat them cold in a sandwich. And it feels good as a go-to meal for the kids as they hit all but one of the G-BOMBS and I can hide nutritional yeast (B12) in there too. 
Then I made potato stew with tons of veggies, a giant batch of rice, and a veggie mix of bell pepper, onion, garlic, baby portabella mushrooms, spinach, and lentils that I threw on top of the rice for our midday meal. I was intending to have leftovers of that, but no such luck.

Oh well, at least we have stew and veggie burgers to keep us going for a few days at least


----------



## Teddy-dog

I need to start batch cooking a bit more I think  Sometimes we just feel like something quick but there's nothing in! I'm going to have a trawl through recipes tonight.

Have to say, I've been feeling great since talking the plunge to veganism. I really thought I'd miss cheese and milk more but I haven't been bothered at all! Eating out is is less difficult than I thought (only had one problem so far with nothing vegan on the menu so had to have something adapted), not that we eat out all that often! 

I went to visit my Nan recently, and had told her previously that I'm trying to cut out dairy and be vegan as much as possible. I didn't ask for anything and thought I'd sort my own tea if needed, but she'd bought me a chilli (ready meal but still) and had made a vegan apple crumble that was delicious and even bought me soy cream to have with it (so I didn't miss out on dessert). I feel very grateful that my lifestyle choices were so highly considered


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Plant Based News interview with one of the athletes in the upcoming new vegan film "The Game Changers"


----------



## Guest

I'm very excited to see The Game Changers


----------



## Lurcherlad

Has anyone got a tasty recipe for vegan “cheese sauce”?

Made a roast yesterday and the boys had cheese sauce over broccoli, cauliflower and leeks.

My ad hoc vegan attempt for myself went down the sink!


----------



## Guest

Lurcherlad said:


> Has anyone got a tasty recipe for vegan "cheese sauce"?
> 
> Made a roast yesterday and the boys had cheese sauce over broccoli, cauliflower and leeks.
> 
> My ad hoc vegan attempt for myself went down the sink!


I make one that @Fleur said was nice 

Rough amounts, there is a lot of "taste and and adjust" involved  
Soak 1/2 cup of raw cashews overnight or for about 8 hours (you can actually soak less if you have a strong blender, they're just less creamy).
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup prepared garbanzos (chickpeas). I use canned garbanzos and keep a little of the canned water, the 'aquafaba' which helps with the creaminess. 
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

In a really good blender or vitamix, blend everything until creamy. Add water from garbanzos if you want it thinner, add nutritional yeast to thicken up. You can also use fewer garbanzos and more cashews if you like. You can also use cooked sweet potato instead of garbanzos, but to me that's just too sweet.

That's you're base, now you season:
4 to 6 tablespoons of salsa (just add, mix, taste, then add more if needed). 
salt, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper to taste (same as above, add, mix, taste, and play around with it).


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> Has anyone got a tasty recipe for vegan "cheese sauce"?
> 
> Made a roast yesterday and the boys had cheese sauce over broccoli, cauliflower and leeks.
> 
> My ad hoc vegan attempt for myself went down the sink!


Don't know if you saw my leek and mushroom pasta dish way back towards the start of the thread - it has a sort of cheese sauce, I basically cook the leeks, mushrooms and herbs then add about a third of a tub of vegan cream cheese and let it melt/coat the veggies. I only make it occasionally as the cheese has too much saturated fat for everyday use but it is a pretty good alternative to a "normal" cheese sauce.


----------



## Jonescat

I do mine with a traditional flour and oil roux, add "milk" of your choice, cashew makes it very creamy. When it gets to the thickness you want, add a bit of onion powder, nutritional yeast if you like it (I only use a teaspoon or two), salt if you wish, a little turmeric and/or paprika to colour, thyme or other herbs. 

I also make white sauce with herbs, and onion sauce (with sweated onions to start with), as often I think its creaminess you want in a recipe, not necessarily cheesiness.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Thanks all


----------



## catz4m8z

I keep seeing recipes for 'cheese' sauce using carrots and potato that I want to try. Using nuts sounds tasty but also really fattening....now I just need some sort of blender or food processor!


----------



## Magyarmum

Jonescat said:


> I do mine with a traditional flour and oil roux, add "milk" of your choice, cashew makes it very creamy. When it gets to the thickness you want, add a bit of onion powder, nutritional yeast if you like it (I only use a teaspoon or two), salt if you wish, a little turmeric and/or paprika to colour, thyme or other herbs.
> 
> I also make white sauce with herbs, and onion sauce (with sweated onions to start with), as often I think its creaminess you want in a recipe, not necessarily cheesiness.


I make my sauces, cheese, onion or bechamel in much the same way as you except that I use vegan "butter" instead of oil. I've found some grated Violife vegan Cheddar makes a really tasty grilled topping for lasagna or cauliflower cheese.

As cashew nuts and to a lesser degree, almonds, cost a fortune over here, I looked for an alternative and found this recipe which looks interesting but being lazy and making sauce, "the old fashioned way", haven't tried it yet!

https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2016/02/22/vegan-cheese-sauce-low-fat-no-cashews/


----------



## Magyarmum

Just saw this on FB and thought it funny!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

If you don't mind using a fair bit of vegan cheese this recipe looks lovely. Will have a think about how to adapt it for less cheese.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Good news for animals for a change

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it has begun accepting nonanimal methods for detecting the skin sensitization-or allergenic-potential of chemicals and pesticides. Learn more from the Physicians Committee's Kristie Sullivan, M.P.H.:


----------



## Lurcherlad

Going to go more Fodmap to ease my guts! 

Needs a bit of thought, being meat and dairy free but think it will be worth it.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I made an avocado, pea, mint & chilli spread from @picaresque 's sister's book today. Unfortunately I didn't have any fresh lime so used lemon juice which made it a bit sharp but added some black pepper and had it spread thickly on toast. Can honestly say that is the first time I've enjoyed avocado  Might have the rest on jacket potato tomorrow.


----------



## picaresque

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I made an avocado, pea, mint & chilli spread from @picaresque 's sister's book today. Unfortunately I didn't have any fresh lime so used lemon juice which made it a bit sharp but added some black pepper and had it spread thickly on toast. Can honestly say that is the first time I've enjoyed avocado  Might have the rest on jacket potato tomorrow.


Sounds lovely, really glad you're enjoying all these  My sister's a great cook and I'm v. proud of her but we have little in common; with her being a vegan foodie and me being a carnivore with unsophisticated tastes (common as muck I am) a lot of her recipes aren't for me :Bag She does make some mean vegan cakes though


----------



## Team_Trouble

Sorry I know this is off topic but I was browsing this and just noticed.... What happened to ouesi?


----------



## Matrod

Team_Trouble said:


> Sorry I know this is off topic but I was browsing this and just noticed.... What happened to ouesi?


She has decided to leave the forum


----------



## Jonescat

Oh - for ever? or just for a while? 
Why can't people just ignore each other?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Matrod said:


> She has decided to leave the forum


What a shame, we will miss her on this thread for sure. I took a break recently when things were getting to me more than they should so I hope she will come back after a break.


----------



## Teddy-dog

Matrod said:


> She has decided to leave the forum


That's a shame  Will miss her contributions.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

picaresque said:


> Sounds lovely, really glad you're enjoying all these  My sister's a great cook and I'm v. proud of her but we have little in common; with her being a vegan foodie and me being a carnivore with unsophisticated tastes (common as muck I am) a lot of her recipes aren't for me :Bag She does make some mean vegan cakes though


 Don't know why but I thought you were vegetarian. Sounds like me with my sister, we get on OK but have little in common. There are a few other recipes in the book I am going to try so will report back.


----------



## Jonescat

I am having chick pea and leek curry for tea, with turmeric and cardamon rice. I'd post a pic but my camera doesn't come back from the camera doctor until tomorrow. 

My vegan butter is still going strong, definitely doing it again.


----------



## 3dogs2cats

The thread about non vegan/vegetarian husband has reminded me, my non vegan but dessert loving husband really likes the apple cheesecake from the Vegan Society.
For anyone looking for a non dairy/eggless dessert either for themselves or someone else this one does work, no added sugar but it is sweet

.https://www.vegansociety.com/resour...ues-and-desserts/apple-caramel-cheesecake-raw


----------



## Cleo38

Oh, that looks lovely @3dogs2cats , am definitely gping to give that a go!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Encouraging feedback from the UK's first plant based medical conference

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-f04ed8980c-192763785

News on more events they have planned

https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/events/


----------



## catz4m8z

3dogs2cats said:


> .https://www.vegansociety.com/resour...ues-and-desserts/apple-caramel-cheesecake-raw


wow...that looks nice. Probably not great if your on a diet though!LOL:Shy



rottiepointerhouse said:


> Encouraging feedback from the UK's first plant based medical conference
> 
> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-f04ed8980c-192763785


Nice to see the information getting out there!:Woot

and still people think it would be too hard or too restrictive to go WFPB. You see lots of Youtubers trying it and moaning about how expensive it is (which IMO is just somebody admitting they have no idea how to cook!).
Big ol' stir fry today and this evening I made a beanloaf (kidney beans with onion, courgette, carrots, spices, oats and some WM flour) which is in the fridge for tomorrow. Easy peasy!


----------



## Guest

I’ve just started reading The Pleasure Trap. Very interesting so far. 

Lots of lovely fruit in season here so I’ve been stewing lots and make a mean vegan crumble topping!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

McKenzie said:


> I've just started reading The Pleasure Trap. Very interesting so far.
> 
> Lots of lovely fruit in season here so I've been stewing lots and make a mean vegan crumble topping!


I love Doug Lisle - have you seen this? its only about quarter of an hour long.


----------



## Guest

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I love Doug Lisle - have you seen this? its only about quarter of an hour long.


Yes that's what encouraged me to buy the book


----------



## stockwellcat.

I picked myself up a vegetarian lasagne on my way past the local health and thought that looks nice:








Upon opening the packet and getting it ready to put in the oven to cook I was presented with this:








Looks nothing like the picture but let's see when it is cooked.


----------



## Lurcherlad

stockwellcat. said:


> I picked myself up a vegetarian lasagne on my way past the local health and thought that looks nice:
> View attachment 352020
> 
> Upon opening the packet and getting it ready to put in the oven to cook I was presented with this:
> View attachment 352021
> 
> Looks nothing like the picture but let's see when it is cooked.


Haha! They never do


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

stockwellcat. said:


> I picked myself up a vegetarian lasagne on my way past the local health and thought that looks nice:
> View attachment 352020
> 
> Upon opening the packet and getting it ready to put in the oven to cook I was presented with this:
> View attachment 352021
> 
> Looks nothing like the picture but let's see when it is cooked.


Well what was it like?


----------



## stockwellcat.

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Well what was it like?


It tasted really nice even though it looked nothing like the picture on the box.


----------



## Jonescat

I have just soaked my beans and am having this for tea tonight
https://holycowvegan.net/caribbean-black-eyed-peas-stew/

I have only recently started to realise how good allspice is so looking forward to it, and will use allotment greens as the side - currently we have kale and sprout leaves, and leeks on the go (and some crazy hot red mustard but probably won't have that tonight)


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Jonescat said:


> I have just soaked my beans and am having this for tea tonight
> https://holycowvegan.net/caribbean-black-eyed-peas-stew/
> 
> I have only recently started to realise how good allspice is so looking forward to it, and will use allotment greens as the side - currently we have kale and sprout leaves, and leeks on the go (and some crazy hot red mustard but probably won't have that tonight)


I'm going to try these burgers from that site as I still haven't quite find a "favourite" burger recipe.

https://holycowvegan.net/bean-and-oats-burgers/


----------



## Cleo38

I went out for lunch with mum to Stem & Glory in Cambridge on Saturday. It was lovely, the food was so nice. It made such a change going out & having a menu that was so varied, I had so much trouble choosing what to have.

I had the gourmet burger & sweet potato wedges then the dark chocolate marquise for pudding whilst my mum had a butternut squash lasagne ....... it was bloody lovely! I would definitely recommend it https://www.stemandglory.uk/


----------



## stockwellcat.

Tonights pre-made meal for me is:

















I am having pre-made meals because I am so busy at the moment. This one I am having tonight looks alot nicer than last nights.


----------



## Jonescat

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I'm going to try these burgers from that site as I still haven't quite find a "favourite" burger recipe.https://holycowvegan.net/bean-and-oats-burgers/


I have a lot of difficulty getting burgers to stick together *and *not stick to the pan - seems to be one or the other for me- any tips?



stockwellcat. said:


> I am having pre-made meals because I am so busy at the moment. This one I am having tonight looks alot nicer than last nights.


It does look nice. I have had some of their falafel before and they were good.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Jonescat said:


> I have a lot of difficulty getting burgers to stick together *and *not stick to the pan - seems to be one or the other for me- any tips?
> 
> It does look nice. I have had some of their falafel before and they were good.


Have you tried a silicone baking sheet? I tend to cook mine in the oven rather than a frying pan.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I've just ordered the cookery book by these people (Yes I am addicted to buying cook books and plant based books in general). This recipe for coconut curry noodles looks yummy


----------



## Cleo38

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I've just ordered the cookery book by these people (Yes I am addicted to buying cook books and plant based books in general). This recipe for coconut curry noodles looks yummy


I very rarely buy cook books but I have bought this one & it came yesterday. I have spent most of this evening droolng over the most delicious looking recipes


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> I very rarely buy cook books but I have bought this one & it came yesterday. I have spent most of this evening droolng over the most delicious looking recipes


It's on my wish list along with The Great Vegan Grains Book by Celine Steen & Tamasin Noyes but they'll have to wait for a month or two because I've just bought the dogs new Julius K9 matching collars, harnesses and leads which weren't cheap.

I've also got a lot of expense over the next few weeks because whilst my son and DIL are over here we'll be doing some repairs in the house and buying a new wood burning stove for my kitchen. I'm really looking forward to that as I spend a lot of time in my kitchen, but in winter don't light the stove in there because it's a big bulky Aga type monster that eats logs and is awful to clean so it'll be nice to have something smaller and easier to look after.

Forgot to mention I discovered a new website that looks interesting, although not all vegetarian/vegan. If you like Indian food take a look at it!

http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> I very rarely buy cook books but I have bought this one & it came yesterday. I have spent most of this evening droolng over the most delicious looking recipes


My copy has just arrived and must say I'm very impressed. Have already picked out several recipes I want to try and most only need a slight tweak to make WFPB friendly.


----------



## catz4m8z

Cleo38 said:


> I very rarely buy cook books but I have bought this one & it came yesterday. I have spent most of this evening droolng over the most delicious looking recipes


I was looking at vegan cookbooks today to see if any interested me. TBH I saw the word 'ganache' and just put it straight back down again!LOL:Hilarious TBH most of the stuff in them is stuff I make anyways....just with slightly less ingredients.

But today is my birthday so I decided to go into town and splurge on whatever food I damn well wanted! But there a mini heatwave going on so I really fancied salad. Had a huge spinach and beetroot salad with crumbled up beanloaf on and garlic mayo also a crusty white roll. I did buy some bacon flavoured tempeh to try but it was bleedin horrible, luckily my beanloaf tastes similar to falafel which I love as a salad topping so...result!
Also bought a small packet of ready salted crisps coz Im a savoury person when it comes to junk food and fresh pineapple and strawberries coz yum.
So not too bad really, a couple of years ago it would of been a meal deal for 4 from Dominos then a food hangover that lasted for days!:Shy


----------



## Teddy-dog

catz4m8z said:


> I was looking at vegan cookbooks today to see if any interested me. TBH I saw the word 'ganache' and just put it straight back down again!LOL:Hilarious TBH most of the stuff in them is stuff I make anyways....just with slightly less ingredients.
> 
> But today is my birthday so I decided to go into town and splurge on whatever food I damn well wanted! But there a mini heatwave going on so I really fancied salad. Had a huge spinach and beetroot salad with crumbled up beanloaf on and garlic mayo also a crusty white roll. I did buy some bacon flavoured tempeh to try but it was bleedin horrible, luckily my beanloaf tastes similar to falafel which I love as a salad topping so...result!
> Also bought a small packet of ready salted crisps coz Im a savoury person when it comes to junk food and fresh pineapple and strawberries coz yum.
> So not too bad really, a couple of years ago it would of been a meal deal for 4 from Dominos then a food hangover that lasted for days!:Shy


Happy Birthday!!

Sound yummy (apart from the tempeh... I haven't tried that yet!). Pineapple is one of my favourite things. I love it in/on everything - I am one of those people who loves it on pizza.


----------



## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> I was looking at vegan cookbooks today to see if any interested me. TBH I saw the word 'ganache' and just put it straight back down again!LOL:Hilarious TBH most of the stuff in them is stuff I make anyways....just with slightly less ingredients.
> 
> But today is my birthday so I decided to go into town and splurge on whatever food I damn well wanted! But there a mini heatwave going on so I really fancied salad. Had a huge spinach and beetroot salad with crumbled up beanloaf on and garlic mayo also a crusty white roll. I did buy some bacon flavoured tempeh to try but it was bleedin horrible, luckily my beanloaf tastes similar to falafel which I love as a salad topping so...result!
> Also bought a small packet of ready salted crisps coz Im a savoury person when it comes to junk food and fresh pineapple and strawberries coz yum.
> So not too bad really, a couple of years ago it would of been a meal deal for 4 from Dominos then a food hangover that lasted for days!:Shy


Happy Birthday!

I have to admit I was naughty yesterday - long story - but I had to go to the Regional Office in the city to sort out my Hungarian National Health Card which I was dreading. The last time I went there I had to wait in a queue for 3 hours only to be told they would write to me. This time fortunately I only had to wait for half an hour (again to be told they'll write to me .... sigh!) so having left my car in the city centre, had a nice stroll back doing some window shopping on the way.

By then I was dying to go to the loo and apart from the shopping malls which were quite a walk the only other place is McDonalds. But didn't feel I could just go in and use the loo without buying something, and anyway was hungry! So having dutifully asked if they do a vegan burger - which apparently hasn't reach this neck of the wood yet - ordered a bag of chips and a coffee!

I'm ashamed to say I really enjoyed them!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> I was looking at vegan cookbooks today to see if any interested me. TBH I saw the word 'ganache' and just put it straight back down again!LOL:Hilarious TBH most of the stuff in them is stuff I make anyways....just with slightly less ingredients.
> 
> But today is my birthday so I decided to go into town and splurge on whatever food I damn well wanted! But there a mini heatwave going on so I really fancied salad. Had a huge spinach and beetroot salad with crumbled up beanloaf on and garlic mayo also a crusty white roll. I did buy some bacon flavoured tempeh to try but it was bleedin horrible, luckily my beanloaf tastes similar to falafel which I love as a salad topping so...result!
> Also bought a small packet of ready salted crisps coz Im a savoury person when it comes to junk food and fresh pineapple and strawberries coz yum.
> So not too bad really, a couple of years ago it would of been a meal deal for 4 from Dominos then a food hangover that lasted for days!:Shy


Happy birthday, good for you splurging on salad instead of Dominos  We are just starting to get English strawberries in the supermarkets which I love although pineapple doesn't agree with me for some reason.

Have just made a batch of minestrone soup for next couple of days lunches and some chickpea burgers to have with salad and spicy wedges for dinner tonight.

:Jawdrop:Jawdrop @Magyarmum :Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious don't be ashamed though, the occasional bit of junk food won't hurt.


----------



## stockwellcat.

Had a lovely meal tonight that was completely meat free.








































The meal reminded me of when I was a teenager and on Saturday's my dad would always cook us Cheese Burger (Meat version) and Chips.

The burger I had this evening was completely meat free and tasted lovely along with sweet potato chips.


----------



## Matrod

I made my own vegan ramen tonight, I started the broth yesterday afternoon in the slow cooker where it bubbled for 3 hours then I left it overnight to develop, I binged the whole lot in there & left it to it rather than sautéing the onions etc. I had it with tofu, purple sprouting broccoli, bok choy & brown rice noodles, it was delicious. I've easily got enough broth left over for another 2 meals so I'll freeze what's left. Here's the link to the recipe I based it on https://minimalistbaker.com/easy-vegan-ramen/. I've made the roasted miso carrots in the link a few times & they are proper tasty.


----------



## Jonescat

That looks really good @Matrod

You know you have got them on the run when they start passing silly laws! I know the French are precious about their language but I do find this funny, especially given how little veggie convenience food you can find in a normal French supermarket.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...s-packaging-burgers-steak-bacon-a8315626.html


----------



## catz4m8z

really! when has a meat eater ever accidently bought a vegan sausage!? Unless vegan food is that good in France you really cant tell the difference!:Wideyed


I roasted up a big pile of sweet potato, onions and cauliflower with cumin, coriander and turmeric today for a chickpea curry Im making tomorrow....now it just keeps tempting me in the fridge coz it looks and smells lovely.
*slaps hand* :Hilarious


----------



## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> really! when has a meat eater ever accidently bought a vegan sausage!? Unless vegan food is that good in France you really cant tell the difference!:Wideyed
> 
> I roasted up a big pile of sweet potato, onions and cauliflower with cumin, coriander and turmeric today for a chickpea curry Im making tomorrow....now it just keeps tempting me in the fridge coz it looks and smells lovely.
> *slaps hand* :Hilarious


It's nothing to do with food being vegan or not, it's the French (as usual) being uppity about keeping their precious language "pure".

The French have a history of banning any foreign word, English or otherwise and replacing it with something considered to be more "French"! I remember them having a purge in the 60's

And here's an article in the NY Times from 1994

https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/15/world/ban-english-french-bicker-on-barricades.html

The latest "ban" also includes loads of other anglicized words that the French powers that be feel should be eliminated from their language!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...sh-language-banning-fast-food-podcasting.html

As they say ...... "C'est la vie, mon pote"


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Vegan Faux Gras - I've been looking for a pate recipe and this looks yummy (although I wouldn't bother with that big dollop of fat on top)


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I've just ordered the cookery book by these people (Yes I am addicted to buying cook books and plant based books in general). This recipe for coconut curry noodles looks yummy


I made this for dinner last night and we had the left overs for lunch today. It was very nice although quite spicy :Hungry


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

And this will be one of the next ones I will try


----------



## Jonescat

I have been playing with roast veg this week. I had the oven on and roasted onions, butternut squash, long pointy orange peppers, beetroot and courgette.I am trying to get much more flavour with less salt in things (not that I use a lot normally).

Made pasta sauce with the onion, peppers and canned tomatoes, soup with the squash and onion, and this stew with most of the rest. The beetroot was stirred in right at the end to keep the colours contrasting rather than merged, and it was pretty good.










Also made some muffins with stevia ("Sweet like sugar"), which is a plant sweetener with zero calories, and they worked well too.

Something to remember though - don't make too much "butter" at one time, small batches are better if you want to avoid the second tub being blue when you want to use it. It has no preservatives in it, so I suppose it's obvious really.


----------



## Cleo38

Has anyone used aquafaba at all? Particularly in a chocolate mousse. My lovely friend is cooking me a vegan meal on Wednesday night (she loves cooking & is quite excited now about the range of vegan meals there are) so I said I would make the pudding & was thinking of the chocolate mousse in the Bosh cookbook.


----------



## Jonescat

No never used it - let us know how it goes


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> Has anyone used aquafaba at all? Particularly in a chocolate mousse. My lovely friend is cooking me a vegan meal on Wednesday night (she loves cooking & is quite excited now about the range of vegan meals there are) so I said I would make the pudding & was thinking of the chocolate mousse in the Bosh cookbook.


Sorry I haven't as I don't really make puddings apart from the black cherry ice cream I made for visitors. On a side note I did make the Carbonara recipe from Bosh last night and is was delicious. Not something I will be making regularly as a bit naughty but boy was it good.


----------



## Cleo38

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Sorry I haven't as I don't really make puddings apart from the black cherry ice cream I made for visitors. On a side note I did make the Carbonara recipe from Bosh last night and is was delicious. Not something I will be making regularly as a bit naughty but boy was it good.


Oooh, just had a looked it up in the book ........ mmmmm!! That's definitely one to consider as it looks quite straightforward to make.

I was going to make the creamy lasagne today but I don't think I've got time......& I cooked so much the other day (a casserole that I've made before then some made up chilli & rice thing using the excess beans I had) that I am quite stocked up. I have treated myself to a Wicked Kitchen pizza for tonight which I am looking forward to.

I have some tofu that needs using next week so am thinking of making the crispy chilli tofu.

I love looking at all the pics, some great recipes in there. Some not so healthy but some can be modified & some for treats only.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> Oooh, just had a looked it up in the book ........ mmmmm!! That's definitely one to consider as it looks quite straightforward to make.
> 
> I was going to make the creamy lasagne today but I don't think I've got time......& I cooked so much the other day (a casserole that I've made before then some made up chilli & rice thing using the excess beans I had) that I am quite stocked up. I have treated myself to a Wicked Kitchen pizza for tonight which I am looking forward to.
> 
> I have some tofu that needs using next week so am thinking of making the crispy chilli tofu.
> 
> I love looking at all the pics, some great recipes in there. Some not so healthy but some can be modified & some for treats only.


It was really easy, not much prep/chopping needed either. Will definitely be one of my "special quick meals" for the future with a nice bowl of rocket and watercress salad.


----------



## Cleo38

Well i made the lasagne with a few tweaks .... mainly that I cheated & used a jar of ready made bechemel sauce I already had & I used fresh basil instead of thyme.

I also didn't put an pasta sheet layer on top with more bechemel sauce as I was a bit worried that as it was from a jar it might not be that nice & am not overly keen on white sauces anyway so I put some vegan mozarella & kale on top instead.

Anyway, I made it & it's bloody lovely. Just had some to try it & think no might go for a second helping & have the pizza tomorrow


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Made this again tonight - one of our favourites now. Jasmine rice (only time we have white rice) cooked in coconut milk served with tofu pieces, shitake mushrooms stir fried in Teriyaki sauce with garlic and red chilli, some crispy kale cooked in the oven and raw Brussel sprouts mixed with some rice wine vinegar, brown sugar and red chilli with some sesame seeds on top.


----------



## Jonescat

Cute graphic on plant based protein sources


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Vegan recipe club if anyone is interested

https://www.veganrecipeclub.org.uk


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

This looks nice


----------



## Teddy-dog

We made a yummy chickpea curry the other day.

Made a puree out of onion, garlic, ginger and tinned tomatoes. Then, in a pan, added the puree with cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli flakes. Then added lentils and coconut cream, once the lentils are cooked a bit we added some broccoli and the chickpeas. Then, when it was cooked added in some spinach  Had with brown rice and squeezed lemon over the top! Oh and some sesame seeds on top.

Really simple and pretty quick to make.

Forgot to take a pic, next time I'll remember!


----------



## catz4m8z

That sounds way healthier then my curry the other day! I had a tofu korma with rice, veggie samosas, onion bhajis and poppadoms....just really fancied some junk food (finished it up with some Ben and Jerrys too!:Shy).


Somebody at work asked if I wanted milk in my coffee the other night and I actually told them I didnt want any cow boob juice thanks very much!LOL 
Im a fully weaned adult human being!:Smug


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

We had a curry night too - I made this but served it with rice and added some frozen soya beans along with the frozen peas. It was different but good :Joyful

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...m-kale-pea-stir-fry-the-new-vegan-meera-sodha


----------



## Magyarmum

My son and DIL are here so I've been trying to cook something different every evening and I'm pleased to say my DIL has really enjoyed the meals I've made. Being a type 1 diabetic I have to make sure the meal has a high carbohydrate content because if it doesn't my son's blood.sugar levels go wonky
.
Last night one of the dishes I cooked was a rye stir fry with onions, red cabbage, toasted walnuts and caraway seeds Yummy! To go with it I made a leek,cauliflower, mushroom and kale bake in a cheesy white sauce. My son topped up his carbohydrate content with some quinoa and couscous left overs!

I'm not sure what we'll be eating tonight because my son's in charge of the cooking whilst DIL and I are off to the big city on a search for a chest of drawers!


----------



## Jonescat

This is spinach, leek and vegan feta pilaf with chick peas, roasted peppers and tomatoes rolled around in harissa paste on top.










Also - was just escaping the snooker and watched a bit of "Would I lie to you?", and there were two vegans on it (out of 7 people in the studio)! Romesh Ranganathan who is "vegan", and David Hayes the boxer - who said he was "plant based".


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

This looks nice and easy and quick too


----------



## NaomiM

Can I join in? I'm not veggie/vegan but do like to cook meat-free one or two days a week (I'd happily do more but the hubby likes his meat!) When I do use meat, I try to buy higher-welfare where possible (can't always afford full-on organic free range though as it's so expensive!) and I make a little go a long way (250g mince will feed the four of us for two days, padded out with lots of veg).

Anyway, this is the recipe I made for the kids the other day which went down fairly well. (Not vegan I'm afraid as I don't know what you could use in place of the egg.)

Cheesy veggie fingers (serves 4-6)

1 large or 2 medium potatoes
1 small tin sweetcorn, drained
1 large red pepper, seeded and finely diced
2 medium carrots, grated (or could use 1 carrot and 1/2 a courgette)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
100g mature cheddar, grated
2 slices wholemeal bread
A knob of butter/margarine, melted

Blitz the bread into crumbs in a food processor. Microwave the potatoes in their skins until soft (this helps preserve flavour and nutrients), then peel as thinly as possible and mash. Mix in the veg, cheese and eggs. Roll handfuls of the mixture into fingers, roll in the breadcrumbs then place on an oiled baking tray and drizzle with the melted butter/margarine. Bake at medium high heat for around 20 minutes.

Nice with home-made sweet potato oven chips!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@NaomiM you are most welcome to join in. You can buy vegan egg replacer like this one

https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/orgran-no-egg-60072854

I haven't tried it, there are also things that look like eggs - this one is ridiculously expensive but I've seen similar much cheaper - again no idea what they are like - perhaps someone else has tried them???

https://www.ethicalsuperstore.com/p...MIoanD9P312gIV6rXtCh2BewDXEAQYAyABEgI9uvD_BwE

I tend to use flaxseed and water

https://jessicainthekitchen.com/how-to-make-a-flax-egg/


----------



## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


> @NaomiM you are most welcome to join in. You can buy vegan egg replacer like this one
> 
> https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/orgran-no-egg-60072854
> 
> I haven't tried it, there are also things that look like eggs - this one is ridiculously expensive but I've seen similar much cheaper - again no idea what they are like - perhaps someone else has tried them???
> 
> https://www.ethicalsuperstore.com/p...MIoanD9P312gIV6rXtCh2BewDXEAQYAyABEgI9uvD_BwE
> 
> I tend to use flaxseed and water
> 
> https://jessicainthekitchen.com/how-to-make-a-flax-egg/


Real Foods is cheaper. I have egg replacer I bought from them but haven't used it yet because I don't like eggs very much.

https://www.realfoods.co.uk/shop?search=Egg Replacer


----------



## emzybabe

What a lovely thread, it will be a really great place to look next time I think what to cook!

I’ve recently become addicted to making jambalaya!!

Boil up some brown rice
In a separate pan soften an onion, garlic if you want, celery including leaves, bell peppers, fresh tomatoes (plus whatever veg you have in). Add some cooked beans kidney, aduzki chick peas etc (I usually boil bean on mass and freeze them in small batches to reduce meal prep time).
Season with paprika, chilli, sumac if you have it, bay leaves , basil, thyme, oregano.

Mix the rice and vegetables together done.

Sometimes I have with half an avocado, sometime I add an egg into the rice (if I’m having it as left overs). Prawns if I’m feeding meat eaters.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

About time too - I hope they roll this out all over the country

Hospital Trust launches extensive vegan menu

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-1d1efdc1b7-192763785


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

And Asda launch a new lower price vegan range

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-1d1efdc1b7-192763785


----------



## Teddy-dog

This year does seem to be turning into 'the year of the Vegan'. I've seen so many supermarkets, cafe's, restaurants adding Vegan options to their menus it's made the transition so much easier. 

Some places don't just have one or two options either, they have a whole extensive menu which is just fab (I think so anyway!). Places are obviously seeing much more of a demand for vegan food.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Teddy-dog said:


> This year does seem to be turning into 'the year of the Vegan'. I've seen so many supermarkets, cafe's, restaurants adding Vegan options to their menus it's made the transition so much easier.
> 
> Some places don't just have one or two options either, they have a whole extensive menu which is just fab (I think so anyway!). Places are obviously seeing much more of a demand for vegan food.


You are right, every week plant based news are announcing more new ranges or restaurants selling more and more vegan options - Bella Italia an Italian chain are now doing a vegan pizza option made with vegan cheese.

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-1d1efdc1b7-192763785


----------



## Cleo38

It definitely does seem to be more popular now than ever. There was a vegan fair in Ely at the weekend which looked really good, unfortunately I was at my dog training club so couldn't attend but apparently they are planning another as this was so successful.

I am meeting up with my mum, sister & niece in London on Saturday as we are going to Manna (vegan restaurant) for lunch ...... OMG, the menu looks amazing!!

For once there is so much choice I don't know what to have https://mannav.com/menu/menus/


----------



## Teddy-dog

rottiepointerhouse said:


> You are right, every week plant based news are announcing more new ranges or restaurants selling more and more vegan options - Bella Italia an Italian chain are now doing a vegan pizza option made with vegan cheese.
> 
> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-1d1efdc1b7-192763785


There seem to be a lot of italian restaurants doing it! I went to Zizzis the other week, and they had a proper separate vegan menu with starters, mains and dessert and everything was done very nicely! Not just as an after thought.

i remember when I first became veggie and you'd have one option on the menu, and it always felt like a bit of an after thought of 'Oh, we'd better but something on for the vegetarian people'.


----------



## Teddy-dog

Cleo38 said:


> It definitely does seem to be more popular now than ever. There was a vegan fair in Ely at the weekend which looked really good, unfortunately I was at my dog training club so couldn't attend but apparently they are planning another as this was so successful.
> 
> I am meeting up with my mum, sister & niece in London & Saturday as we are going to Manna (vegan restaurant) for lunch ...... OMG, the menu looks amazing!!
> 
> For once there is so much choice I don't know what to have https://mannav.com/menu/menus/


:Jawdrop I would have no idea what to pick!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> It definitely does seem to be more popular now than ever. There was a vegan fair in Ely at the weekend which looked really good, unfortunately I was at my dog training club so couldn't attend but apparently they are planning another as this was so successful.
> 
> I am meeting up with my mum, sister & niece in London & Saturday as we are going to Manna (vegan restaurant) for lunch ...... OMG, the menu looks amazing!!
> 
> For once there is so much choice I don't know what to have https://mannav.com/menu/menus/


Wow so much to choose from - make sure you take some photos so we can see what it was like.


----------



## Cleo38

I have been drooling over the pics for weeks now! Will definitely get some pics if I can, I am so excited about the food ...... more so than seeing my family


----------



## Teddy-dog

Some may have seen this already as it's a few days old... but came across this today

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/doctors-environment-secretary-michael-gove-meat-balanced-diet

Why do people keep spouting rubbish? How have all these vegetarians and vegans survived when we 'need' meat? If people eat meat, that's their choice, but I do hate it when people try and tell you you have to have it because you won't get enough calcium or protein or something.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Curry night again



Sweet potato & beetroot chunks, cauliflower, onion, mushrooms, green pepper, rice & green lentils cooked in a sauce made with coconut milk, green chilli, ginger & turmeric.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Veggie Hot Dogs with onions, mustard and ketchup!


----------



## Magyarmum

Looks good! I love curries cooked in coconut milk and must dig out my veggie frankfurters from the freezer and make myself a hot dog!

Friday night I made Yetakelt Wet - a spicy Ethiopian mixed vegetable stew which I had with a mix of Bulgar, Couscous and Red Lentlls plus a homemade Batbout (Moroccan Pita). We're off to training this afternoon so I'll have the rest for an easily reheated dinner tonight.

http://www.girlcooksworld.com/2011/11/yetakelt-wet-spicy-mixed-vegetable-stew.

htmlhttps://www.thespruceeats.com/moroccan-pita-batbout-mkhamer-toghrift-matlou-2395008

Last night for a complete change I had homemade oven baked chips, a tomato, cucumber and radish salad with a tzatziki dressing and a bulgar/garlic burger that I made from a packet. The burger was actually nicer than some of the ones I've made myself so I think I'll be trying some more different flavours!

https://www.ataisz.hu/

My son and DIL who went home last Thursday were really surprised at the variety of vegetarian/vegan/diabetic/ gluten/lactose free products we can buy in the supermarkets here. They said I have a better selection than they do in Falmouth Cornwall!


----------



## Matrod

I made walnut & mushroom burgers for dinner last night, I think it was @Magyarmum who put the link up a while ago. I had them with sweet potato wedges & a load of steamed veg, it was really nice. I'd definitely make the burgers again.


----------



## Cleo38

Yesterday I met up with my mum, sister & niece for lunch. We went to Manna (vegan restaurant) in Primrose Hill, London & it was lovely. Really nice place, friendly & relaxed atmosphere with the most amazing food!!!

It was fantastic to have so much choice, definitely recommend this place.

I had the baked enchiladas for my main & a Malibu cheese cake with chocolate ice cream for pudding. I was stuffed afterwards so quite glad I didn't have a starter aswell


----------



## Teddy-dog

Cleo38 said:


> Yesterday I met up with my mum, sister & niece for lunch. We went to Manna (vegan restaurant) in Primrose Hill, London & it was lovely. Really nice place, friendly & relaxed atmosphere with the most amazing food!!!
> 
> It was fantastic to have so much choice, definitely recommend this place.
> 
> I had the baked enchiladas for my main & a Malibu cheese cake with chocolate ice cream for pudding. I was stuffed afterwards so quite glad I didn't have a starter aswell


Mmmm that looks so yummy!


----------



## NaomiM

One of our favourites last night - spinach and ricotta canneloni.

*Ingredients (serves 4):*
6 wholemeal dried lasagne sheets
1 bag fresh spinach leaves (sorry can't remember the size, just a standard bag)
1 tub ricotta (ditto)
50g grated parmesan
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1 tin tomatoes
1/2 tube tomato puree
2 onions, finely diced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic granules
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 mozzarella ball

Spread out the lasagne sheets in a large baking tray, pour over boiling water and leave to soak.
Mix the tomatoes, onions, puree, oregano, garlic, paprika, cinnamon and sugar in a saucepan, bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Wilt the spinach in a large frying pan with a little oil. Stir in the ricotta, nutmeg and parmesan.
Spread half the tomato mixture in the bottom of a baking dish.
Halve the softened lasagne sheets, put 1 heaped tsp of the spinach mixture in the middle of each one, and roll into a tube shape. Place them seam-side down on top of the tomato sauce. Top with the remaining tomato sauce.
Slice the mozzarella and place on top.
Bake at 180 C for 30 mins.

I served it with home-made garlic bread and a salad, and the kids cleaned their plates 
Again, I don't know about vegan substitutes for the different cheeses, but a nice veggie meal at least


----------



## mrs phas

I know this won't appeal to true dyed in the wool vegans/veggies, but for full on Omni's, like myself, this kind of thing would possibly, help/tempt me and others like me, to go vegan a couple of days a week
Small steps are better than no steps

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/tesco-launch-breakthrough-vegan-steak-400-stores-nationwide


----------



## Magyarmum

mrs phas said:


> I know this won't appeal to true dyed in the wool vegans/veggies, but for full on Omni's, like myself, this kind of thing would possibly, help/tempt me and others like me, to go vegan a couple of days a week
> Small steps are better than no steps
> 
> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/tesco-launch-breakthrough-vegan-steak-400-stores-nationwide


A couple of months ago I bought Vivera "chicken" Schnitzel and their falafel from Tesco here in Hungary. The schnitzel was really good and actually tasted like chicken. The only problem was the price, over £5 for two, nice sized schnitzels or around 10 small falafel which is very expensive for the average Hungarian which is no doubt why I haven't seen them since!.

This is the company which is based in the Netherlands

https://www.vivera.com/en/assortment


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

mrs phas said:


> I know this won't appeal to true dyed in the wool vegans/veggies, but for full on Omni's, like myself, this kind of thing would possibly, help/tempt me and others like me, to go vegan a couple of days a week
> Small steps are better than no steps
> 
> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/tesco-launch-breakthrough-vegan-steak-400-stores-nationwide


Anything that helps people cut down on animal products has to be a good thing. Doesn't appeal to me as I have so much other gorgeous food to eat I'm not keen to replicate meat but I have no issue at all with it for other people if they want/like it.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Waitrose bringing in more vegan products

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-a6c5899bfb-192763785

Holland & Barrett planning fully vegan shops

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-a6c5899bfb-192763785


----------



## Lurcherlad

This may have come up before on the thread, so apologies if I’m repeating a question, but can anyone recommend a tasty vegan mayo pls?

Now I’ve given up eggs normal mayo is off the menu.


----------



## Magyarmum

Lurcherlad said:


> This may have come up before on the thread, so apologies if I'm repeating a question, but can anyone recommend a tasty vegan mayo pls?
> 
> Now I've given up eggs normal mayo is off the menu.


Can't help I'm afraid, but I did find one from Holland & Barrett which might fit the bill

https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/plamil-egg-free-mayonnaise-60099886

On Facebook I saw this recipe for a Bolognese sauce which looks good and I'll make sometime this week

https://tasty.co/recipe/vegetarian-meat-sauce

Tonight I had button mushrooms, red pepper and broccoli cooked in a white wine sauce with oven baked baby bok choy and spicy chips which I thoroughly enjoyed.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> This may have come up before on the thread, so apologies if I'm repeating a question, but can anyone recommend a tasty vegan mayo pls?
> 
> Now I've given up eggs normal mayo is off the menu.


I did get some of the Holland & Barrett one @Magyarmum posted for OH when we first went vegan, I think it was OK but not great. What sort of thing do you want it for and we might be able to suggest an alternative?


----------



## Lurcherlad

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I did get some of the Holland & Barrett one @Magyarmum posted for OH when we first went vegan, I think it was OK but not great. What sort of thing do you want it for and we might be able to suggest an alternative?


Salad dressing only really - i struggle to enjoy without just a little but i guess i'll get used to it


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> Salad dressing only really - i struggle to enjoy without just a little but i guess i'll get used to it


I was just coming back to give you a recipe for "Easy Mayo" from one of my books

300-350g of firm tofu
quarter tsp salt
half tsp sugar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 & a half tbsp lemon juice
1 & a half tbsp cider vinegar
3 tbsp plain mild tasting vegetable oil

Blend tofu, add rest of ingredients except oil & blend again. Once smooth drizzle in oil gradually blending as you do. Taste & add more sweetner/salt or mustard as required. Store in air tight container in fridge.

Or my favourite salad dressing which is really quick & easy & very tasty

Walnut Vinaigrette
60 mls of balsamic vinegar
110 mls of water
25 g of walnuts
30 g of raisins
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic
quarter tsp dried thyme

Give it a quick blend. The nuts help you to absorb more of the nutrients from your salad. It reminds me of a honey mustard dressing.


----------



## Whompingwillow

@Lurcherlad This one is good
https://www.luckyvitamin.com/p-9776...pDo9t3m8KMoXOY7ofEVXpG_w9kCXl6XIaAu9xEALw_wcB


----------



## catz4m8z

Lurcherlad said:


> Salad dressing only really - i struggle to enjoy without just a little but i guess i'll get used to it


I like Holland and Barrett for a nice creamy mayo but usually I buy one from Sainsbury (Chippa May-o)...it tastes just like Heinz salad cream and I prefer that TBH.


----------



## Teddy-dog

catz4m8z said:


> I like Holland and Barrett for a nice creamy mayo but usually I buy one from Sainsbury (Chippa May-o)...it tastes just like Heinz salad cream and I prefer that TBH.


Oh how did I not know about this! next shop at Sainsburys I'm grabbing myself some


----------



## Magyarmum

Tonight I had one of those "use up the bits and pieces in the fridge" dinners and did I enjoy it! Leeks, carrots, red and green peppers, celery, button mushrooms cooked with green lentils and barley, flavoured with Rosemary and simmered in a tomato -y white wine/vegetable stock sauce. Yummy!

And I feel like Christmas has arrived because the spices and other things I ordered arrived this afternoon. Lots of spice mixes I haven't used or heard of before .... am I going to have fun!


----------



## Cleo38

Wow, @Magyarmum ... I have spice envy!!! Where did you get those from? I was thinking today of getting some more interesting spices as my berbere turned up today.& smell lovely.

Your posts earlier regarding Ethiopian dishes has inspired me & am going to do a couple of dishes this weekend


----------



## Teddy-dog

Wow those spices look amazing! 
We used to order something call the spicery and they would send you meals recipes and the spices to go along and it was really inspiring to try different things! They did worldly ones and we had lots of different dishes I hadn’t tried before. I’m not sure they do a vegan one (we got the veggie one)


----------



## Jonescat

Wow that is an amazing selection of spices, although I am not sure what they all are.

What are you cooking first @Magyarmum


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Can't wait to see all the photos of the exciting new meals you try @Magyarmum


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Very interesting Dr Greger video about beans & nuts. Who knew eating one cup of beans per day for 3 months could slow your resting heart rate as much as spending 250 hours on a treadmill :Jawdrop:Joyful

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/pr...-24208457&mc_cid=46da0031aa&mc_eid=53363da263


----------



## Jonescat

rottiepointerhouse said:


> one cup of beans per day for 3 months could slow your resting heart rate as much as spending 250 hours on a treadmill :Jawdrop:Joyful


Turns somersaults across the floor in joy


----------



## Lurcherlad

I concocted a convenient, tasty beany toast topper yesterday.

Tin of Heinz baked beans stirred into a pre-cooked tin of mixed beans. 4 tablespoonfuls on a slice of granary toast - very tasty and filling 

Given that my resting pulse is already pretty good, I’ll be practically comatose soon!


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> Wow, @Magyarmum ... I have spice envy!!! Where did you get those from? I was thinking today of getting some more interesting spices as my berbere turned up today.& smell lovely.
> 
> Your posts earlier regarding Ethiopian dishes has inspired me & am going to do a couple of dishes this weekend


I bought them from here. It's an Exotic Spice Shop in Budapest.

https://www.egzotikusfuszerek.hu/

The spices mostly come in 20 or 25 gram packets which each cost around 75 - 80p a packet. They do send to the UK but only up to a total of 250 grams by registered post which from Hungary would cost about £7.50. You'll have to excuse some of the funny translation ... googles English isn't very good!



Jonescat said:


> Wow that is an amazing selection of spices, although I am not sure what they all are.
> 
> What are you cooking first @Magyarmum


I think I'll try this Persian recipe with the Advieh spice, but not today! I love celery and at the moment have some with plenty of leaves.

http://www.mypersiankitchen.com/vegetarian-khoresht-karafs/

I also bought some Wakame (Nori) and want to try this recipe for fish cakes.

https://www.exceedinglyvegan.com/vegan-recipes/mains/vegan-fish-cakes

Don't think though I'll get too much cooking done today as I'm too busy watching the Royal Wedding!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> I concocted a convenient, tasty beany toast topper yesterday.
> 
> Tin of Heinz baked beans stirred into a pre-cooked tin of mixed beans. 4 tablespoonfuls on a slice of granary toast - very tasty and filling
> 
> Given that my resting pulse is already pretty good, I'll be practically comatose soon!


Last time I had a medical my resting heart rate was 46 or 48 and the poor nurse want pale and asked me if I felt OK when I reassured her that I was fine she asked if I was an endurance athlete :Hilarious:Hilarious


----------



## Cleo38

Tonight's dinner was Ethiopian chick pea curry & Msr Wat (spicy red lentils). Was so easy to make & bloody lovely.

I had it with a chapati but maybe next time I will attempt an Etholiopian flat bread to be more fitting


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> Tonight's dinner was Ethiopian chick pea curry & Msr Wat (spicy red lentils). Was so easy to make & bloody lovely.
> 
> I had it with a chapati but maybe next time I will attempt an Etholiopian flat bread to be more fitting
> 
> View attachment 354897


I think Ethiopian food must be my favourite because the spices are more subtle than say Indian. Here's a Lebanese recipe that looks interesting ....

https://food52.com/recipes/27440-lebanese-vegetarian-stew-warm-spices-chickpeas-potatoes

Last night for dinner I had a sauteed veggie hash made of diced potato, onions, red pepper, mushrooms, chickpeas and spinach with a pinch of amchoor seasoning (mango powder), and served with a lemony tahini sauce .... delicious!


----------



## Cleo38

That stew sounds lovely @Magyarmum, have bookmarked that. I made a pig of myself again tonight with the stuff leftover from last night ... it tastes even better today actually. I made quite alot so might freeze the rest for another day ... or will have some more again tomorrow 

I was talking to someone at my dog training club about veganism & plant based diets & said that I have found that I am actually eating a more varied diet than I have ever done before. Whilst I always liked trying new food I didn't really make anything more adventurous myself but now I am making all sorts of dishes. Thankfully my running sessions mean that I can eat the huge meals that I have been doing so recently, such delicous food means that I often go back for seconds


----------



## karenmc

I love this thread! My husband and I are not vegan or vegetarian but really enjoy having some vegetable based (meat free) meals too. There are lots of fantastic, delicious sounding recipes on the thread and the photos make them even more tempting to try!!! Thank you for sharing everyone. I made a vegetable and bean chilli one night based on a recipe shown and our 2 children were grabbing bowls to tuck in too which was brilliant as we try to encourage healthy eating and trying new meals. Can't wait to see what will be posted next!!


----------



## Lexiedhb

Just popped in to ask about spices, as i've basically become a weekday lunchtime vegan ...... but it would seem there is no need as @Magyarmum is covering it quite nicely.......


----------



## Cleo38

I love this thread, so many great recipes.

I've just ordered some advieh (persian spice) & am going to have a go at making either the celery stew that @Magyarmum posted the link for or maybe an aubergine tart ...... will have to see.

I also want to have a look at more of the Ethiopian dishes as I loved the dishes I cooked at the weekend. I am not the best cook (I find it quite boring tbh) so I like easy dishes & alot of the other recipes I've looked at seem things I could easily manage. I also found that although I used similar spices in both dishes they tasted so different. I ate so much last night that I was still full this morning & didn't have breakfast


----------



## baubbles

Love the sound of the walnut vinaigrette and no oil as well. I make one kind of similar it's pretty easy

2 tbsp of maple syrup
1 tbsp each of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and dijon mustard. Although I use less than 1 tablespoon of the mustard as I find it overpowers.

pretty impressive haul of spices @Magyarmum! I have some lime powder that I couldn't resist buying although will have to google what to put it in as I haven't a clue how to use it!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

This looks lovely and really simple


----------



## Magyarmum

@Cleo38 I've found a Persian vegan recipe that you might be interested in trying. I'm going to make it for dinner tomorrow.

http://www.landsandflavors.com/lentil-and-spinach-rashteh/

I made the Khoresht Karafs last night which I probably shouldn't have done because I didn't have fresh parsley, or mint and had to substitute dried. And I used lemon juice instead of using a lime. I enjoyed it but think it would have tasted better if I'd had the right ingredients. I also made the "fish cake" recipe the other day that used wakame. Very tasty but I think next time I'll up the amount of potato and reduce the haricot beans. They actually tasted more "fishy" the following day when I had one cold!

I'm not sure what it was I ate yesterday, most likely too much of the celery but I was awake most of the night with the worst flatulence I've had since I gave up meat/fish and most dairy products. I finally dozed off to sleep around 4.30 am only to be woken at 6 am by a small, black, not so hairy creature head butting me in the face. I've felt fine all day, albeit tired but I'm certain provided I don't get unceremoniously woken up at some unearthly hour, I'll sleep like a log tonight!

Tonight I had a cauliflower, broccoli and mushroom gratin in a creamy wine sauce topped with grated Violife vegan Cheddar cheese with home grown peas and carrots and new potatoes .... yummy!


----------



## soya

I’ve gotten into the terrible habit of eating out a ton as I haven’t had much time to cook since beginning an apprenticeship with a trainer at work, but I definitely want to nick that habit as it’s spendy and generally not too healthy! This threads awesome, excuse me while I read through these delicious recipes with a growling stomach !


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

soya said:


> I've gotten into the terrible habit of eating out a ton as I haven't had much time to cook since beginning an apprenticeship with a trainer at work, but I definitely want to nick that habit as it's spendy and generally not too healthy! This threads awesome, excuse me while I read through these delicious recipes with a growling stomach !


Welcome


----------



## soya

I went through a period of time where I basically made these weekly. They're vegan single serve cheesecakes, served as a frozen treat (the base is coconut milk full fat so they have to be kept frozen to maintain shape). They're delicious and actually so simple and cheap to make! Recipe below!

https://minimalistbaker.com/7-ingredient-vegan-cheesecakes/


----------



## Cleo38

Oh thanks or that @Magyarmum, looks very nice. I've been looking at spices today & am making a list of some that I ill order. Can you recommend any more unusual ones or blends that you rate?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

soya said:


> I went through a period of time where I basically made these weekly. They're vegan single serve cheesecakes, served as a frozen treat (the base is coconut milk full fat so they have to be kept frozen to maintain shape). They're delicious and actually so simple and cheap to make! Recipe below!
> 
> https://minimalistbaker.com/7-ingredient-vegan-cheesecakes/


They look lovely. Have you tried the really simple ice cream made by blending frozen bananas and frozen cherries or blueberries?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Leek, Kale & Mushroom curry - different taste as contains Fennel Seeds but yummy


----------



## soya

rottiepointerhouse said:


> They look lovely. Have you tried the really simple ice cream made by blending frozen bananas and frozen cherries or blueberries?


Yes! I always add chocolate powder to make chocolate banana ice cream, and I use to have a little container of sprinkles with fun shapes so that was always a nice treat. It really tastes just like ice cream! Add a dash of coconut milk and you can't even tell the difference


----------



## Jonescat

I made a Vietnamese curry today, with Carlin peas, allotment leeks and green pepper, and mushroom/tomato rice.

This was the curry paste









and these are the ingredients









and this is what it looked like









Tasted yummy - very fragrant and just a little hot. I don't know what a Vietnamese person would have done with it though


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://nutritionstudies.org/400-lbs-ultrarunner/

https://nutritionstudies.org/this-plant-based-ultra-race-runner-is-striving-for-healthy-change/

For those interested in marathon running 

@Boxer123 I think I read you ask about immunity somewhere so this might interest you too

https://nutritionstudies.org/can-nutrition-help-prevent-common-cold-flu-viruses/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Creamy Carbonara from BOSH. I cut down a bit on the soy sauce as its a lot of salt. Amazed how boiling cashew nuts smells like cheese 



6 Portobello mushrooms sliced fairly thinly
5 tsp soy sauce
20 ml maple syrup
20 ml cider vinegar
20 ml olive oil
130g cashew nuts boiler in water for 15 mins
5 cloves garlic
190 ml of plant milk (almond was nice)
10 g nutritional yeast
150 g silken tofu
125 g peas
Wholewheat spaghetti to serve 
garnish with parsley or rocket

Mix the soy sauce, maple syrup, cider vinegar and olive oil together than pour over the mushrooms and bake in the oven for about 30 mins until going a bit crispy. Blend the nuts, garlic, milk, nutritional yeast and tofu together. Put this mixture in a large pan and add peas. Cook spaghetti and stir into sauce then gently fold in the mushrooms. Add some pasta water if its a bit too thick so that everything is covered.


----------



## Jonescat

Asparagus is in season. That might be all I have


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> Oh thanks or that @Magyarmum, looks very nice. I've been looking at spices today & am making a list of some that I ill order. Can you recommend any more unusual ones or blends that you rate?


Sorry I haven't got back to you before but I've had a hectic couple of days. Anyway here are a few of the spices I like to use... 
Harissa
Amchoor (Mango powder)
Berbere
Baharat
All Spice
Ras el Hanout
Sumac
Chimichurri (South American)
Nigella seeds
Za'atar
Panch Puran (Indian)

I did find this rather nice website though which gives a list of spices from around the world.

https://spicewells.co.uk/

Tonight I made this but tweaked the recipe a little by adding some chopped peppers and mushrooms

https://holycowvegan.net/vegan-cabbage-chickpea-torta/










And as you can see I had it with chips and good old baked beans. Plenty left for tomorrow which is just as well because we go to training and don't get back till late, so shall have it cold with a salad.










.


----------



## catz4m8z

wow, that looks nice @Magyarmum  Im a big fan of hearty looking meals!

Im so broke this month it isn't funny. However luckily I have tons of cupboard staples in and freezer fruit/veg and healthy vegan food seems to be about the cheapest way to feed yourself anyways. Found a recipe for a loaf with lentils and stuffing and going to give that a go tonight (I still have a packet of stuffing left over from xmas!). I love loafs....you can really stretch them out!LOL:Shy


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Made this last night and it was absolutely foul :Vomit Its the first vegan meal I've made that OH literally spat out and refused to eat, I forced a few mouthfuls down as I was so hungry but yuk yuk yuk.



rottiepointerhouse said:


> This looks lovely and really simple


----------



## Cleo38

That looks disgusting @rottiepointerhouse !! I don't (didn't) like pasta with heavy cheesy, creamy sauces when I ate dairy products so always seem to prefer tomato based sauces but when the woman said it was made with roasted butternut squash I changed my mind & thought it might be nice.

What wasn't nice about it? Do you think it was the nutritional yeast? I would have added roasted peppers & red onion to go with it instead I think.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> That looks disgusting @rottiepointerhouse !! I don't (didn't) like pasta with heavy cheesy, creamy sauces when I ate dairy products so always seem to prefer tomato based sauces but when the woman said it was made with roasted butternut squash I changed my mind & thought it might be nice.
> 
> What wasn't nice about it? Do you think it was the nutritional yeast? I would have added roasted peppers & red onion to go with it instead I think.


It was so stodgy for starters but the mix of spices didn't work either, very heavy on turmeric and cayenne so it had a very bitter yet unpleasant hot taste. I don't think it was the nutritional yeast as I added some more of that at the table and it did make it a tiny bit more palatable. Yes probably some roast peppers and onion/mushroom might have broken it up a bit but I don't think I will bother trying it again :Yuck


----------



## Cleo38

I made a Turkish aubergine tart this afternoon.
www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/turkish-eggplant-pie

I didn't have any large tomatoes for the topping or any breadcrumbs but it still tastes lovely.









Already had a slice to sample but will have another later on with some spinach, spring greens & sweetcorn


----------



## Teddy-dog

I thought that looked quite nice @rottiepointerhouse so a shame to hear it was foul!!

My mum made a lovely aubergine and potato curry last night! I'm going to try and get the recipe off her and post on here as it was really yummy - it was a thai curry rather than indian. Really flavoursome and slightly creamy.

I always forget to take pictures too....


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> I made a Turkish aubergine tart this afternoon.
> www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/turkish-eggplant-pie
> 
> I didn't have any large tomatoes for the topping or any breadcrumbs but it still tastes lovely.
> 
> View attachment 355921
> 
> 
> Already had a slice to sample but will have another later on with some spinach, spring greens & sweetcorn


That looks really good. My problem is that I can't find anywhere over here that sells phyllo pastry but I suppose puff pastry would do just as well - at a pinch?

Last night I had a vegetable rissotto with arborio rice, onion, leeks, courgette, red peppers mushrooms and pinto beans, cilantro and fine herbes cooked in veggie stock with a dollop of white wine for good measure .... delish!


----------



## Cleo38

Magyarmum said:


> That looks really good. My problem is that I can't find anywhere over here that sells phyllo pastry but I suppose puff pastry would do just as well - at a pinch?
> 
> Last night I had a vegetable rissotto with arborio rice, onion, leeks, courgette, red peppers mushrooms and pinto beans, cilantro and fine herbes cooked in veggie stock with a dollop of white wine for good measure .... delish!


Oh yes, I didn't even realise it said that .... I think because it was spelt differently I read puff so that's what I used! Turned out really nice anyway & I prefer puff anyway.

That rissotto sounds nice, I haven't ever made one so need to have a go at some point.


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> Oh yes, I didn't even realise it said that .... I think because it was spelt differently I read puff so that's what I used! Turned out really nice anyway & I prefer puff anyway.
> 
> That rissotto sounds nice, I haven't ever made one so need to have a go at some point.


I have to admit that although rice isn't my favourite grain I do love a rissotto providing it's made using arborio rice. Apart from the grains being round (makes lovely rice puddings) it has a different flavour and is creamy rather than dry like Basmati or brown rice! Basically, you can sling any vegetable in to cook with it and providing you check there's enough liquid in the pot, you can leave it to cook itself!


----------



## Jonescat

I am still munching the local asparagus so here's my risotto with spinach leaves and asparagus. The risotto is mushroom and red pepper, with mushroom stock. Yummy summer food.


----------



## Magyarmum

Jonescat said:


> I am still munching the local asparagus so hears my risotto with spinach leaves and aspargus. The risotto is mushroom and red pepper, with mushroom stock. Yummy summer food.
> View attachment 355979


I bought asparagus the other day and will have it with the remains of last night's risotto for dinner tonight.

I've got a mass of Roccola growing in my veggie patch and I've sown chard, two types of spinach and what I hope is purple kale (google translate wasn't helpful with the translation) Also green french beans, white beans and Broad beans which are known as Horse Beans over here. Our season starts much later than in the UK because even though the grounds thawed out the soil is too cold and wet to plant


----------



## Cleo38

Oh that looks lovely @Jonescat .... Am starving atm.as I haven't had a chance to have any lunch yet


----------



## mrs phas

can anyone advise on a hard margarine ( which i never usually use, as i hate the thought of anyone ingesting anything plasticized )suitable for baking/cake making etc, for my vegan dil, that *doesnt *have palm oil as an additive? I want to make her a birthday cake for her fortieth next month, having broken the aquafaba mystery, i was feeling invincible until this
Normally I would go for stork, as its what my mum would've used, but its got palm oil as an ingredient, and doesnt say whether it is from a sustainable source or not
so I would rather err on the side of its not, than compromise _my_ beliefs and morals and give it the benefit of the doubt


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

mrs phas said:


> can anyone advise on a hard margarine ( which i never usually use, as i hate the thought of anyone ingesting anything plasticized )suitable for baking/cake making etc, for my vegan dil, that *doesnt *have palm oil as an additive? I want to make her a birthday cake for her fortieth next month, having broken the aquafaba mystery, i was feeling invincible until this
> Normally I would go for stork, as its what my mum would've used, but its got palm oil as an ingredient, and doesnt say whether it is from a sustainable source or not
> so I would rather err on the side of its not, than compromise _my_ beliefs and morals and give it the benefit of the doubt


Sorry I don't do any baking but @Jonescat should be able to help you.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

A single meal that changes sexual performance (The Game Changers Film) warning don't watch if you prefer not to discuss erections


----------



## Jonescat

@mrs phas Margarine without palm oil is really hard to find and what drove me to make my own - mentioned earlier in the thread, but also here http://www.veganbaking.net/recipes/fats/vegan-butters/vegan-butter

It is really easy to make and tasted good, if you are eating it quickly, or with jam, I don't think you need the vinegar. It doesn't last long though (no preservatives) so don't be tempted to make too much in one sitting.

I think you could try using refined coconut oil (far less coconut taste) as a hard fat, or you could find a recipe that uses other things. There are loads of cake recipes out there that use oils instead and work fine. What kind of cake are you after? I may be able to recommend a recipe....


----------



## catz4m8z

I tried making flapjacks the other day using the traditional method (lots of marg to hold them together, I cant find one without palm oil either) and TBH....not a fan. Very crumbly. Think I might stick with my usual methods of using oats, wm flour (plant milk to stick everything together) and whatever nuts, seeds, spices or fruit I fancy to season. I end up with something between a cake and a flapjack but its probably healthier coz it doesnt have all that marg in it!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I make something for OH that is a cross between a flapjack and a muffin - wholemeal flour, oat bran and ground flaxseed, some cinnamon, and apple juice to bind it together. I add fresh blueberries and sultanas but you could add other fruit and/or nuts. Mashed banana is also good for binding things together.


----------



## Magyarmum

mrs phas said:


> can anyone advise on a hard margarine ( which i never usually use, as i hate the thought of anyone ingesting anything plasticized )suitable for baking/cake making etc, for my vegan dil, that *doesnt *have palm oil as an additive? I want to make her a birthday cake for her fortieth next month, having broken the aquafaba mystery, i was feeling invincible until this
> Normally I would go for stork, as its what my mum would've used, but its got palm oil as an ingredient, and doesnt say whether it is from a sustainable source or not
> so I would rather err on the side of its not, than compromise _my_ beliefs and morals and give it the benefit of the doubt


I very rarely make cakes only pastry and I use coconut oil. You use it in exactly the ratio as you would with butter or margarine

This might help you .... https://www.thekitchn.com/baking-with-coconut-oil-what-you-should-know-238333

There are also plenty of cake recipes online using coconut oil


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@Boxer123 there are quite a few runners in there you might be interested in


----------



## Cleo38

I made a version of khoreshte karafs (Persian celery stew) the other night & it was lovely. I wasn't sure if so much celery would be a bit too much but it was really nice https://www.unicornsinthekitchen.com/persian-celery-stew-khoreshte-karafs-vegetarian-version/

I did add garlic & had to use black beans as I didn't have any kidney beans but I don't think that mattered too much.


----------



## Teddy-dog

Results from a recent study on plant based diets for heart health:

http://www.pcrm.org/media/news/new-review-highlights-benefits-of-plant-based-diets-for-heart-health

_"A plant-based diet has the power to not only prevent heart disease, but also manage and sometimes even reverse it-something no drug has ever done,"_


----------



## Lurcherlad

Dropped some brik-a-brak off today at a local animal sanctuary and spotted their rescued chickens and ducks.

Asked if they sell the eggs as they get the very best of lives at the sanctuary and they obviously never kill any - as an option for my family (possibly me).

They normally do, but some are on meds at the moment, so I will contact them in a few weeks.

Also got me thinking whether I could maybe rescue some ex-battery chickens ......


----------



## Cleo38

Lurcherlad said:


> Dropped some brik-a-brak off today at a local animal sanctuary and spotted their rescued chickens and ducks.
> 
> Asked if they sell the eggs as they get the very best of lives at the sanctuary and they obviously never kill any - as an option for my family (possibly me).
> 
> They normally do, but some are on meds at the moment, so I will contact them in a few weeks.
> 
> Also got me thinking whether I could maybe rescue some ex-battery chickens ......


Oooh, get some!!! They are quite easy to look after & don't cost much. The only time you have work to do really is making sure they don't get mites (& other parasites) which seem to be more of a problem in the summer. They are AMAZING to watch as they settle in to their new lives & establish a hierarchy


----------



## Lurcherlad

Cleo38 said:


> Oooh, get some!!! They are quite easy to look after & don't cost much. The only time you have work to do really is making sure they don't get mites (& other parasites) which seem to be more of a problem in the summer. They are AMAZING to watch as they settle in to their new lives & establish a hierarchy


I've always fancied having some 

Will need to consider all the angles - fox proof area/house, etc. And Jack, of course (he isn't interested in birds though in the same way as squirrels, rabbits and cats ).

Persuading OH might be tricky


----------



## catz4m8z

Wish I had the room for some ex battery hens.


Well, new day....new bean loaf!LOL BBQ black eyed bean loaf this week (used wholegrain mustard, garlic, bbq sauce and smoked paprika to season).
Turned out lovely so Im adding that to my list along with chilli kidney bean loaf and lentil and stuffing loaf.
I want to make a black bean and beetroot one next but I cant decide what seasoning would work well.:Bored


----------



## Lurcherlad

Mentioned the chicken idea to OH and he said “why not”? 

So, it’s a possibility but needs careful consideration before committing


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Love the look of this soup (red cabbage, red onion & apple)


----------



## Lurcherlad

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Love the look of this soup (red cabbage, red onion & apple)


:Yuck

Soz!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> :Yuck
> 
> Soz!


Is it the colour? :Hungry


----------



## Lurcherlad

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Is it the colour? :Hungry


Yes, number one but the mix of flavours just doesn't appeal 

Worse even - is it served cold? :Vomit


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> Yes, number one but the mix of flavours just doesn't appeal
> 
> Worse even - is it served cold? :Vomit


No its served hot with a swirl of vegan creme fraiche and apple to garnish. Red cabbage and apple are quite a traditional mix, I never bother to cook red cabbage as I love it raw but I know when my Mum does she will often put apple in with it.


----------



## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


> No its served hot with a swirl of vegan creme fraiche and apple to garnish. Red cabbage and apple are quite a traditional mix, I never bother to cook red cabbage as I love it raw but I know when my Mum does she will often put apple in with it.


A German friend of mine also used to cook red cabbage with apple together with a piece of smoked bacon rind and a dash of cider vinegar. Here in Hungary they have fruit soups like cherry or plum and both Maggi and Knorr do the packet versions. I've never tried them because I can't say that I really fancy the idea!


----------



## Teddy-dog

I would love some ex battery hens but not sure how the dog would like them!! Or the neighbours....

I also have that recipe for the aubergine curry I mentioned earlier - my mum made it. It is yummy 

*Ingredients:*
1 Aubergine
1 Onion
1 clove of garlic
1 piece of ginger
1 small punnet of chestnut mushrooms
1 potato
30g tomato puree
1.5 tsp curry powder
400ml coconut milk
75ml water
1 veg stock pot
1 tin lentils
1 lime
1 small bunch coriander

*Method*
- Chop aubergine into 1cm pieces. Pinch of salt and pepper over the top and drizzle of oil if wanted.
- Roast the aubergine at about 220C for about 15-20 mins.
- Thinly slice the onion, peel and grate the ginger, quarter the mushrooms and chop potato into 1cm chunks (we don't peel).
- Heat saucepan on medium heat (add oil). Cook mushrooms for around 5 mins, then add onion and cook till soft and then add the garlic, ginger, puree and curry powder. Cook for around a minute.
- Add coconut milk, water, stock pot and potato and stir together. Simmer until potato is cooked (about 20 mins).
- Once curry is cooked add the lentils and aubergine and bring to the boil.
- Stir in half the coriander and half the lime juice (add more after tasting if needed).
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with remaining coriander on top 

Serves 2 people but they are quite generous portions.


----------



## Cleo38

How exciting @Lurcherlad ! Have a look on the British Hen Welfare Trust website for rehoming dates/locations. It's quite upsetting seeing the state of some of the poor birds but so interesting to see them flourish when they have a new home.

Back to food ..... has anyone tried freekeh? I've been looking at some recipes that mentions it so have just ordered some.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> How exciting @Lurcherlad ! Have a look on the British Hen Welfare Trust website for rehoming dates/locations. It's quite upsetting seeing the state of some of the poor birds but so interesting to see them flourish when they have a new home.
> 
> Back to food ..... has anyone tried freekeh? I've been looking at some recipes that mentions it so have just ordered some.


I've never heard of it - what is it?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@Teddy-dog this reminds me of your Mum's recipe. I wish I liked Aubergines but they are one of only a few vegetables I really don't like.


----------



## Matrod

I meant to post this a few days ago, it was brown rice spaghetti, broccoli, spring greens, garlic, tomatoes, lemon zest & juice topped with a load of herbs & olives. I love brown rice spaghetti, you can't tell the difference between that & the wheat one.


----------



## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I've never heard of it - what is it?


Here you go ....






I've yet to find Freekeh here in Hungary. My favourite by far is Buckwheat, also known as Kasha, which fortunately is popular here and throughout Eastern Europe and Russia and I use the Buckwheat plant milk for my tea and coffee.

I also made a discovery - M'hammas which is a large pearl couscous. I had it the other night with a Turkish split peas stew - delicious! Here's what it looks like (not my cooking)!


----------



## Cleo38

There are too many lovely foods to try!! Freekah sounds really nice so am lookig forward to cooking with it. 
And that M'hammas looks amazing @Magyarmum !


----------



## karenmc

This sounds lovely @Teddy-dog I'm definitely going to try it!! Great video clip to @rottiepointerhouse. It's good to see each step, they seem v.similar!! Looks delicious!


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> There are too many lovely foods to try!! Freekah sounds really nice so am lookig forward to cooking with it.
> And that M'hammas looks amazing @Magyarmum !


Apparently you can buy it from Sainsbury's or Holland and Barrett or even from Amazon. It isn't called M'hammas in the UK but is known as Israeli Pearl Couscous.

Tonight I had Spaghetti Bolognese made with Beluga Lentils, finely chopped mushroom, carrots and celery cooked in a tomato sauce. Whilst I enjoyed it, it was a little too bland for my liking but that's probably because my taste buds are more used to spicy food? I've some of the sauce left over so I'll have go at jazzing it up a bit to make it taste more interesting.


----------



## MollySmith

Have fed Mr Molly Smith vegan food for his evening meal for a week and he hasn’t noticed...


----------



## MollySmith

Lurcherlad said:


> Mentioned the chicken idea to OH and he said "why not"?
> 
> So, it's a possibility but needs careful consideration before committing


I have a few friends who keep ex battery chickens and say it's very rewarding and the eggs are proper yellow. One has two spaniels and keeps her rather large garden divided by high fences so dog and birds are separate. It's getting holiday cover that's a bit of an issue.


----------



## Lurcherlad

MollySmith said:


> I have a few friends who keep ex battery chickens and say it's very rewarding and the eggs are proper yellow. One has two spaniels and keeps her rather large garden divided by high fences so dog and birds are separate. It's getting holiday cover that's a bit of an issue.


I've enough room to give them a large enclosed run with their coop in and was thinking to section off the bottom third of the garden for them to free range in when I'm about.

Luckily, the friend who helps with Jack said she would look after them when we go away 

I'm more concerned about being able to keep them safe from foxes and cats.


----------



## Cleo38

Lurcherlad said:


> I've enough room to give them a large enclosed run with their coop in and was thinking to section off the bottom third of the garden for them to free range in when I'm about.
> 
> Luckily, the friend who helps with Jack said she would look after them when we go away
> 
> I'm more concerned about being able to keep them safe from foxes and cats.


I think having dogs yourself may help in deterring foxes or cats ..... though I suppose it all depends on your environment. I have never had a problem with foxes yet my neighbour lost nearly all his chickens over the course of a few weeks last year. My biggest issue is with rats but that will always be a problem for me as I live near a river & in rural location, luckily one of my cats helps with the rats. Though my cats are avid hunters they have never attempted to have a go at the chooks, George (my fat ginger moggy) will happily take on one of my dogs but is very wary of the chickens!


----------



## Lurcherlad

We do have foxes round here (we back onto fields) but think Jack is keeping them away cos don’t remember seeing one in my garden since having him.

The neighbours cats though constantly dice with death! 

Rats are sometimes an issue in the locale too, but they’re everywhere anyway.

Whatever happens, I will keep them very clean and do my utmost to deter foxes/cats. 

I’m sure it’s worth the slight risk to give a few chickens a happy life


----------



## Cleo38

Lurcherlad said:


> We do have foxes round here (we back onto fields) but think Jack is keeping them away cos don't remember seeing one in my garden since having him.
> 
> The neighbours cats though constantly dice with death!
> 
> Rats are sometimes an issue in the locale too, but they're everywhere anyway.
> 
> Whatever happens, I will keep them very clean and do my utmost to deter foxes/cats.
> 
> I'm sure it's worth the slight risk to give a few chickens a happy life


There will always be risks but these can be managed & you can make adjustments as you go.

They really are amazing animals, I love having them & they are fascinating to watch at times. I've bought mine a couple of children's musical keyboards to play with & they love them .... so funny watching then queue up to take their turns


----------



## lullabydream

MollySmith said:


> Have fed Mr Molly Smith vegan food for his evening meal for a week and he hasn't noticed...


OH only complains he's eating vegan food when he has to cook under instruction from me! He's eaten it fine for about 3 years. Son is vegetarian but am not keen on meat substitute so rather do lentils and beans instead. He's only just realised in the past months to be honest!


----------



## Lurcherlad

I’ve just found a free app on the Vegan Society website to ensure my diet contains everything I need for health on a mostly plant based diet.

Currently, I’m concentrating on weight loss, following Weight Watchers via their app and have been avoiding nuts as they are high in fat (albeit good fats) or Flaxseeds (which have a lower point value on WW).

I am still eating fish which are a good source, but plan to reduce and eventually eliminate once I have my weight and PB diet sorted.

Just using the VS app checklist for the first time yesterday it’s clear I need to incorporate nuts into my WW plan to ensure enough Omega3 to replace that sourced from fish currently.

I think it’s going to be helpful for me to run through the simple checklist at the end of each day to ensure I’m not missing out on essential nutrients


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> I've just found a free app on the Vegan Society website to ensure my diet contains everything I need for health on a mostly plant based diet.
> 
> Currently, I'm concentrating on weight loss, following Weight Watchers via their app and have been avoiding nuts as they are high in fat (albeit good fats) or Flaxseeds (which have a lower point value on WW).
> 
> I am still eating fish which are a good source, but plan to reduce and eventually eliminate once I have my weight and PB diet sorted.
> 
> Just using the VS app checklist for the first time yesterday it's clear I need to incorporate nuts into my WW plan to ensure enough Omega3 to replace that sourced from fish currently.
> 
> I think it's going to be helpful for me to run through the simple checklist at the end of each day to ensure I'm not missing out on essential nutrients


Most of the plant based doctors recommend a small serving of nuts per day (30 g) which should largely consist of walnuts as they have the best Omega 3 to 6 ratio. I have them most days even though I used to hate nuts and tend to have walnuts, with a few cashews and pistachios and one brazil. I would have a few almonds but they are too hard for my teeth  Most of the studies done have found that sticking to that amount of nuts has no detrimental effect on weight loss. I do take an algae based supplement (Opti3 by Vegetology) to make sure I'm getting enough EPA & DHA as some people do find it harder to convert the vegan sources. .


----------



## Lurcherlad

Saved some points for a meal out tonight with OH.

Zizzi have a good Vegan menu.....

















Very yummy!


----------



## Teddy-dog

Lurcherlad said:


> Saved some points for a meal out tonight with OH.
> 
> Zizzi have a good Vegan menu.....
> 
> View attachment 356971
> View attachment 356972
> 
> 
> Very yummy!


Oh I love zizzis!!! So yummy


----------



## Cleo38

Wow, that looks lovely @Lurcherlad ! So good to hear that so many mainstream places are now offering vegan options


----------



## Lurcherlad

I’ll be very good for the rest of the week now!


----------



## catz4m8z

Just bought the ingredients for rice pudding coz Im feeling all hormonal at the mo and fancy some comfort food!:Shy
Sounds easy enough to make and I reckon I can half the sugar usually needed as alot of plant milk is sweet enough. Its one of those things I never thought of before coz rice pudding always has dairy, right?
Totally forgot that you can make almost anything planty with abit of planning!LOL


----------



## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> Just bought the ingredients for rice pudding coz Im feeling all hormonal at the mo and fancy some comfort food!:Shy
> Sounds easy enough to make and I reckon I can half the sugar usually needed as alot of plant milk is sweet enough. Its one of those things I never thought of before coz rice pudding always has dairy, right?
> Totally forgot that you can make almost anything planty with abit of planning!LOL


I love rice pudding and it was one of the first vegetarian puds I made. Although I normally drink tea or coffee with buckwheat milk for rice pud I always use almond milk (and arborio rice) with a good sprinkling of nutmeg on top ..... yummy! And cold semolina puddings yummy too!


----------



## Boxer123

Wow it's taken me all week (and 1 ignored essay) but I've read the whole thread. I've also watched what the health , cowspiracy and fork over knife. Eye opening! I was vegetarian for 10 years but went back to meat I was quite an unhealthy veggie though. 

The last few weeks I've slowly replaced the dairy or cut it out. Oat milk is my favourite. I'm. Trying to eat plant, whole based foods with loads of veggies, fruits, lentils and beans. No meat. 

It might be placebo but I feel great ! I've averaged running 50 miles each week no pains or tiredness. I'm eating less sugar my skin looks better. 

I have struggled a bit as hubby is a real meat eater but he has been eating some veggie meals and loves the vegan Ben and jerries ( my treat) watching those films really made me think I'm an animal lover what am I doing!!! Also meat gives you cancer again duh why am I eating it? I don't smoke or drink because of my running why am I messing with this?

Because of my mileage I'm eating nuts as a snack and seeds. I'm experimenting with lentils and beans. And I've given my beloved dairy milk up. 

One con which seems to be settling wind ...

Keep the lovely recipes coming.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Boxer123 said:


> Wow it's taken me all week (and 1 ignored essay) but I've read the whole thread. I've also watched what the health , cowspiracy and fork over knife. Eye opening! I was vegetarian for 10 years but went back to meat I was quite an unhealthy veggie though.
> 
> The last few weeks I've slowly replaced the dairy or cut it out. Oat milk is my favourite. I'm. Trying to eat plant, whole based foods with loads of veggies, fruits, lentils and beans. No meat.
> 
> It might be placebo but I feel great ! I've averaged running 50 miles each week no pains or tiredness. I'm eating less sugar my skin looks better.
> 
> I have struggled a bit as hubby is a real meat eater but he has been eating some veggie meals and loves the vegan Ben and jerries ( my treat) watching those films really made me think I'm an animal lover what am I doing!!! Also meat gives you cancer again duh why am I eating it? I don't smoke or drink because of my running why am I messing with this?
> 
> Because of my mileage I'm eating nuts as a snack and seeds. I'm experimenting with lentils and beans. And I've given my beloved dairy milk up.
> 
> One con which seems to be settling wind ...
> 
> Keep the lovely recipes coming.


Good for you, that is such good news  Go slowly with the lentils and beans to avoid wind - some say taking a probiotic helps too although I didn't bother. I tend to have cast iron guts and not much upsets my tummy. Another good film is "eating you alive" and one to get your husband to watch will be out soon called "Game Changers" which looks brilliant from the clips I've seen.


----------



## Boxer123

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Good for you, that is such good news  Go slowly with the lentils and beans to avoid wind - some say taking a probiotic helps too although I didn't bother. I tend to have cast iron guts and not much upsets my tummy. Another good film is "eating you alive" and one to get your husband to watch will be out soon called "Game Changers" which looks brilliant from the clips I've seen.


Cheers I did read up on probiotics but I think it is probably just the change of diet it's fine I will blame it on the dogs!

Will keep an eye out for those films I would be interested to see similar studies in the uk. It just seems so obvious though once you start thinking about it.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I had no idea you could get all these vegan sandwiches in supermarkets

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-6e97a3f9b8-192763785

and a vegan/gluten free pizza from Waitrose

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-6e97a3f9b8-192763785

The Times They Are A Changin' as Bob Dylan said :Joyful


----------



## catz4m8z

interesting looking sandwiches, most of them look abit too spicy for me though. I found that with the Goodfellas vegan falafel pizza. Very tasty, but very hot!
TBH Im just glad they are selling more pizza bases, I quite like doing my own.

Today I made a lentil and kidney bean loaf and a chocolate courgette cake coz my work shifts are all over the place and I CBA cooking for a while. Its total lazy single girl cooking coz they will keep in the fridge for nearly a week!:Smug


----------



## Boxer123

Today I'm being lazy veggie pasta. I've bought a little vegan cheese to try. Tomorrow veggie curry.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Boxer123 said:


> Today I'm being lazy veggie pasta. I've bought a little vegan cheese to try. Tomorrow veggie curry.


I'm being lazy too as I have some left over pasta in a tomato/basil sauce from last night's dinner which I've bulked out with some frozen broccoli/peas/corn so tonight I'm just doing jacket potatoes with heaps of salad. Might have to make something else if OH doesn't fancy it though.


----------



## Boxer123

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I'm being lazy too as I have some left over pasta in a tomato/basil sauce from last night's dinner which I've bulked out with some frozen broccoli/peas/corn so tonight I'm just doing jacket potatoes with heaps of salad. Might have to make something else if OH doesn't fancy it though.


I came home from work yesterday and caught hubby watching ....

Fork over knives

So I get to cook him veggie for a week to see what he thinks.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Boxer123 said:


> I came home from work yesterday and caught hubby watching ....
> 
> Fork over knives
> 
> So I get to cook him veggie for a week to see what he thinks.


Wow :Woot:Woot hope he enjoys the food.


----------



## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I had no idea you could get all these vegan sandwiches in supermarkets
> 
> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-6e97a3f9b8-192763785
> 
> and a vegan/gluten free pizza from Waitrose
> 
> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-6e97a3f9b8-192763785
> 
> The Times They Are A Changin' as Bob Dylan said :Joyful


You don't know how lucky you are. Unless I take my own food with me when I go to the shopping mall, I have to settle either for chips or a tasteless cheese and cucumber roll.

And like everyone else I'm having a lazy meal of stir fry veggies and rice which was already cooked and in the freezer.












catz4m8z said:


> interesting looking sandwiches, most of them look abit too spicy for me though. I found that with the Goodfellas vegan falafel pizza. Very tasty, but very hot!
> TBH Im just glad they are selling more pizza bases, I quite like doing my own.
> 
> Today I made a lentil and kidney bean loaf and a chocolate courgette cake coz my work shifts are all over the place and I CBA cooking for a while. Its total lazy single girl cooking coz they will keep in the fridge for nearly a week!:Smug


I've never made a "meat loaf" and as you seem to be our resident expert, I wanted to ask you which recipes you think are the nicest. Or do you make up the recipe as you go along? I think I'd rather have one made with chickpeas rather than lentils but am rather afraid to make something that might end up in the dustbin because I don't like it!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Magyarmum said:


> You don't know how lucky you are. Unless I take my own food with me when I go to the shopping mall, I have to settle either for chips or a tasteless cheese and cucumber roll.
> 
> And like everyone else I'm having a lazy meal of stir fry veggies and rice which was already cooked and in the freezer.
> 
> View attachment 357384


Except I never go anywhere without taking my own food so I'm unlikely to sample their delights but its good to know they are available as obstacles to people making the change are gradually disappearing.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@Magyarmum I used to make this Quinoa Neat-Loaf quite a lot, I loved it but my OH didn't so I stopped making it. Its from Angelicious by Trinity Bourne. So quick & easy I think I will make it again just for me.

150 g red quinoa.
1 medium apple.
2 cloves garlic
100 g of tinned black beans (I use red kidney beans and much more than 100 g)
Half tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsps ground coriander
1 tbsp coconut sugar (I never bothered with that or felt it needed any sugar but add sweetness if you think it needs it).

Cook the quinoa, grate the apple. Mix all the ingredients together and pulse in a blender if you can be bothered. I just mash the beans roughly with a potato masher then mix the rest of the stuff with it. Cook in a lined loaf tin for about 45 mins.


----------



## Magyarmum

@rottiepointerhouse Thank for the meat loaf recipe. I haven't got red quinoa but I suppose white will do just as well. I intended making it today but having made some naan this morning decided to make a quick curry instead.

I used this recipe from Holy Cow which is easy to make and very tasty.

https://holycowvegan.net/easy-vegetable-curry/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Magyarmum said:


> @rottiepointerhouse Thank for the meat loaf recipe. I haven't got red quinoa but I suppose white will do just as well. I intended making it today but having made some naan this morning decided to make a quick curry instead.
> 
> I used this recipe from Holy Cow which is easy to make and very tasty.
> 
> https://holycowvegan.net/easy-vegetable-curry/


Yes I would think any type of quinoa would do. Enjoy your curry. I've made curry for tonight too- the beetroot and sweet potato one I posted a few pages back as its one of OH's favourites and I felt a bit guilty only giving him baked potato, beans and salad last night :Joyful


----------



## Boxer123

A very hot veggie curry. What are everyone's thoughts on honey I've been meaning to ask ?


----------



## Boxer123

Veggie chilli sweet potato fries and salad all homemade.


----------



## catz4m8z

Magyarmum said:


> I've never made a "meat loaf" and as you seem to be our resident expert, I wanted to ask you which recipes you think are the nicest. Or do you make up the recipe as you go along? I think I'd rather have one made with chickpeas rather than lentils but am rather afraid to make something that might end up in the dustbin because I don't like it!


I never use recipes, just experiment with whatever I have in! Generally I just mash 2 tins of beans/lentils, add chopped onion, spices and grated carrot. Then I use some oats and wm flour to help bind it together with abit of plant milk to help the consistency.
I keep meaning to try quinoa or brown rice instead of oats though for a change, although I found if I dont use at least a little bit of flour my loaf crumbles!

Although I bought some ready made pastry the other day and am thinking of trying my hand at some sort of pasty type thing next....maybe something with a sweet potato and chickpea filling.



Boxer123 said:


> View attachment 357545
> What are everyone's thoughts on honey I've been meaning to ask ?


I avoid it. Although TBH Im not sure where I should stand on the issue. I know we shouldnt exploit animals and stealing honey from little fuzzy bees is pretty much that, but given how important bees are to ecology should we be encouraging anything that makes people look after them and appreciate them better?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I don't like honey so it isn't something I need to think about. If its something you use a lot of and its important to you then I would carry on using it and concentrate on eradicating the bigger problems both healthwise and ethically.

Has your OH enjoyed the meals you have made @Boxer123 ?


----------



## Boxer123

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I don't like honey so it isn't something I need to think about. If its something you use a lot of and its important to you then I would carry on using it and concentrate on eradicating the bigger problems both healthwise and ethically.
> 
> Has your OH enjoyed the meals you have made @Boxer123 ?


He has yes ! He ate all of the chilli today and has had no complaints he did fall off the wagon at work but it will make my life easier if he will eat the vegan food at home. I snuck a slice of vegan cheese in his wrap he didn't notice ! I'm feeling much better in myself for the diet more energy.

I do like a dash of honey on things like porridge but don't eat a lot. About a bottle every three months.


----------



## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> I never use recipes, just experiment with whatever I have in! Generally I just mash 2 tins of beans/lentils, add chopped onion, spices and grated carrot. Then I use some oats and wm flour to help bind it together with abit of plant milk to help the consistency.
> I keep meaning to try quinoa or brown rice instead of oats though for a change, although I found if I dont use at least a little bit of flour my loaf crumbles!
> 
> Although I bought some ready made pastry the other day and am thinking of trying my hand at some sort of pasty type thing next....maybe something with a sweet potato and chickpea filling.
> 
> I avoid it. Although TBH Im not sure where I should stand on the issue. I know we shouldnt exploit animals and stealing honey from little fuzzy bees is pretty much that, but given how important bees are to ecology should we be encouraging anything that makes people look after them and appreciate them better?


Like you I very often improvise with my recipes but because I haven't made meat loaf before I'm going to follow the recipe that RPH posted the other day. I've only used oats to make patties or burgers and have never been happy with the results because they don't seem to absorb any moisture from the mix which makes it crumbly.

My next door neighbour has around a dozen bee hives and keeps me provided will acacia honey. I know from speaking with him, he has them purely as a hobby and gives away any honey produced to friends and family. Which I suppose is rather like having a few happy and healthy free range chickens on your land?

One of my missions today is to cook a stack of lima/broad/fava beans to go into the freezer. A long process because once they're cooked you have to remove the tough skins before you can eat them - fiddly but worth it. And I thoroughly enjoyed this stew the last time I made it!

https://www.thespruceeats.com/fava-bean-stew-1705251


----------



## planete

I ran out of rice milk today and my local supermarkets do not have the organic one I normally buy. Has anybody made rice milk successfully? The variety of recipes I found when searching the internet is bewildering and the results not very good according to a lot of comments. Any help with a good recipe would be great. I hope I am not derailing the thread but thought the normal posters here would be the best bet for results.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

planete said:


> I ran out of rice milk today and my local supermarkets do not have the organic one I normally buy. Has anybody made rice milk successfully? The variety of recipes I found when searching the internet is bewildering and the results not very good according to a lot of comments. Any help with a good recipe would be great. I hope I am not derailing the thread but thought the normal posters here would be the best bet for results.


Of course you are not derailing the thread - we welcome everyone 

I have never made it myself so hopefully someone else will be along who has but I found this recipe which looks straightforward enough


----------



## planete

Thank you RPH. It is not very different from what I made this afternoon but my quantities were a bit out. I have ended up with gallons of the stuff! I have a lot of drinking to do if it only keeps three days,  I am going to try and freeze some I think.


----------



## Cleo38

http://www.artisangrains.co.uk/recipe/moroccan-spiced-freekeh-pilaf/

Tonight I made a version of this .... no pomegranate seeds unfortunately as I forgot to order one on my weekly shop. I also changed the parsley to coriander as I hate parsley .... & I forgot to do the fancy thing with the courgette, I just chopped it up & bunged it in.
And I added garlic & onion, I can't seem to make anything without having those two ingredients.
Anyway it was very nice. I've never had freekeh before but I really liked it.
I added some kale & had a chapati with it but I might have another bowl in a minute as I made quite alot so there is plenty left


----------



## Boxer123

Any Sunday roast recommendations other than nut roast ?


----------



## Boxer123

Oh and the hubby has gone off milk as well never thought I'd see the day !


----------



## Magyarmum

Boxer123 said:


> Any Sunday roast recommendations other than nut roast ?


Roast stuffed Portabello mushrooms (you can use your imagination with the stuffing) with roast broccoli and potato wedges. Plus any other veggies you decide to cook. To make it more like a Sunday roast I make a rich thick gravy of onions, red wine. mixed herbs, veggie stock and a little yeast extract (I like Meridian) to give it a "meaty flavour".

An alternative would be to make a vegan "beef" Wellington like the one in this recipe.

https://www.deliciouseveryday.com/mushroom-wellington/


----------



## Boxer123

Magyarmum said:


> Roast stuffed Portabello mushrooms (you can use your imagination with the stuffing) with roast broccoli and potato wedges. Plus any other veggies you decide to cook. To make it more like a Sunday roast I make a rich thick gravy of onions, red wine. mixed herbs, veggie stock and a little yeast extract (I like Meridian) to give it a "meaty flavour".
> 
> An alternative would be to make a vegan "beef" Wellington like the one in this recipe.
> 
> https://www.deliciouseveryday.com/mushroom-wellington/


They sound good thank you ! I was going to get the hubby some meat for his but he said he can stay veggie so I'm needing something tasty.


----------



## Magyarmum

Boxer123 said:


> They sound good thank you ! I was going to get the hubby some meat for his but he said he can stay veggie so I'm needing something tasty.


Portobello mushrooms are a great substitute for meat. I leave them whole to imitate steaks or hamburgers or cut into chunky pieces for strogonoff, or "boeuf bourguignon and although I've never tried you can also make vegan bacon and "pulled pork" with them!

https://www.veganosity.com/portobello-mushroom-bacon-vegan-bacon/

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/vegan-pulled-pork-sliders-3364735


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Have a look at this Mushroom Wellington - quite quick and easy if you buy pre made pastry, Jus-roll shortcrust pastry is vegan, not something I would choose to eat regularly due to the fat content in pastry but I would imagine this would make quite a few servings so you could cut it up and freeze the rest. Looks like a substantial meal with roasted veggies. I love Bosh and their cook book is great but they do use rather a lot of oil and salt so I just adjust to make them a bit healthier.


----------



## Boxer123

Well it was a success roast mushrooms with a bit of vegan cheese toast aubergine potatoes stuffing and loads of veg. Really full up now. I will definitely give the wellington a go.


----------



## Jonescat

Shop bought filo pastry tends not to have palm oil in it; short crust and puff tend to, if this matters to you.

Made a father's day filo pie today of leek, mushroom and chestnut in tamari and madeira sauce with jersey royals and steamed veg. Allotment strawberries for pud 

I don't really understand what "pulled pork" is or how you serve it - it wasn't a thing in my world before I gave up meat. I do love mushrooms though and agree that you can do all sorts of things with them.


----------



## Jackie C

Jonescat said:


> Shop bought filo pastry tends not to have palm oil in it; short crust and puff tend to, if this matters to you.


Palm oil?! Why does it need to have THAT in for? Grrrrrr. Palm oil is in so many things, and it's not easily spotted as it's called many things.


----------



## baubbles

Snap @Boxer123 my hubby has gone off milk too after a lifetime. We're loving the Oatly and Oatly Barista.

Also I found my lazy day vegan ready meal at tesco. it's a line by a company called Wicked Kitchen and my fav is the naked burrito.


----------



## Boxer123

baubbles said:


> Snap @Boxer123 my hubby has gone off milk too after a lifetime. We're loving the Oatly and Oatly Barista.
> 
> Also I found my lazy day vegan ready meal at tesco. it's a line by a company called Wicked Kitchen and my fav is the naked burrito.


Yep that's my favourite the barista one lovely!


----------



## baubbles

Keep meaning to post pic but every time I buy them I devour straight away and all that's left is sad empty packaging. found a lovely on the go snack from M&S, carrot and pumpkin seed veggie bites. Lovely flavor and vegan too.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Cauliflower rice salad


----------



## Teddy-dog

baubbles said:


> Keep meaning to post pic but every time I buy them I devour straight away and all that's left is sad empty packaging. found a lovely on the go snack from M&S, carrot and pumpkin seed veggie bites. Lovely flavor and vegan too.


Oh I used to love getting a 'treat' lunch from M&S but they don't seem to have any vegan options in my local - I'll have to keep an eye out for these! I've been going to boots instead (which is next door) and they do a couple of nice vegan lunchtime options.


----------



## Jonescat

Tomato risotto, spinach and peas.


----------



## Magyarmum

Last night I had grilled red peppers, mushroom sauteed with home grown roccola (and a drop of sherry) plus the remains of the buckwheat risotto I'd made the night before.


----------



## stockwellcat.

I thought I would try Oat drink. 








Well I haven't stopped drinking it. I love the flavour. I prefer it when it is cold. I have ditched drinking Semi Skimmed milk and Full Fat milk completely.


----------



## Boxer123

stockwellcat. said:


> I thought I would try Oat drink.
> View attachment 358107
> 
> Well I haven't stopped drinking it. I love the flavour. I prefer it when it is cold. I have ditched drinking Semi Skimmed milk and Full Fat milk completely.


It's great isn't it try the barista edition lovely !


----------



## baubbles

Yes that's the one we drink and snap to Boxer123 the barista edition is great!


----------



## catz4m8z

Magyarmum said:


> Portobello mushrooms are a great substitute for meat.


yeuch! I cant stand mushrooms.:Yuck I really wish I did like them as they seem to be an ingredient in tons of dishes.

Todays experiment was called 'I bought this roll of shortcrust pastry....now what can I do with it!?':Woot
Made these kinda slices type things, for filling I used chickpeas, sweetcorn, onion and sweet potato with lots of indian spices. They were as tasty as they were ugly looking (which is very, very!:Smug).
Plus I have lots of filling left over which will be nice with just some brown rice and salad.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> yeuch! I cant stand mushrooms.:Yuck I really wish I did like them as they seem to be an ingredient in tons of dishes.
> 
> Todays experiment was called 'I bought this roll of shortcrust pastry....now what can I do with it!?':Woot
> Made these kinda slices type things, for filling I used chickpeas, sweetcorn, onion and sweet potato with lots of indian spices. They were as tasty as they were ugly looking (which is very, very!:Smug).
> Plus I have lots of filling left over which will be nice with just some brown rice and salad.


Mushrooms are one of my absolute favourite ingredients, I even have them on top of beans on toast with nutritional yeast sprinkled over. They are so good for boosting immunity too so I would hate not to eat them. We used to make spicy pasties with shortcrust pastry - brown lentils/rice/finely diced onion/mushroom/carrot and garlic/cumin/ginger - I think I posted the recipe somewhere way back in the thread.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

stockwellcat. said:


> I thought I would try Oat drink.
> View attachment 358107
> 
> Well I haven't stopped drinking it. I love the flavour. I prefer it when it is cold. I have ditched drinking Semi Skimmed milk and Full Fat milk completely.


Oat milk is my favourite too, love it in coffee so much I stopped drinking tea altogether.


----------



## Teddy-dog

Boxer123 said:


> It's great isn't it try the barista edition lovely !


Silly question but what's the difference between normal and barista? I like the normal but never had the barista, is that designed to go in coffee?


----------



## Boxer123

Teddy-dog said:


> Silly question but what's the difference between normal and barista? I like the normal but never had the barista, is that designed to go in coffee?


It's creamier so I think designed for frothy coffees but I use it on everything. My hubby uses it in coffee but not tea. I think it depends on whether or not you like full fat milk.


----------



## stockwellcat.

Found this shop today.








Also managed to get the Oat-Ly Barista Edition.


----------



## Elles

Really long thread now. . Don’t know if Primrose’s kitchen has been mentioned?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Elles said:


> Really long thread now. . Don't know if Primrose's kitchen has been mentioned?


Don't think so, I haven't heard of it anyway. Please share


----------



## Elles

I went to Dart's farm at the weekend and bought some packets of her muesli. A kale and cacao, ginger and beetroot and a carrot and apple one. Not cheap unfortunately, but are seriously good. I didn't think I'd like them tbh. http://primroseskitchen.com/

Could have put it in the treats thread.


----------



## Boxer123

Elles said:


> I went to Dart's farm at the weekend and bought some packets of her muesli. A kale and cacao, ginger and beetroot and a carrot and apple one. Not cheap unfortunately, but are seriously good. I didn't think I'd like them tbh. http://primroseskitchen.com/
> 
> Could have put it in the treats thread.


Looks tasty but yes pricey.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Bosh vegan cooking on This Morning now.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-9fd2c30507-192763785

Sainsbury report sales of meat free range rocket by 20% each week - they are launching a new range of vegan products


----------



## Elles

More treats for me today.

https://pureheavenly.com/

The mint one is really nice. :Hungry


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Elles said:


> More treats for me today.
> 
> https://pureheavenly.com/
> 
> The mint one is really nice. :Hungry


I love mint chocolate so might be giving that a try - is it dark chocolate?

It says delivery times 3 - 4 weeks :Jawdrop


----------



## Cleo38

Did anyone see this .... https://inews.co.uk/news/consumer/sainsburys-vegan-mince-stocked-with-meat/

I don't know what i think, in some ways putting the products in the meat section may attract people who wouldn't usually go to the veggie/vegan foods but am not sure that many people who choose not to eat meat would think to look in the meat aisles so may miss out. I shop online so it wouldn't be an issue for me

Am also not sure I like the look of them either .... but then I'm a greedy b*gger so if they taste nice I wouldn't bother I suppose


----------



## Lurcherlad

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I love mint chocolate so might be giving that a try - is it dark chocolate?
> 
> It says delivery times 3 - 4 weeks :Jawdrop


Aldi do dark mint chocolate which is dairy free (vegan?) and comes in a pack of 5 individual bars. Not expensive either at £1.29 a pack.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Cleo38 said:


> Did anyone see this .... https://inews.co.uk/news/consumer/sainsburys-vegan-mince-stocked-with-meat/
> 
> I don't know what i think, in some ways putting the products in the meat section may attract people who wouldn't usually go to the veggie/vegan foods but am not sure that many people who choose not to eat meat would think to look in the meat aisles so may miss out. I shop online so it wouldn't be an issue for me
> 
> Am also not sure I like the look of them either .... but then I'm a greedy b*gger so if they taste nice I wouldn't bother I suppose


If in the meat section, I agree, they might tempt some meat eaters to try them.

However, I can understand that some veggies/vegans avoid the meat aisles so they should also be in a separate "free from" section.


----------



## Lurcherlad

I tried vegan egg substitute today. Rustled up a “cheese” and herb omelette......interesting 

Probably work better in baking cakes and possibly quiche with lots of added flavours.


----------



## Cleo38

Lurcherlad said:


> If in the meat section, I agree, they might tempt some meat eaters to try them.
> 
> However, I can understand that some veggies/vegans avoid the meat aisles so they should also be in a separate "free from" section.


Yes, I can't help but think some supermarkets just don't use their displays very well. When the vegan Wicked Kitchen range came out there was a promotions all over my FB about it from various vegan groups but when I dropped in to a (large) store was on my way home from work it was tucked away with no real advertising. I had to ask where it was & even then no one seemed to know. I honestly thought that they would have had a promotion type thing on with it as it was new & had been in the media a fair bit.

Anyway I got my pizza that I ahd gone in for & it really was lovely


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> Aldi do dark mint chocolate which is dairy free (vegan?) and comes in a pack of 5 individual bars. Not expensive either at £1.29 a pack.


Not sure if there is an Aldi around here but will keep an eye out.


----------



## Lurcherlad

:Hungry


Cleo38 said:


> Yes, I can't help but think some supermarkets just don't use their displays very well. When the vegan Wicked Kitchen range came out there was a promotions all over my FB about it from various vegan groups but when I dropped in to a (large) store was on my way home from work it was tucked away with no real advertising. I had to ask where it was & even then no one seemed to know. I honestly thought that they would have had a promotion type thing on with it as it was new & had been in the media a fair bit.
> 
> Anyway I got my pizza that I ahd gone in for & it really was lovely


Saw a No Dough vegan marguerita pizza in Sainsbury's free from section the other day. Think the base was made of cauliflower.

Tried to scan it on my WW app but couldn't so didn't buy it. Might try next week on holiday as we are self catering :Hungry


----------



## Magyarmum

I want to make this tomorrow. I've got all the ingredients!




__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1721953594549800



I'll let you know what it turns out like!


----------



## Lurcherlad

Looks yummy!


----------



## catz4m8z

Lurcherlad said:


> :Hungry
> Saw a No Dough vegan marguerita pizza in Sainsbury's free from section the other day. Think the base was made of cauliflower.


That sounds so wrong! If you are going to have pizza it needs a nice doughy base.
Im not a big fan of all these cauliflower rice and zoodle type substitutes. I like my starchy carbs and prefer my veggies not to be disguised as other food groups!LOL

Looked at that Sainsbury article and it makes me laugh how they are saying more and more people are going 'flexitarian'. I mean is that even a thing?:Bored If so then I would probably say I have been one all my life til recently....I never did like meat and fish all that much!:Smuggrin


----------



## Lurcherlad

I’ll let you know what it tastes like


----------



## Cleo38

Just had my shopping delivered & I ordered some Violife cheese as am making pizzas tomorrow night so thought I might try a bit beforehand sort of expecting it to be not too great (as no vegan cheese seem to be unless cooked) ...... OMG it is lovely!!! 

Tastes just like a really mild cheddar, no weird after taste or anything ... can't wait to see what it's like on my pizzas


----------



## Lurcherlad

I don’t mind the Violife stuff - just a bit mild as I was always a strong cheddar kind of girl

Serves a purpose, as does the Sainsbury’s Free From grated cheddar, feta (bit more tangy) and garlic & herb soft cheese. Currently mostly off my menu because a bit expensive on points on Weight Watchers


----------



## 3dogs2cats

Cleo38 said:


> Just had my shopping delivered & I ordered some Violife cheese as am making pizzas tomorrow night so thought I might try a bit beforehand sort of expecting it to be not too great (as no vegan cheese seem to be unless cooked) ...... OMG it is lovely!!!
> 
> Tastes just like a really mild cheddar, no weird after taste or anything ... can't wait to see what it's like on my pizzas


Violife does seem to be the best vegan cheese, I took the sliced version to a BBQ recently just to see if the dairy cheese lovers who can`t imagine a burger without a slice of cheese on it could be tempted and yes they were! They happily tuck into chickpea burgers but couldn`t get them off the cheese to go with them, they all seemed suitably impressed with Violife.


----------



## Magyarmum

I've tried the Violife Cheddar, Feta and Mozzarella. The cheddar makes a very acceptable cheese of toast or a toasted cheese and tomato sandwich. I found though although the feta tastes great cold when added to salads, it just melts into nothingness when heated which isn't very nice when used for my favourite sauteed spinach and feta. I've also found when topped on something like pizza you have to keep you eye on the mozzarella whilst cooking otherwise it tends go hard. 

Actually I've never been a big cheese eater, probably because when I was a child any cheese other than goats cheese made me violently sick, so it's hardly worth my bothering with the vegan version which is expensive and I can only buy online.


----------



## Cleo38

I was a big cheese eater, far too much but it's weird in that I haven't missed it really.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I used to eat a fair bit of cheese - mainly with onions, that was my go to combo for sandwiches, toasties, potato toppings, pasta toppings etc but I really haven't missed it a bit. The only time I really use vegan cheese is the Violife cream cheese - I chuck some in a pan with leeks and mushrooms to melt and coat them then add herbs & spices and service on spaghetti. I've also used it a couple of times on baked potatoes covered with salad (and lots of onion). I thought cheese would be the main stumbling block to getting OH to go vegan as he really did eat a lot of it as he was never a big meat lover. Doing him a packed lunch every day was a challenge at first as it was always cheese and tomato crusty rolls before. He says he doesn't even notice its gone which is pretty amazing and his cholesterol came down which gave him all the encouragement he needed to stick with it.


----------



## Elles

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I love mint chocolate so might be giving that a try - is it dark chocolate?
> 
> It says delivery times 3 - 4 weeks :Jawdrop


No, it's not dark. I think there are quite a few dark chocolates, though this not dark one is supposed to be healthier.  It's hand made to order.

I can't really call it milk chocolate can I. :Hilarious


----------



## Boxer123

I've had two pub lunches in two different pubs both offered vegan meals !


----------



## Magyarmum

Magyarmum said:


> I want to make this tomorrow. I've got all the ingredients!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> __ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1721953594549800
> 
> 
> 
> I'll let you know what it turns out like!


Well that turned out a total disaster! I'm not sure quite what went wrong but the battered mushrooms ended up all soggy and looked horrible. I'm afraid they ended up in the dustbin.

Ah well! I might try again sometime but with ordinary mushrooms.


----------



## Cleo38

Oh that's a shame @Magyarmum , all that effort!

I had an easy but nice dinner tonight; roasted cauliflower with fried mushrooms, pepper & red onion with a handful of peas & sweetcorn on a bed of spinach

The cauliflower was covered in a baharat spice mix with a light spray of oil (same for the fried vegetables) then roasted in the oven. Was so nice!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> Oh that's a shame @Magyarmum , all that effort!
> 
> I had an easy but nice dinner tonight; roasted cauliflower with fried mushrooms, pepper & red onion with a handful of peas & sweetcorn on a bed of spinach
> 
> The cauliflower was covered in a baharat spice mix with a light spray of oil (same for the fried vegetables) then roasted in the oven. Was so nice!
> View attachment 359433


That looks lovely and just right for the hot weather as it isn't too heavy.


----------



## Boxer123

Vegan spag bowl last night with puy lentils hubby got half way through and said this isn't beef but it's nice.


----------



## catz4m8z

Cleo38 said:


> The cauliflower was covered in a baharat spice mix with a light spray of oil (same for the fried vegetables) then roasted in the oven. Was so nice!
> View attachment 359433


Nice! Im gonna do some roast cauliflower later. Just made (yet another:Shy) beanloaf and also an apple cinnamon cake. Had 2 very bendy, slightly hairy courgettes in the fridge so I gave them a wash, grated them and stuck one in each dish!LOL I just love courgettes for adding bulk to almost anything.


----------



## Cleo38

catz4m8z said:


> Nice! Im gonna do some roast cauliflower later. Just made (yet another:Shy) beanloaf and also an apple cinnamon cake. Had 2 very bendy, slightly hairy courgettes in the fridge so I gave them a wash, grated them and stuck one in each dish!LOL I just love courgettes for adding bulk to almost anything.


Years ago a friend made a chocolate courgette cake & it was delicious - I can't remember the friend but I remember the cake!! 

I need to get some growing, I did have a whole range of things growing but they all got scorched & died


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> Oh that's a shame @Magyarmum , all that effort!
> 
> I had an easy but nice dinner tonight; roasted cauliflower with fried mushrooms, pepper & red onion with a handful of peas & sweetcorn on a bed of spinach
> 
> The cauliflower was covered in a baharat spice mix with a light spray of oil (same for the fried vegetables) then roasted in the oven. Was so nice!
> View attachment 359433


I made the roast cauliflower, red peppers and a portobello mushroom covered with the baharat spice mix for dinner tonight Very nice too! I also made garlicky mashed potatoes and spinach and celery cooked in a ginger, and pimento flavoured tomato sauce.

I'm full now!


----------



## Boxer123

That looks good !


----------



## Cleo38

I had a huge, roasted sweet potato & roasted broccoli (covered in baharat spice) with stir fried kale, peppers & sweetcorn .... it was so nice but no pics as I was too hungry! I love that spice mix & can't stop using it.

Am having tofu tomorrow so am thinking of looking for some other recipes to try


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I found a couple of nice pasta recipes on Dr Kahn's website that I'm going to try

https://drjoelkahn.com/six-simple-pasta-dishes/


----------



## Boxer123

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I found a couple of nice pasta recipes on Dr Kahn's website that I'm going to try
> 
> https://drjoelkahn.com/six-simple-pasta-dishes/


They look good. I think I will try some of these.


----------



## Magyarmum

To say that I've got courgettes growing out of my ears is a bit of an exaggeration because at the moment I'm managing to use them all.

So far I've used courgettes to make an extremely nice dhal and zucchini curry (I used split green peas as well as red lentils), which I had with mixed wild rice and a home made naan.

http://www.charlottepuckette.com/recipes/vegetarian/red-lentil-curry-with-zucchini-and-coconut-milk/

Last night I made gnocchi which I baked with sliced onions, courgettes, mushrooms, butter beans and red peppers in tomato sauce topped with vegan mozzarella. Very, very nice! Instead of cooking the gnocchi in boiling water I fried them in a little olive oil until the outside was brown and crispy - delish!


----------



## Cleo38

Oh wow! Those dishes sound lovely @Magyarmum .... am so hungry now after reading this post!!


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> Oh wow! Those dishes sound lovely @Magyarmum .... am so hungry now after reading this post!!


The gnocchi dish is dead simple to make and very tasty. I had the leftovers for lunch today and if anything it tastes even better than yesterday!

Ever since I became a vegetarian every now and then I have a craving for crisps, something I rarely ate before. Not terribly healthy and although I did find some vegan ones they were horribly expensive at £2.50 for a small packet. The other day I found these made in Hungary at 80p! They're just as nice as the more expensive ones and I think I shall get in a small stock for when my granddaughter and I go on our bus trip to Poland.

http://fcsemege.hu/en/termek/225/bevezeto-bio-snacks


----------



## baubbles

Crisps are my downfall! they look lovely Magyarmum. I forgot about the hummus ones I find them at farm shops over here in UK and they have a lot less fat than regular crisps


----------



## Magyarmum

Another courgette recipe that I'm going to try tonight in an effort to use up as many as I can.

https://ozlemsturkishtable.com/2014...per-onion-garlic-in-tomato-sauce-firin-sebze/

I'll have it with the remains of the spelt, leek, cauliflower, kidney bean and sun dried tomato "risotto" I made last night which tastes much better than it looks in the picture.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

For fans of the Pleasure Trap there is a webinar on Sunday with the authors - I believe if you register you can catch up at a later date

https://events.genndi.com/register/169105139238437069/db40db1837


----------



## Lurcherlad

Can anyone recommend an effective vegan emollient cream?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> Can anyone recommend an effective vegan emollient cream?


Have you looked at The Body Shop? This one comes up on a search of vegan skin care

https://www.thebodyshop.com/en-gb/b...l-sublime-nourishing-whipped-lotion/p/p000254

Lush say lots of their products are vegan but I find it quite hard to find those with the appropriate symbols but there is a link to a skin lotion from this page

https://uk.lush.com/article/can-we-do-it-yes-ve-gan-no-fuss-vegan-skincare-guide

This might be interesting

https://www.independent.co.uk/extra...-for-acne-anti-aging-boots-mens-a7897766.html

I'm about to try some of this

https://www.tropicskincare.com/whipped-body-velvet-intensely-rich-buttermelt.html

I'm only just changing my toiletries over to cruelty free so I'm gradually replacing old favourites. I've always used Aveeno for body skin care as its one of the few that doesn't irritate my skin so it might take me a while to find a suitable replacement.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Thanks. Like you, I will gradually change everything to vegan products as and when.

Some of the prices are steep though.

Maybe I’ll just slather myself in olive oil!


----------



## Magyarmum

Apparently Inecto products are vegan and their products aren't expensive either

http://www.inecto.com/en_gb/who-we-are/.


----------



## Jonescat

Back to courgettes. We too are doing courgettes with everything now 

Black-eye bean and courgette curry with spinach and tomatoes.










We are also eating a lot of french beans and raspberries 

Vegan Rum and Raisin birthday cake










Not one person mentioned it being vegan and it all vanished apart from one slice the birthday girl held back for herself for later


----------



## Magyarmum

Jonescat said:


> Back to courgettes. We too are doing courgettes with everything now
> 
> Black-eye bean and courgette curry with spinach and tomatoes.
> 
> View attachment 360712
> 
> 
> We are also eating a lot of french beans and raspberries
> 
> Vegan Rum and Raisin birthday cake
> 
> View attachment 360713
> 
> 
> Not one person mentioned it being vegan and it all vanished apart from one slice the birthday girl held back for herself for later


Looks really delicious! Being on my own it's isn't very often I make anything sweet.

Tonight for dinner I made a bulgar/vermicelli pilaf with courgettes, spinach and butter beans which was tasty but quite bland compared to the usual more spicy dishes. To go with it I roasted some Bok Choy which they had in Auchan after an absence of several weeks!

Our growing season starts later than in the UK so it'll be another week/10 days before I can collect french beans. I'm growing 3 types this year - french, white haricot, and broad beans. Chard, Spinach and Kale (purple sprouting) are all growing well and I should have some tomatoes ripe in a few days. Because It's rained heavily off and on for the past several days I haven't been able to work in the veggie patches and the weeds are overtaking everything ..... help!


----------



## O2.0

I would have to go back and check some posts, but I think this summer (or early fall) marks near a year that I've been truly WFPB, not just vegetarian. 

I can't see myself ever going back! I feel amazing, my energy is excellent, mentally I'm happy and relaxed, and shocker for me, I enjoy cooking and creating new concoctions in the kitchen! 
It's so sustainable - we spend two weeks abroad on vacation, no issues. Well, it was tough to avoid processed oils in restaurant food, but overall, it was not hard to remain WFPB. It was also this vacation, or the photos from it, that opened my eyes to the fact that I really do look different. I've lost weight without even trying to, buy my body looks different - in a good way IMO 

I did have a fairly good crash running about 2 months ago, and my knee is still healing from that, but even with that assault to my body I have been able to continue running and keep up with the mileage. My body's ability to recover is still amazing me. I just love this way of life!!


----------



## O2.0

Oh and just to make @rottiepointerhouse jealous, guess who I got to meet? Dr. Garth Davis!!
(Yes, I look like a star-struck dork - which I was, but he was really lovely and got to listen to him give a full talk and Q&A session. I'm a huge fan! In another life I'm going to quit my current job and figure out a way to go work for him and help transform lives... *sigh*)

*Trying to post a photo but apparently I'm not allowed yet....


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Welcome to the forum and to the thread @O2.0

I am indeed very jealous of you getting to meet Dr Garth Davis as will @LinznMilly be I'm sure  We've both read his book and watched some of his talks on Youtube. I loved the way he debated with the TV Doctors panel about "What The Health" - he is more assertive than some of the plant based doctors for sure. Looking forward to you sharing your experiences so pleased you are enjoying this way of life and reaping the health benefits.


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Welcome to the forum and to the thread @O2.0
> 
> I am indeed very jealous of you getting to meet Dr Garth Davis as will @LinznMilly be I'm sure  We've both read his book and watched some of his talks on Youtube. I loved the way he debated with the TV Doctors panel about "What The Health" - he is more assertive than some of the plant based doctors for sure. Looking forward to you sharing your experiences so pleased you are enjoying this way of life and reaping the health benefits.


O2.0 is Ouesi version two  
I'm dipping my toe in...


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> O2.0 is Ouesi version two
> I'm dipping my toe in...


OMG, you had me fooled  Welcome back, its been lonely in plant based world. How did you manage to get to meet Dr Garth Davis?


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> OMG, you had me fooled  Welcome back, its been lonely in plant based world. How did you manage to get to meet Dr Garth Davis?


Thanks  
It was at the Asheville vegan fest back in June. He has recently moved there, started a new practice (weight loss) there. I just grabbed one kid and went on a whim. So glad I did. Was great to see the vegan community and I really enjoyed seeing/hearing him in person. 
Lots of quotable moments, spent some time talking to fellow plant based folks waiting to talk to him too


----------



## Magyarmum

O2.0 said:


> O2.0 is Ouesi version two
> I'm dipping my toe in...


Wow! You have been sorely missed!


----------



## Matrod

O2.0 said:


> O2.0 is Ouesi version two
> I'm dipping my toe in...


You're back!  You've been missed.


----------



## Cleo38

O2.0 said:


> O2.0 is Ouesi version two
> I'm dipping my toe in...


Fantastic to have you back!! Are you coming back to the runners thread as well?


----------



## LinznMilly

O2.0 said:


> O2.0 is Ouesi version two
> I'm dipping my toe in...


_Woohoo_!! Welcome back!!  

You have been missed!!! 

And yes, I am jealous that you got to meet Dr Garth Davis.:Shifty  Looking forward to the pics.


----------



## O2.0

Thanks for the welcome guys  
Honestly I don't think I'll get as involved as I was before, but I'm still so excited about WFPB living and this thread will definitely be on my radar  
For those of you on FB there is also a FB group for WFPB called Whole-food-plant-based-diet (dot) com 
It seems well run and definitely some yummy ideas and informative links out of there.



Cleo38 said:


> Fantastic to have you back!! Are you coming back to the runners thread as well?


Yes, I need to go check that one out too!



LinznMilly said:


> Looking forward to the pics.


Can you look at my settings? Every time I try to post an image, I get a message that my post looks like spam and it won't allow me?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> Oh and just to make @rottiepointerhouse jealous, guess who I got to meet? Dr. Garth Davis!!
> (Yes, I look like a star-struck dork - which I was, but he was really lovely and got to listen to him give a full talk and Q&A session. I'm a huge fan! In another life I'm going to quit my current job and figure out a way to go work for him and help transform lives... *sigh*)


I've been following this guy on youtube as he is one of the few British WFPB "experts" - he is very informative. This latest video of his made me think of your comment about wanting to work to transform lives. I'd love to do that too, if I were younger and didn't have the responsibilities of running a business with my OH I would definitely look at studying nutrition and getting properly qualified.


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I've been following this guy on youtube as he is one of the few British WFPB "experts" - he is very informative. This latest video of his made me think of your comment about wanting to work to transform lives. I'd love to do that too, if I were younger and didn't have the responsibilities of running a business with my OH I would definitely look at studying nutrition and getting properly qualified.


I'm actually not that interested in the science (not uninterested, just that's not where my passion is), I'm more interested in the lifestyle coaching part of it - making life changes doable I guess. 
I would want to work with folks like you who go and get properly qualified in the nutrition part of it, and I would do the coaching and practical every day choices and routines part  
I was listening to a podcast, might have been PCRM, talking about how simply organizing your bedroom and making it a pleasant, uncluttered space, can make a difference. That's the sort of thing I love doing, small, seemingly unimportant changes that actually make a huge difference 

Thanks for sharing the video. My sister is actually a dietitian and we recently spent 2 weeks together (we're not close normally, this is the most time we've spent together in our adult lives). She specializes in feeding tubes, she's the one deciding what goes in the feeding tube for very sick patients, recovering from intestinal surgery, ICU, hospice care, that sort of thing. It was an interesting two weeks for sure.... You can hear the "party line" in so many of her comments. I mostly kept quiet as I tend to do anyway with people who are clearly not in a place to hear anything that contradicts their beliefs about food. But yeah, it was a good reminder of how the traditional medical profession is still very much in the dark ages as far as nutrition goes.


----------



## O2.0

Oh yay I can post photos now 

Dr. Davis. Really nice guy! 









And my latest clean out the fridge meal. We're deep in okra season here and I'm loving it stewed with quinoa!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

OMG - not only did you get to meet him but you got a photo with him :Joyful I am so jealous. You are looking really well too.


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> OMG - not only did you get to meet him but you got a photo with him :Joyful I am so jealous. You are looking really well too.


Thank you 

I meant to post another recipe that's been a huge hit this summer, I was trying to get more magnesium and zinc in the family, and came up with this concoction. Still need a name for them because "date balls" just don't sound right to me 
1 cup oats
2 cups dates
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp almond butter
1 tsp cinnamon

Blitz everything in the food processor until it starts to stick together, form in to balls, chill, and enjoy! They taste like a sweet treat but no processed sugar and not too bad on fat either. And tons of good micro nutrients for my crazy teens. 
Daughter has been grabbing 3 or 4 for breakfast in the morning before volleyball practice which makes me smugly happy


----------



## O2.0

Well this is rather frightening....
https://www.technologynetworks.com/...d-meats-associated-with-manic-episodes-306398

Knowing all we know about the health risks of processed meats, I'm not quite sure how they're still legal to sell honestly. At the very least they should have a very clear warning label like cigarettes do!

Speaking of hot dogs...
I was sorely disappointed to tune in to the PlantPure Nation's podcast only to hear advertisements for 99c hot dogs, 5 hour energy, and Arby's for crying out loud! WTH?! 
I did contact them, and they said they had no control over advertising which we all know is not true. Very discouraged


----------



## Magyarmum

O2.0 said:


> Thank you
> 
> I meant to post another recipe that's been a huge hit this summer, I was trying to get more magnesium and zinc in the family, and came up with this concoction. Still need a name for them because "date balls" just don't sound right to me
> 1 cup oats
> 2 cups dates
> 1/4 cup raisins
> 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
> 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
> 2 tbsp almond butter
> 1 tsp cinnamon
> 
> Blitz everything in the food processor until it starts to stick together, form in to balls, chill, and enjoy! They taste like a sweet treat but no processed sugar and not too bad on fat either. And tons of good micro nutrients for my crazy teens.
> Daughter has been grabbing 3 or 4 for breakfast in the morning before volleyball practice which makes me smugly happy


They look good!

I found this recipe the other day which I want to try. You might like it as well.

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan...seeds-sesame-seeds-pumpkin-seeds-gluten-free/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Yet another inspiring plant based transformation

http://engine2diet.com/blog/joseph-...to-a-leadville-finisher-in-less-than-2-years/


----------



## O2.0

Magyarmum said:


> They look good!
> 
> I found this recipe the other day which I want to try. You might like it as well.
> 
> http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan...seeds-sesame-seeds-pumpkin-seeds-gluten-free/


Oh that does look good!
I wonder if the psyllium husk could be replaced with flaxseed meal? I don't have psyllium but I do have flaxseed
And I would replace the coconut oil with applesauce or bananas


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> Well this is rather frightening....
> https://www.technologynetworks.com/...d-meats-associated-with-manic-episodes-306398
> 
> Knowing all we know about the health risks of processed meats, I'm not quite sure how they're still legal to sell honestly. At the very least they should have a very clear warning label like cigarettes do!
> 
> Speaking of hot dogs...
> I was sorely disappointed to tune in to the PlantPure Nation's podcast only to hear advertisements for 99c hot dogs, 5 hour energy, and Arby's for crying out loud! WTH?!
> I did contact them, and they said they had no control over advertising which we all know is not true. Very discouraged


That is very poor and sets the totally wrong impression and example 

Regarding the article I think its getting time they were made to put large health warnings on processed meats much like they do with cigarettes.

The date balls look lovely - Dr Fuhrman has a few similar recipes in his cookbook

Chocolate cherry (dates/banana/nut butter/oats/cocoa powder/flour/vanilla or almond extract and dried cherries)

Chocolate walnut (apples/vanilla extract/dates/flour/arrowroot/ground walnuts/cocoa powder/oats/chopped walnuts)

Lemon balls (cashews/juice & zest of lemons/shredded coconut/dates)

Chocolate almond truffles (dates/almond butter/cocoa powder/ground chia seeds - roll balls in cocoa powder or ground nuts or shredded coconut)

Let me know if you want any of the quantities - the 1st two are baked and the other 2 are just put in the fridge.


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> That is very poor and sets the totally wrong impression and example
> 
> Regarding the article I think its getting time they were made to put large health warnings on processed meats much like they do with cigarettes.
> 
> The date balls look lovely - Dr Fuhrman has a few similar recipes in his cookbook
> 
> Chocolate cherry (dates/banana/nut butter/oats/cocoa powder/flour/vanilla or almond extract and dried cherries)
> 
> Chocolate walnut (apples/vanilla extract/dates/flour/arrowroot/ground walnuts/cocoa powder/oats/chopped walnuts)
> 
> Lemon balls (cashews/juice & zest of lemons/shredded coconut/dates)
> 
> Chocolate almond truffles (dates/almond butter/cocoa powder/ground chia seeds - roll balls in cocoa powder or ground nuts or shredded coconut)
> 
> Let me know if you want any of the quantities - the 1st two are baked and the other 2 are just put in the fridge.


Yes, I also make a chocolate ball with walnuts, pecans, and raw cacao powder that everyone likes too


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Yet another inspiring plant based transformation
> 
> http://engine2diet.com/blog/joseph-...to-a-leadville-finisher-in-less-than-2-years/


Just read that, what a great success story!
I used to live in Colorado and recently got a chance to go back and it is truly a privilege to run/hike, enjoy the outdoors in the Rockies. Kudos to him for his accomplishment!

In other news, here in the US the FDA (food and drug administration - deep in bed with big pharma and big agriculture) is in the middle of the dairy lobby's freak out about milk and milk replacement products:
https://www.wkrn.com/news/fda-soy-a...=social&utm_source=facebook_WKRN-TV_Nashville

I'm actually kind of glad to see this, it means the dairy industry is really feeling the pinch of people choosing other (healthier) alternatives which is a good thing long-term.

Personally we're no longer buying milk alternatives. I make cashew milk in the vitamix in less than 30 seconds. Tastes amazing, even works in coffee, no weird ingredients or stabilizers, and comes out way less expensive in the long run. Win win.


----------



## Cleo38

I made my first ever risotto tonight & it was lovely ..... despite the arborio rice being 2yrs put of date!

I used courgette, onion, garlic, peas & a few mushrooms then put some fresh mint & spinach in at the end.

Mmmmm so nice!


----------



## O2.0

Cleo38 said:


> I made my first ever risotto tonight & it was lovely ..... despite the arborio rice being 2yrs put of date!
> 
> I used courgette, onion, garlic, peas & a few mushrooms then put some fresh mint & spinach in at the end.
> 
> Mmmmm so nice!
> View attachment 361500


That looks delicious! I end up eating quinoa far more than rice, but then I see posts like yours and remember how much I like rice too


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> I made my first ever risotto tonight & it was lovely ..... despite the arborio rice being 2yrs put of date!
> 
> I used courgette, onion, garlic, peas & a few mushrooms then put some fresh mint & spinach in at the end.
> 
> Mmmmm so nice!
> View attachment 361500


Of all the different types of rice you can buy I like arborio the best. One of my favourite risotto's has to be leek, celery and sun dried tomato .... yummy!

Tonight I had leek, mushrooms, cauliflower and Puy lentils cooked in a creamy red wine sauce, with mashed potatoes and the first french beans from my garden.


----------



## Cleo38

O2.0 said:


> That looks delicious! I end up eating quinoa far more than rice, but then I see posts like yours and remember how much I like rice too


I've been eating loads of quinoa & freekeh recently so thought I would have a change tonight.

I ended up eating two big bowfuls & am so stuffed I can't manage any of the vegan Ben & Jerrys ice cream I bought


----------



## Cleo38

Magyarmum said:


> Of all the different types of rice you can buy I like arborio the best. One of my favourite risotto's has to be leek, celery and sun dried tomato .... yummy!
> 
> Tonight I had leek, mushrooms, cauliflower and Puy lentils cooked in a creamy red wine sauce, with mashed potatoes and the first french beans from my garden.
> 
> View attachment 361520


That looks so nice. I love French beans especially home grown ones. Am gutted as all my veggies are ruined this year by the heat 

My tomato plants & lettuces perished despite watering them morning/evening & last night I saw that all my spinach had gone to seed


----------



## Lurcherlad

Ate my first home grown tomato yesterday, warm from the sun. Very tasty!


----------



## O2.0

Lurcherlad said:


> Ate my first home grown tomato yesterday, warm from the sun. Very tasty!


Oh my! There is absolutely nothing better than a real garden tomato! Yum!
It makes me sad so many people don't know what a tomato really tastes like since all they've ever eaten are artificially ripened store bought kinds.

We're in peak peach season right now, and we're eating those like crazy, mmmm so good!!!


----------



## Lurcherlad

O2.0 said:


> Oh my! There is absolutely nothing better than a real garden tomato! Yum!
> It makes me sad so many people don't know what a tomato really tastes like since all they've ever eaten are artificially ripened store bought kinds.
> 
> We're in peak peach season right now, and we're eating those like crazy, mmmm so good!!!


I shall be growing many more next year


----------



## Boxer123

I've just had quite a disturbing leaflet through the post about hogwood farm Tesco. Glad I'm on this journey.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Boxer123 said:


> I've just had quite a disturbing leaflet through the post about hogwood farm Tesco. Glad I'm on this journey.


Yes I had an email about them too and started to watch a video but turned it off quickly.

Here is the article but don't click to watch the video unless you want to be upset

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-93bcc5c458-192763785


----------



## O2.0

Oh I can't even read that headline without getting upset 

Today's lunch will combine this with baked sweet potato when they come out of the oven. 
Simple veggie combo - bell pepper, onion, garlic, and broccoli. 









In other news, I had to go to the doctor today for my yearly, and BP was 110/59 (machine measured). Nurse said somewhat concerned that it was low. Um... no. I think that's pretty normal BP isn't it?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> Oh I can't even read that headline without getting upset
> 
> Today's lunch will combine this with baked sweet potato when they come out of the oven.
> Simple veggie combo - bell pepper, onion, garlic, and broccoli.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In other news, I had to go to the doctor today for my yearly, and BP was 110/59 (machine measured). Nurse said somewhat concerned that it was low. Um... no. I think that's pretty normal BP isn't it?


That looks delicious. 110/59 is a good healthy reading but of course the medical profession are not used to seeing healthy numbers. The other night mine was 90/53 but I was very sleepy and relaxed at the time. Mine goes up when I'm stressed so I'm trying my best to keep chilled out and not get stressed about "stuff", not so easy at the moment as we are selling our 2nd home and have some tricky buyers . Last time I had a medical (January) my resting pulse was so low (44 I think or thereabouts) the nurse went pale and asked if I was feeling OK :Joyful


----------



## Cleo38

O2.0 said:


> Oh I can't even read that headline without getting upset
> 
> Today's lunch will combine this with baked sweet potato when they come out of the oven.
> Simple veggie combo - bell pepper, onion, garlic, and broccoli.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In other news, I had to go to the doctor today for my yearly, and BP was 110/59 (machine measured). Nurse said somewhat concerned that it was low. Um... no. I think that's pretty normal BP isn't it?


That looks yummy, I love broccoli!

I dream of BP readings such as yours!! Although I am more than happy that mine has finally come down, for the past 2 weeks my reading have been generally around 135/92 but considering mine was constantly 180/115 (despite my diet) I am over the moon with & so relieved.

I think it's been a combination of running, CBT sessions, mindfulness .... although I am taking some meds for anxiety but hopefully in time I can come off these. But I think my change of eating has led me to address my anxiety issues, has also made me look at making some big changes to my lifestyle which has then led me to start running & I feel amazing now.

So thank-you to everyone on this thread as it has actually been very inspirational in giving me a kick up the @rse & make these positive changes .... as well as making some delicious food


----------



## O2.0

Cleo38 said:


> That looks yummy, I love broccoli!
> 
> I dream of BP readings such as yours!! Although I am more than happy that mine has finally come down, for the past 2 weeks my reading have been generally around 135/92 but considering mine was constantly 180/15 (despite my diet) I am over the moon with & so relieved.
> 
> I think it's been a combination of running, CBT sessions, mindfulness .... although I am taking some meds for anxiety but hopefully in time I can come off these. But I think my change of eating has led me to address my anxiety issues, has also made me look at making some big changes to my lifestyle which has then led me to start running & I feel amazing now.
> 
> So thank-you to everyone on this thread as it has actually been very inspirational in giving me a kick up the @rse & make these positive changes .... as well as making some delicious food


That's wonderful! I love positive posts like this   
Running is awesome isn't it?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> That looks yummy, I love broccoli!
> 
> I dream of BP readings such as yours!! Although I am more than happy that mine has finally come down, for the past 2 weeks my reading have been generally around 135/92 but considering mine was constantly 180/15 (despite my diet) I am over the moon with & so relieved.
> 
> I think it's been a combination of running, CBT sessions, mindfulness .... although I am taking some meds for anxiety but hopefully in time I can come off these. But I think my change of eating has led me to address my anxiety issues, has also made me look at making some big changes to my lifestyle which has then led me to start running & I feel amazing now.
> 
> So thank-you to everyone on this thread as it has actually been very inspirational in giving me a kick up the @rse & make these positive changes .... as well as making some delicious food


So pleased it has been an inspiration for you, that is all we can hope for. It makes me so sad when I read of other people with chronic health problems/weight issues struggling to get to grips with them but not even prepared to read/watch or try this even for a couple of weeks or a month. It has also led me onto making other lifestyle changes that I'm noticing benefits from, a few really simple changes like making sure I go outside during the morning daylight for 10 mins every day (otherwise I rarely go outside before our evening dog walk) and turning off my computer before dinner so my sleep quality has improved. I've been trying mindfulness/using the Calm website but I'm now reading this guy's book after listening to his podcast with Dr Chatterjee and hoping it might help me get more from meditation.

https://drchatterjee.com/truth-meditation-light-watkins/


----------



## Boxer123

It is sad and horrible to watch but I make myself as I still crave the odd bacon sarnie so this is a reminder. 

I'm not wanting to eat anything in this heat it's horrible.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Boxer123 said:


> It is sad and horrible to watch but I make myself as I still crave the odd bacon sarnie so this is a reminder.
> 
> I'm not wanting to eat anything in this heat it's horrible.


I keep lots of fruit in the fridge - grapes/sliced up melons/kiwi fruit/blueberries/strawberries/cherries etc and keep eating that as its cooling. Try making the cherry ice cream way back at the start of the thread using frozen banana - you could change the cherries for blueberries or any other fruit.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Anyone else tried these? Not something I would eat on a regular basis but they are handy to have in the freezer for emergencies - really yummy

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=S...UKXMAKHW1IAFUQ9QEIgQEwAw#imgrc=oswTgnTunP1YXM:


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> t makes me so sad when I read of other people with chronic health problems/weight issues struggling to get to grips with them but not even prepared to read/watch or try this even for a couple of weeks or a month.


This is a struggle for me too. I have a friend who was recently hospitalized because of her asthma. She really struggles with it, and as gently as I could, I asked if she had considered eliminating dairy, just to see if it made a difference. Her response was that she has been allergy tested and dairy is not something she's allergic to, and her pulmonologist said it's not food related asthma. *sigh* She's only in her 30's and has already had several hospitalizations, and is on steroids for life. It just makes me sad. 
But then there are also good signs that the tide is turning as my friend with early stages of heart disease, her doctor suggested a WFPB diet - and named it that! Gave her the FOK magazine and everything! That did make me happy 



rottiepointerhouse said:


> It has also led me onto making other lifestyle changes that I'm noticing benefits from, a few really simple changes like making sure I go outside during the morning daylight for 10 mins every day (otherwise I rarely go outside before our evening dog walk) and turning off my computer before dinner so my sleep quality has improved. I've been trying mindfulness/using the Calm website but I'm now reading this guy's book after listening to his podcast with Dr Chatterjee and hoping it might help me get more from meditation.


I listened to Dr. Chatterjee on the Rich Roll podcast the other day. I like his view on how everything is connected. You can't exercise your way out of a bad diet, you can't diet your way out of sleep deprivation and stress, you really do have to connect all those pieces. Made a lot of sense to me.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> This is a struggle for me too. I have a friend who was recently hospitalized because of her asthma. She really struggles with it, and as gently as I could, I asked if she had considered eliminating dairy, just to see if it made a difference. Her response was that she has been allergy tested and dairy is not something she's allergic to, and her pulmonologist said it's not food related asthma. *sigh* She's only in her 30's and has already had several hospitalizations, and is on steroids for life. It just makes me sad.
> But then there are also good signs that the tide is turning as my friend with early stages of heart disease, her doctor suggested a WFPB diet - and named it that! Gave her the FOK magazine and everything! That did make me happy
> 
> I listened to Dr. Chatterjee on the Rich Roll podcast the other day. I like his view on how everything is connected. You can't exercise your way out of a bad diet, you can't diet your way out of sleep deprivation and stress, you really do have to connect all those pieces. Made a lot of sense to me.


Oh yes, I forgot he had done Rich Roll's podcast, I started to listen to it but haven't finished it yet. This is exactly what I keep telling my OH, not sure if I mentioned last summer he more or less collapsed with exhaustion, I found him asleep on the garage floor and all sorts of other odd places, had to cancel work for a week and he just slept the whole time. I thought he had learnt his lesson but gradually he has slipped back to not going to bed until 2 am or later and getting up at 6:30 and working every hour so I've told him he might as well give up WFPB and eat cheeseburgers all day as going without sleep long term is just as harmful. Think I'm getting somewhere which is partly why he agreed to sell our other home so we can drastically reduce our overheads and hopefully our workload


----------



## Cleo38

O2.0 said:


> That's wonderful! I love positive posts like this
> Running is awesome isn't it?


Totally ..... who would have thought I would ever be running?! Certainly not me but I really do enjoy it now although am really looking forward to the cooler weather so I don't have to be getting up so very early all the time 



rottiepointerhouse said:


> So pleased it has been an inspiration for you, that is all we can hope for. It makes me so sad when I read of other people with chronic health problems/weight issues struggling to get to grips with them but not even prepared to read/watch or try this even for a couple of weeks or a month. It has also led me onto making other lifestyle changes that I'm noticing benefits from, a few really simple changes like making sure I go outside during the morning daylight for 10 mins every day (otherwise I rarely go outside before our evening dog walk) and turning off my computer before dinner so my sleep quality has improved. I've been trying mindfulness/using the Calm website but I'm now reading this guy's book after listening to his podcast with Dr Chatterjee and hoping it might help me get more from meditation.
> 
> https://drchatterjee.com/truth-meditation-light-watkins/


I think the older I have gotten the more I appreciate my body & my health. Agree that it doesn't always have to be big changes but sometimes small ones can make massive differences. Even 10 mins of mindful meditation can take me to a state of relaxation & make me so calm that I almost feel as if I have had a much needed sleep & feel so refreshed. I also think that (for me) we expect to be able to do things instantly or want to see instant changes & this isn't always the case. Sometimes we have to learn new techniques or behaviours & this can take time, I think again this is something I have learned & taken on board ... sounds simple but wasn't for me!


----------



## Teddy-dog

Boxer123 said:


> I've just had quite a disturbing leaflet through the post about hogwood farm Tesco. Glad I'm on this journey.


Yes I saw this too  So horrible. I so wish more people would watch it and realise what is going on. I ended up in a bit of a debate on FB the other day  where someone said we should 'let people eat what they want' (in so many words...). Which I do somewhat agree with but people should make informed decisions and educate themselves. What people actually do is turn a blind eye to things like this and pretend it doesn't happen so they can feel perfectly happy about eating meat and call vegans or vegetarians weird and extreme....

My OH made a lovely curry last night for us - I'll have to ask him exactly how he made it but it was very yummy!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Teddy-dog said:


> Yes I saw this too  So horrible. I so wish more people would watch it and realise what is going on. I ended up in a bit of a debate on FB the other day  where someone said we should 'let people eat what they want' (in so many words...). Which I do somewhat agree with but people should make informed decisions and educate themselves. What people actually do is turn a blind eye to things like this and pretend it doesn't happen so they can feel perfectly happy about eating meat and call vegans or vegetarians weird and extreme....
> 
> My OH made a lovely curry last night for us - I'll have to ask him exactly how he made it but it was very yummy!


I don't buy that argument I'm afraid. Yes do what "you" want if it doesn't involve a non consenting living 3rd party, but with the case of meat and dairy it does, a living feeling sentient being, one that doesn't have a voice. My usual come back to that is to point out that many sexual predators think they should be allowed to "do" what they like, I'm sure they enjoy what they are doing too. How would those people react if it were dogs in the video? probably get very angry and sign every petition going to get it stopped but farm animals apparently don't matter


----------



## Cleo38

Teddy-dog said:


> Yes I saw this too  So horrible. I so wish more people would watch it and realise what is going on. I ended up in a bit of a debate on FB the other day  where someone said we should 'let people eat what they want' (in so many words...). Which I do somewhat agree with but people should make informed decisions and educate themselves. What people actually do is turn a blind eye to things like this and pretend it doesn't happen so they can feel perfectly happy about eating meat and call vegans or vegetarians weird and extreme....
> 
> My OH made a lovely curry last night for us - I'll have to ask him exactly how he made it but it was very yummy!


I honestly just don't get how people can not be horrified by this & do something about it .... I can't imagine thinking that a desire for a bacon sandwich can justify this abuse.

I think we have become so detached from the food we eat & the way it is produced that it's almost as if these animals are just 'products' rather than sentient beings.

To think that I am accused by some of being 'overly sentimental' where animals are concerned is laughable really as I would rather be that than so hardened that I don't find images or films such as this disturbing & horrifying


----------



## Teddy-dog

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I don't buy that argument I'm afraid. Yes do what "you" want if it doesn't involve a non consenting living 3rd party, but with the case of meat and dairy it does, a living feeling sentient being, one that doesn't have a voice. My usual come back to that is to point out that many sexual predators think they should be allowed to "do" what they like, I'm sure they enjoy what they are doing too. How would those people react if it were dogs in the video? probably get very angry and sign every petition going to get it stopped but farm animals apparently don't matter


Very good points! I might steal them next time someone says that to me 

And the 'debate' was all in reference to the fact that the Great British bake off might be doing a vegan cake week next year. Why do people feel the need to comment on posts like and try and put vegans or plant based dieters down? It's not like it effects them in anyway!

I was quite happy to see the article as it means meat-free and diary-free ways of thinking are making their way into a very mainstream program and will raise more awareness


----------



## Teddy-dog

Cleo38 said:


> I honestly just don't get how people can not be horrified by this & do something about it .... I can't imagine thinking that a desire for a bacon sandwich can justify this abuse.
> 
> I think we have become so detached from the food we eat & the way it is produced that it's almost as if these animals are just 'products' rather than sentient beings.
> 
> To think that I am accused by some of being 'overly sentimental' where animals are concerned is laughable really as I would rather be that than so hardened that I don't find images or films such as this disturbing & horrifying


Oh yes I get that too. I'm the 'odd' one as I'm a vegan. Like it's weird to care about other beings and I'm just over sensitive or 'extreme'.

People don't even like to think about where their food comes from anymore, it's very sad. I know some people who won't eat a slab of meat as it looks too much like the animal it came from and they 'don't like to think about it' but will happily eat hotdogs and curries and minced meat etc...

The more I see and the more I think about it the more I find it unbelievable that meat eaters are in the majority. I just can't get my head around how anyone can eat it knowing what these poor animals go through, and for the environment and just for your health! I find it really sad that the people I love, my family, still participate and I wish they wouldn't.

I've been getting a lot of petitions about live transport coming up on my FB recently too...


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Don't feel too despondent though as things definitely are changing at quite a rate. Just look at the range of plant based foods available not only in specialist restaurants and shops but in mainstream supermarkets and food chains. The fake meats whilst not great from a health point will also swing a huge amount of people away from the real thing. If you get chance water some Anonymous for the Voiceless "cube of truth" videos on youtube as it really is encouraging to see everyday members of the public walking by and seeing the videos and stopping to ask questions, raise some concerns about how to go vegan and then agreeing to take the 22 day challenge. Some get so angry and cry at the levels of abuse they just didn't know went on in their name. I've picked up a lot of good points and arguments from watching them.

This guy is one of the best - although this video isn't a cube of truth but a short talk to uni students I think






and this is his free downloadable booklet that covers all the usual arguments - download it and keep it somewhere as it will likely come in handy

https://www.earthlinged.com/ebook


----------



## Teddy-dog

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Don't feel too despondent though as things definitely are changing at quite a rate. Just look at the range of plant based foods available not only in specialist restaurants and shops but in mainstream supermarkets and food chains. The fake meats whilst not great from a health point will also swing a huge amount of people away from the real thing. If you get chance water some Anonymous for the Voiceless "cube of truth" videos on youtube as it really is encouraging to see everyday members of the public walking by and seeing the videos and stopping to ask questions, raise some concerns about how to go vegan and then agreeing to take the 22 day challenge. Some get so angry and cry at the levels of abuse they just didn't know went on in their name. I've picked up a lot of good points and arguments from watching them.
> 
> This guy is one of the best - although this video isn't a cube of truth but a short talk to uni students I think
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and this is his free downloadable booklet that covers all the usual arguments - download it and keep it somewhere as it will likely come in handy
> 
> https://www.earthlinged.com/ebook


Thank you i shall take a look 

Oh I know the tides are turning and that's an encouraging feeling definitely! Sometimes, when you think about all the injustice in the world, it's hard not to feel sad but I know I'm doing as much as I can to help 

I agree, not great healthwise but they are good for others to see they can replicate meat they would normally eat. We sometimes have fake meats as OH likes to have 'meat' in meals and we don't eat meat at home (he eats it when out or with his family) so it's good for us as he's happy to eat that at home. Though, since going vegan we have been having less as not all of them are vegan. And I've introduced him to chickpeas which he likes so if we have chickpeas in something he's happy not to have the fake meats and we have tofu too which he didn't think he would like so we can substitute that sometimes too!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I've started a separate thread about Hogwood pig farm & Tesco


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Did anyone else know about this?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...ntibiotics-left-thousands-crippling-pain.html


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Did anyone else know about this?
> 
> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...ntibiotics-left-thousands-crippling-pain.html


Yes, sadly I do know about this because OH is still recovering from being dosed with a cipro type antibiotic last winter, for a UTI that wasn't even cultured!! 
Within two doses he had significant joint pain, thankfully he doesn't seem as badly affected as some people, but he's still struggling with joint pain which is why I'm trying hard to implement foods with lots of magnesium, manganese, and zinc which seem to help the body recover from this antibiotic poisoning. He's doing better and better which is heartening, but it seems there are those who take these antibiotics and never recover at all 
I joined a group on FB related to "flox" poisoning, but get disheartened very quickly with the diet advice being given out. Bone broth, and of course the ubiquitous keto magic enguin


----------



## O2.0

This is from the FDA in the US:
https://www.fda.gov/newsevents/newsroom/pressannouncements/ucm513183.htm

"an FDA safety review found that both oral and injectable fluroquinolones are associated with disabling side effects involving tendons, muscles, joints, nerves and the central nervous system. These side effects can occur hours to weeks after exposure to fluoroquinolones and may potentially be permanent."


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> Yes, sadly I do know about this because OH is still recovering from being dosed with a cipro type antibiotic last winter, for a UTI that wasn't even cultured!!
> Within two doses he had significant joint pain, thankfully he doesn't seem as badly affected as some people, but he's still struggling with joint pain which is why I'm trying hard to implement foods with lots of magnesium, manganese, and zinc which seem to help the body recover from this antibiotic poisoning. He's doing better and better which is heartening, but it seems there are those who take these antibiotics and never recover at all
> I joined a group on FB related to "flox" poisoning, but get disheartened very quickly with the diet advice being given out. Bone broth, and of course the ubiquitous keto magic enguin


Liked for the information not because of your OH. So sorry to hear he went through that. It makes you wonder how many people with these chronic joint problems may have taken these drugs. I found this shocking

But so far, the UK's drug safety watchdog, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has remained silent. This is despite 10,838 adverse reactions and 107 deaths reported for ciprofloxacin alone in the UK between 1990 and 2018.

The complication rate - including tendon rupture, tendonitis, nerve pain and joint problems - is reported as between 1 and 3 per cent, based on official reports. But, in my experience, it's closer to 10 to 15 per cent.

'Hundreds of thousands could be affected and the majority will not have connected their symptoms with taking a fluoroquinolone, and of those that have realised, the majority struggle to make doctors believe them.


----------



## O2.0

Yes, I wonder about the chronic pain issue too. How many people diagnosed with CFS and similar are in fact reacting to this antibiotic poisoning? And it's still being prescribed!! 
I've also now hears several of the plant based doctors talk about how antibiotics increase your chance of getting depression and/or anxiety. The ones I heard relate it to the gut microbiome, and how the antibiotics mess with that which in turn messes with our brain through the gut-brain connection, but I think there is even more to it than that because a lot of these flox poisoning patients talk about brain fog etc.


----------



## Boxer123

I think we have become detached and it's seen as the norm to shovel every thing and anything in. But on the other hand we are told meat is healthy milk you must have for strong bones, beef gives you iron ect. I think someone on here said if slaughter houses were made of glass we would not eat meat.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Boxer123 said:


> I think we have become detached and it's seen as the norm to shovel every thing and anything in. But on the other hand we are told meat is healthy milk you must have for strong bones, beef gives you iron ect. I think someone on here said if slaughter houses were made of glass we would not eat meat.


That was Paul McCartney but I might have quoted him


----------



## Boxer123

rottiepointerhouse said:


> That was Paul McCartney but I might have quoted him


I knew it was either you or Paul


----------



## O2.0

Also interestingly - as the B12 thing gets trotted out often as a reason why we "need" meat. Factory farmed animals have to be supplemented with B12 because their living conditions and feed leave them deficient. 
Preaching to the choir here, but animals don't make B12 any more than humans do (although there is some research suggesting that we *can* produce B12 in our small intestine if we have the right gut flora). B12 is a microbe found in the soil, that animals eat when allowed to eat normally (grazing) and live normally out on rich soil pasture. Since factory farmed animals rarely see any dirt, let alone dirt with B12, they're deficient too and most are supplemented in their feed. 
Seems to me like it makes more sense to simply cut out the middle man and eat the supplement itself instead of eating the supplemented meat.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I got up this morning to find a bunch of garlic bulbs on my doorstep, no idea who put them there. Not sure whether I should be pleased or worried :Hilarious:Hilarious


----------



## Boxer123

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I got up this morning to find a bunch of garlic bulbs on my doorstep, no idea who put them there. Not sure whether I should be pleased or worried :Hilarious:Hilarious


Do you have a vampire problem?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Boxer123 said:


> Do you have a vampire problem?


I don't think so :Joyful Perhaps someone thinks we have evil spirits that need warding off :Wideyed


----------



## Jonescat

Rejoice and roast it


----------



## Lurcherlad

Still waiting for my digestive system to settle down and get used to all the healthy food I’m eating


----------



## Magyarmum

Lurcherlad said:


> Still waiting for my digestive system to settle down and get used to all the healthy food I'm eating


Have you tried taking a probiotic?

I take Protexin Balance, which unfortunately you can't buy in the UK, but Bio-Kult which I've also taken is a good alternative - Boots stock it.

I suffered badly from bloating,flatulence and acid reflux after eating spicy food like curry which since taking a probiotic have virtually disappeared.

https://protexin.hu/termek/protexin-balance-60-db-kapszula

https://protexin.hu/termek/bio-kult-egyedi-osszetetelu-etrend-kiegeszito-120-kapszula


----------



## Matrod

Lurcherlad said:


> Still waiting for my digestive system to settle down and get used to all the healthy food I'm eating


My digestive system is whacked so I've been taking digestive enzymes which have helped loads so might be worth a try.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Magyarmum said:


> Have you tried taking a probiotic?
> 
> I take Protexin Balance, which unfortunately you can't buy in the UK, but Bio-Kult which I've also taken is a good alternative - Boots stock it.
> 
> I suffered badly from bloating,flatulence and acid reflux after eating spicy food like curry which since taking a probiotic have virtually disappeared.
> 
> https://protexin.hu/termek/protexin-balance-60-db-kapszula
> 
> https://protexin.hu/termek/bio-kult-egyedi-osszetetelu-etrend-kiegeszito-120-kapszula


I'll give it a try 

I've been doing some research so will try a few of the things suggested too.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Matrod said:


> My digestive system is whacked so I've been taking digestive enzymes which have helped loads so might be worth a try.


Tbh I'll try anything at the moment 

I anticipated problems as I have had IBS flare ups in the past.

Apparently squeezing lemon juice onto legumes/pulses helps digestion.


----------



## Matrod

Lurcherlad said:


> Tbh I'll try anything at the moment
> 
> I anticipated problems as I have had IBS flare ups in the past.
> 
> Apparently squeezing lemon juice onto legumes/pulses helps digestion.


Bitters are good as well, I have that in a little bit of fruit juice in the mornings, it tastes rank though :Yuck.


----------



## O2.0

I forgot to take a picture, but I had 3 extra teenagers in the house yesterday and decided to throw some veggies & pasta. Brown pasta and a bunch of fresh sauteed veggies (no oil) and all three teens ate it up and seemed to really enjoy it. 
I forget how rare fruits and veggies are in so many American's diet, one of the boys had not been here before and was loving all the fruit that I just have out for snacking and kept commenting on it, how his mom won't buy a lot of fruit because it's expensive. (Which I've never understood because even buying organic when I can, I still spend a lot less on groceries than other moms when they bring it up...)


----------



## Cleo38

I know alot of people are eliminating oil from their diets but I am still using small amounts however some of the foods I eat I think I could still make improvements to. I eat alot of hummus & this has quite a high oil content so wondered if anyone has made there own either oil free or with lower amounts? Is it easy to do & can you freeze it? there is only me to cater for so if I'm making my own it would be alot easier if I could do a large amount then freeze but I don't know if it's worth doing ....


----------



## O2.0

Cleo38 said:


> I know alot of people are eliminating oil from their diets but I am still using small amounts however some of the foods I eat I think I could still make improvements to. I eat alot of hummus & this has quite a high oil content so wondered if anyone has made there own either oil free or with lower amounts? Is it easy to do & can you freeze it? there is only me to cater for so if I'm making my own it would be alot easier if I could do a large amount then freeze but I don't know if it's worth doing ....


I make hummus without oil and it tastes exactly the same to me. I don't notice any difference. 
Here we can get tahini (look for the single ingredient ones) in most supermarkets, I'm sure you can get it online too. Just add that to your chickpeas in a good blender or food processor. Then add your seasonings. Tons of recipes online. 
Avocado is also a good substitute for tahini I've found. Different flavor obviously, but it's still really yummy


----------



## Cleo38

O2.0 said:


> I make hummus without oil and it tastes exactly the same to me. I don't notice any difference.
> Here we can get tahini (look for the single ingredient ones) in most supermarkets, I'm sure you can get it online too. Just add that to your chickpeas in a good blender or food processor. Then add your seasonings. Tons of recipes online.
> Avocado is also a good substitute for tahini I've found. Different flavor obviously, but it's still really yummy


Thanks, have just added a few more bags of chick peas & some tahini to my online shopping order so may have a go at the weekend. Not sure it will work out cheaper but am sure it will be nicer & better for me without the added oil the stuff.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> I forgot to take a picture, but I had 3 extra teenagers in the house yesterday and decided to throw some veggies & pasta. Brown pasta and a bunch of fresh sauteed veggies (no oil) and all three teens ate it up and seemed to really enjoy it.
> I forget how rare fruits and veggies are in so many American's diet, one of the boys had not been here before and was loving all the fruit that I just have out for snacking and kept commenting on it, how his mom won't buy a lot of fruit because it's expensive. (Which I've never understood because even buying organic when I can, I still spend a lot less on groceries than other moms when they bring it up...)


Growing up my Mum used to buy 4 apples a week (there were 4 of us), she would shine them up and proudly put them in the fruit bowl on the lounge table with a warning not to eat them until the day before she was next going shopping as she didn't want to see an empty fruit bowl :Jawdrop


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Growing up my Mum used to buy 4 apples a week (there were 4 of us), she would shine them up and proudly put them in the fruit bowl on the lounge table with a warning not to eat them until the day before she was next going shopping as she didn't want to see an empty fruit bowl :Jawdrop


LOL in this house 4 apples in a bowl would disappear in 4 minutes  
I can't complain though, my kids eat a lot of fruit, and I'm totally okay with that!


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> I know alot of people are eliminating oil from their diets but I am still using small amounts however some of the foods I eat I think I could still make improvements to. I eat alot of hummus & this has quite a high oil content so wondered if anyone has made there own either oil free or with lower amounts? Is it easy to do & can you freeze it? there is only me to cater for so if I'm making my own it would be alot easier if I could do a large amount then freeze but I don't know if it's worth doing ....


For some reason I haven't been able to find hummus the last four times I've been shopping. I was going to make some today and had already cooked the chickpeas but then decided I'm too tired - thanks to HRH keeping me awake last night and a small black hairy creature waking me up at some ungodly hour this morning. I did though have a good google for recipes and here are two that might suit you.

https://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2012/03/hummus-in-the-blender.html

https://www.thespruceeats.com/low-fat-hummus-recipe-vegan-3376943

Last night with my risotto I had a roasted cabbage steak which was dead easy to make and which I thoroughly enjoyed. Something I'll definitely have again!

https://healthiersteps.com/recipe/roasted-cabbage-steaks/


----------



## Lurcherlad

Another good result from "people power".

Signing petitions is worth it, and often does make a difference...

"You did it again! You've helped push German pharma corporation *IDT Biologika to change its ways*. The company just announced it's cut ties with horse blood farms in South America.

*This is a huge success -- it means IDT will no longer work with the most cruel blood farms we know about."

Too many people have no idea what goes on out there *


----------



## O2.0

Cleo38 said:


> Thanks, have just added a few more bags of chick peas & some tahini to my online shopping order so may have a go at the weekend. Not sure it will work out cheaper but am sure it will be nicer & better for me without the added oil the stuff.


Let us know how it goes! 
I find hummus one of the easiest things in the world to make, and you don't have to only use garbanzos, you can use all sorts of things, including lentils - had some lentil hummus on holiday and it was really good! It's a fun dish to play with. I also laugh at the recipes that call for one clove of garlic. Pfft. One clove. More like 5 or 8! :Hilarious

OH surprised me with a gorgeous new food processor that arrived yesterday, it's SO quiet, I love it! I'll have to get used to it because it's way more powerful than my little dinky one I was using before. Oh and it holds 14 cups! Love it!


----------



## Jonescat

Not sure whether I need my head examined or not! Hottest day ever apparently, and I am porting my part of a party a four hour drive across the country in the car. Thank heavens for aircon and coolboxes.

Anyway - for the record - I am taking veg chilli, hummous, mushroom and almond pate, crudites, orange and fennel salad, sort-of-waldorf salad, spiralised courgettes in sweet chilli sauce, and a mango cake (it's a big party). Also the makings for peach sangria and a cocktail called pink sparkles, and my pjs  I will take pics if I can when it is all laid out.

The hummous is one can of chick peas, 2 very round dessertspoons of tahini, i juiced lemon (pulp and juice), three medium garlic bulbs and the water needed to get to the consistency I wanted (about 3 tablespoons) all blitzed with a stick blender. I gave up oil a long time ago in the recipe as I think the tahini has all the oil you need. As every else says it is very flexible and you can do all sorts with it but I wanted the classic today.


----------



## O2.0

Just popping on to say that I threw some frozen bananas in my new food processor, didn't need to add liquid (I usually do in the vitamix) and had "nice-cream" with cinnamon and cloves and it was soooooo good. Never added cloves before, and they add a really nice "bite" to the cold bananas. So good!

Oh and found a new farmer's market grocery store type place - local produce but lots of bulk and grocery items too. The prices were the best I've found anywhere (including online) - rolled oats for 99c a pound! I'm pretty excited, they just opened about 2 months ago, I hope they stick around.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I love these two they are so funny - never thought of making bread with courgettes or zucchini but this looks so simple I think I might try it


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I love these two they are so funny - never thought of making bread with courgettes or zucchini but this looks so simple I think I might try it


Oh I love zucchini bread, and carrot bread! And that reminds me, I forgot to get zucchini at the market today :Arghh

OMG @rottiepointerhouse they have the same food processor I do!! I feel so special :Hilarious:Hilarious


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> Oh I love zucchini bread, and carrot bread! And that reminds me, I forgot to get zucchini at the market today :Arghh
> 
> OMG @rottiepointerhouse they have the same food processor I do!! I feel so special :Hilarious:Hilarious


:Hilarious:Hilarious I wish I had gone for one like that with the fancy blade for shredding - I got a Ninja which I do love but it isn't very sophisticated and doesn't do shredding. I usually grate my courgettes so guess that would work.


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> :Hilarious:Hilarious I wish I had gone for one like that with the fancy blade for shredding - I got a Ninja which I do love but it isn't very sophisticated and doesn't do shredding. I usually grate my courgettes so guess that would work.


I cook in such huge batches, it's really nice to have the extra help. And I figure I'm getting so much more enjoyment out of cooking these days, why not splurge on some nice kitchen equipment?


----------



## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I love these two they are so funny - never thought of making bread with courgettes or zucchini but this looks so simple I think I might try it


I made zucchini kofta last night using this recipe, but didn't bother making the curry sauce, Yesterday afternoon I either grated or cubed all the courgettes I picked in the morning, portioned them out and froze them for use this winter.

https://www.aartisfoodologue.com/single-post/2016/03/07/Zucchini-Kofta-Curry

I found this website which gives some good ideas for using zucchini in both savoury and sweet recipes

https://www.familyfoodgarden.com/100-savory-sweet-zucchini-and-summer-squash-recipes/


----------



## Lurcherlad

Just HAD to have a sausage sandwich with tomato ketchup on white sliced bread this morning! 

Thank gawd for Linda McCartney veggie sausages!


----------



## Magyarmum

One of my neighbours has just brought me a big bag of yellow peppers and tomatoes so I'm going to make Lecso for the freezer! It's dead easy to make, - basically just onions, peppers, tomatoes plus smoked paprika and seasonings. It freezes well and you can eat it as is or with rice or bread and you can also add beans or whatever to it.
,





i don't make it with sausage but sometimes will add a sliced vegan sausage when I'm reheating the defrosted Lecso.


----------



## O2.0

I'm making this cream sauce later today. I'll add veggies to the pasta as well, but thought I'd try the sauce too  
https://plantifulparenting.blogspot.com/2018/07/cashew-cream-pasta.html


----------



## O2.0

O2.0 said:


> I'm making this cream sauce later today. I'll add veggies to the pasta as well, but thought I'd try the sauce too
> https://plantifulparenting.blogspot.com/2018/07/cashew-cream-pasta.html


Okay this was absolutely lovely! But now I'm out of cashews! :Arghh


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Its years since we were last in London so I really enjoyed this short video showing some of the sights and sounds but more importantly masses of vegan food available. For a bit of background this is a US vegan martial arts guy I follow and his girlfriend who sold up to travel the world, mainly by Woofing (working on organic farms for free in return for food and lodging), between farms they've done the usual tourist things in places like Madrid & Paris and are now in the UK. If you watch from 48 secs you see the food - almost makes me want to go to London. Clearly they are not WFPB vegans but I still admire them travelling the world as vegans not knowing what food they will be able to find.


----------



## O2.0

That's really heartening to see how many vegan options there are. 
We found plenty of easy vegan fare in Madrid, and really gorged on local produce. 
I find thinking outside the box helps too, you don't have to eat every meal at a sit-down restaurant. I often had "meals" just popping in to a produce market and buying fresh fruit as a meal. 

I was listening to Dr. Longo on Rich Roll and this concept that you have to eat all the time, or 3 meals a day etc. is actually rather odd. Obviously we didn't evolve eating 3 squares a day, and research is showing that some of our best healing and recovery happens during fasting hours. One of the nice things about eating plant based and having a nicely regulated blood sugar is that you can go long hours without eating and feel fine  Long way around saying that if you end up having to skip a meal because there aren't any vegan options, it's no biggie, you'll just make it up at the next meal.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> That's really heartening to see how many vegan options there are.
> We found plenty of easy vegan fare in Madrid, and really gorged on local produce.
> I find thinking outside the box helps too, you don't have to eat every meal at a sit-down restaurant. I often had "meals" just popping in to a produce market and buying fresh fruit as a meal.
> 
> I was listening to Dr. Longo on Rich Roll and this concept that you have to eat all the time, or 3 meals a day etc. is actually rather odd. Obviously we didn't evolve eating 3 squares a day, and research is showing that some of our best healing and recovery happens during fasting hours. One of the nice things about eating plant based and having a nicely regulated blood sugar is that you can go long hours without eating and feel fine  Long way around saying that if you end up having to skip a meal because there aren't any vegan options, it's no biggie, you'll just make it up at the next meal.


I'm always OK with skipping a meal or just eating a potato or a couple of bananas so I think I would be OK travelling and I can go hours without eating without feeling light headed but my OH is much more "fixed" (polite version) in what he likes to eat and when. The whole time restricted eating thing is something I've been reading about/looking into quite a lot recently. I read a really interesting book by a guy Dr Chatterjee had on his podcast (although far too much talk about animal models and mice experiments which I found off putting)

https://drchatterjee.com/episode-21...-feeding-with-professor-satchin-panda-part-1/

I had no idea each of our organs have their own DNA which all have their own circadian codes which we really mess with by eating all the time and not allowing adequate times for recovery and repair/not getting enough sleep and using electronic gadgets in the evenings. I'm doing 12 hour time restricted eating (12 to 12) and want to get it down to a smaller window but at the moment our eating times are a bit messed up as we still have our dinner so late at night but that is on my list of the next 2 or 3 things to focus on improving. One of the things I love about going WFPB is how many other avenues it has opened up to me or should I say I've become more open and receptive to learning about.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Just back from shopping.

I have a full veg/salad drawer in the fridge and a good supply of fruit for the next few days.










Also bought this veggie mince to try:










It was in the meat aisle in Sainsbury's. 100% plant based.

Since being on Weight Watchers I don't eat much in the way of meat substitutes but handy to have for a standby. This stuff can be used much like meat mince and squished into a burger shape.

I'll make a bolognaise or something to try OH and DS with it too - see if they notice (or find it acceptable)


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://nutritionstudies.org/smart-parents-guide-to-why-kids-should-not-have-dairy-products/


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> https://nutritionstudies.org/smart-parents-guide-to-why-kids-should-not-have-dairy-products/


I'm listening to "How Not to Die" on audiobook and today's chapter was the one on Parkinson's and how so many toxins are in animal fats (regardless of how the animal is raised). This in addition to all the other issues with animal fats. 
I'm glad I'm reading this book now AFTER I've changed my diet than before, it's pretty overwhelming if you're facing all this as a consumer of the standard western diet.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> I'm listening to "How Not to Die" on audiobook and today's chapter was the one on Parkinson's and how so many toxins are in animal fats (regardless of how the animal is raised). This in addition to all the other issues with animal fats.
> I'm glad I'm reading this book now AFTER I've changed my diet than before, it's pretty overwhelming if you're facing all this as a consumer of the standard western diet.


My husband says he knew as soon as I started reading that book back in early 2016 that we would end up being vegan. I read it through myself and thought WTF are we doing eating all this crap, then I read it to him. I can remember all the way through on the first read thinking yes but I can't be vegan, I tried years ago and failed but the more I read the more I knew we had to. Dr Greger has a lot to answer for :Hilarious:Hilarious


----------



## Teddy-dog

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Its years since we were last in London so I really enjoyed this short video showing some of the sights and sounds but more importantly masses of vegan food available. For a bit of background this is a US vegan martial arts guy I follow and his girlfriend who sold up to travel the world, mainly by Woofing (working on organic farms for free in return for food and lodging), between farms they've done the usual tourist things in places like Madrid & Paris and are now in the UK. If you watch from 48 secs you see the food - almost makes me want to go to London. Clearly they are not WFPB vegans but I still admire them travelling the world as vegans not knowing what food they will be able to find.


Oh that is interesting thanks! We're going to London later it the year, only for a short break, but will need to make a plan of places to go eat


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Teddy-dog said:


> Oh that is interesting thanks! We're going to London later it the year, only for a short break, but will need to make a plan of places to go eat


You might find this helpful too


----------



## Cleo38

How exciting .... a nearby college is now offering vegan cake making & baking classes run by a lady who has a regular stall at Ely market. I've never actually managed to get to see her yet but her cakes look AMAZING & am so tempted to join as they are on an evening when I work from home in the day so would be able to leave the dogs.


----------



## O2.0

I've made a discovery  
Turns out if you put a tiny pinch of ground cloves in your homemade cashew milk (that I use mainly as a creamer for coffee and tea), it adds a very nice flavor to the coffee and tea. 
And then just now I put it in chai tea, and wow! Yum!!


----------



## O2.0

Oh and I think someone already posted this but worth a share. Yeah, yeah, preaching to the choir here, but didn't feel like the "discussion" if I were to post as it's own thread...
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science...could-prevented-everyone-giving-meat-harvard/
"At least one-third of early deaths could be prevented if everyone moved to a vegetarian diet, Harvard scientists have calculated."


----------



## O2.0

Made these today, just cooled enough to try a bite and oh my! Very decadent!! I didn't use the chocolate chips (didn't have any - they don't need them really, though chopped nuts would be good) and I replaced half the sugar with 6 medjool dates, in hindsight I think I could have replaced all the sugar with dates. As it is they're almost too sweet.
I keep seeing black bean brownies and wanted to give 'em a shot, well worth it!!
https://detoxinista.com/vegan-flourless-black-bean-brownies/

Edit for photo


----------



## Lurcherlad

Maybe a positive side effect of this heatwave and the difficulties facing farmers, will steer some of them over to arable thereby saving future livestock from the industry?


----------



## O2.0

I'm trying this today, without the oil of course, and I'll use homemade cashew milk instead of almond since I don't do store-bought milks anymore. 
Looks yummy though, and both my kids love Alfredo sauce  
https://ohsheglows.com/2014/01/20/cauli-power-fettuccine-alfredo-vegan/


----------



## Teddy-dog

Just seen this on FB, posted by Compassion in World Farming.






I know we all know labels are rubbish but I found it interesting anyway. (And I'm not brave enough to start my own thread )


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Teddy-dog said:


> Just seen this on FB, posted by Compassion in World Farming.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I know we all know labels are rubbish but I found it interesting anyway. (And I'm not brave enough to start my own thread )


Thank you for posting - that was a very powerful video - she was excellent (do we know who she is?) - I'd love you to start a separate thread so that more people would see it. Sadly if I post it they probably won't read or watch it so I'd love it if someone else did although I quite understand why you don't want to.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Sorry I haven't been around much this week, awful hectic/stressful few days selling our bungalow in Devon and trying to amalgamate two houses worth of furniture/equipment into one. I have boxes 4 deep, floor to ceiling in my hall and furniture stacked up on the middle of the lounge, its like an assault course. I seriously thought I would batter my OH yesterday which is unusual for us :Joyful Feel much better today having got back into my meditation over last couple of days apart from having a really bad back, pretty sure its only muscle strain as no sciatic pain but its so painful, I'm only really comfortable walking around, sitting/lying are horrid.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Lurcherlad said:


> Also bought this veggie mince to try:
> 
> View attachment 362407
> 
> 
> It was in the meat aisle in Sainsbury's. 100% plant based.
> 
> Since being on Weight Watchers I don't eat much in the way of meat substitutes but handy to have for a standby. This stuff can be used much like meat mince and squished into a burger shape.
> 
> I'll make a bolognaise or something to try OH and DS with it too - see if they notice (or find it acceptable)


Just made myself a burger with this. Only added salt and pepper to the mince before shaping.

Eaten in a Warburton's Whooemeal Thin with salad leaves, spot of mayo and cooked sliced onion and mushrooms.

Actually quite tasty


----------



## Teddy-dog

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Thank you for posting - that was a very powerful video - she was excellent (do we know who she is?) - I'd love you to start a separate thread so that more people would see it. Sadly if I post it they probably won't read or watch it so I'd love it if someone else did although I quite understand why you don't want to.


I might do when I'm feeling brave


----------



## O2.0

It's worth a share @Teddy-dog 

It's a strange phenomenon when you go against the grain... IDK, feeling philosophical, feel free to ignore the following 
I've been sharing recipes and articles about once, maybe twice a week at most on my personal FB page. No preaching, just sharing recipes of gorgeous food, that my family and I enjoy, and articles I find interesting - not all promoting veganism, or WFPB eating, most these days are about gut bacteria because I find that so fascinating.

Anyway, just heard from another friend that she's trying out what she calls "veganism" but it's actually more WFPB than vegan, (no sugar or white flour which are both vegan). So while it feels like no one is paying attention (and on here it feels like the only reaction is mostly negative or just ignoring) there are people listening and being encouraged. And it's for those people that I keep talking and sharing 

Edit for photo of gorgeous food


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> It's worth a share @Teddy-dog
> 
> It's a strange phenomenon when you go against the grain... IDK, feeling philosophical, feel free to ignore the following
> I've been sharing recipes and articles about once, maybe twice a week at most on my personal FB page. No preaching, just sharing recipes of gorgeous food, that my family and I enjoy, and articles I find interesting - not all promoting veganism, or WFPB eating, most these days are about gut bacteria because I find that so fascinating.
> 
> Anyway, just heard from another friend that she's trying out what she calls "veganism" but it's actually more WFPB than vegan, (no sugar or white flour which are both vegan). So while it feels like no one is paying attention (and on here it feels like the only reaction is mostly negative or just ignoring) there are people listening and being encouraged. And it's for those people that I keep talking and sharing
> 
> Edit for photo of gorgeous food
> 
> View attachment 363028


Couldn't agree more and that food does look seriously gorgeous.


----------



## O2.0

Oh, the cauliflower alfredo was delicious! I loosely followed the recipe and was floored at how creamy it was! Both teenagers approved which is high praise as they generally don't hesitate to tell me if they don't like something even a little bit :Hilarious:Hilarious


----------



## Teddy-dog

O2.0 said:


> It's worth a share @Teddy-dog
> 
> It's a strange phenomenon when you go against the grain... IDK, feeling philosophical, feel free to ignore the following
> I've been sharing recipes and articles about once, maybe twice a week at most on my personal FB page. No preaching, just sharing recipes of gorgeous food, that my family and I enjoy, and articles I find interesting - not all promoting veganism, or WFPB eating, most these days are about gut bacteria because I find that so fascinating.
> 
> Anyway, just heard from another friend that she's trying out what she calls "veganism" but it's actually more WFPB than vegan, (no sugar or white flour which are both vegan). So while it feels like no one is paying attention (and on here it feels like the only reaction is mostly negative or just ignoring) there are people listening and being encouraged. And it's for those people that I keep talking and sharing
> 
> Edit for photo of gorgeous food
> 
> View attachment 363028


I'm just off to bed but I shall remember to share in the morning 

That's very interesting  I think I shall try and do more of the same! And the food looks amazing!!


----------



## Torin.

O2.0 said:


> Let us know how it goes!
> I find hummus one of the easiest things in the world to make, and you don't have to only use garbanzos, you can use all sorts of things, including lentils - had some lentil hummus on holiday and it was really good! It's a fun dish to play with. I also laugh at the recipes that call for one clove of garlic. Pfft. One clove. More like 5 or 8! :Hilarious


Do you have any good beginner-friendly hummus recipes? Ideally with minimal steps for spoonie-friendly-ness.


----------



## O2.0

Torin. said:


> Do you have any good beginner-friendly hummus recipes? Ideally with minimal steps for spoonie-friendly-ness.


Hummus is basically blended garbanzos (chickpeas) and seasoning. 
If you can get prepared garbanzos it's easier to start, but they're easy enough to cook yourself too, just takes more time.

The most basic combination is garbanzos, garlic, cumin, lemon juice and salt to taste. You can even leave out the tahini (tahini is just sesame seed paste, and here it's fairly common to find in most supermarkets, definitely in health food markets). Blend everything in a food processor, taste, adjust, and done. Since the garlic is fresh, it will change flavor a bit after it sits.

From here you can add all sorts of fun things, like roasted red peppers, roasted eggplant, sun dried tomatoes, kalamata olives.... Just have fun 

Here is a basic oil free one, I think you could leave out the liquid aminos or use soy sauce instead, but taste it without and see what you think. I've also put nutritional yeast in hummus  
https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/healthy-homemade-hummus/#gs.3ROvn4w


----------



## Cleo38

I made hummus at the weekend & it's so easy. I just started with a basic one (as listed above). if you are using dried chickpeas then save the water you cook them in to use instead of oil. My batch was lovely & I am the sort of person who chucks everything in & hopes for the best rather than measures anything. I always use alot more garlic than in recipes as i love the stuff!


----------



## O2.0

Cleo38 said:


> I made hummus at the weekend & it's so easy. I just started with a basic one (as listed above). if you are using dried chickpeas then save the water you cook them in to use instead of oil. My batch was lovely & I am the sort of person who chucks everything in & hopes for the best rather than measures anything. I always use alot more garlic than in recipes as i love the stuff!


He he  No vampires in this house either! I look at recipes calling for one (even just two) cloves of garlic and I laugh. Who puts just one clove of garlic in anything? :Hilarious Not me! It's 5 or more or just go home :Hilarious:Hilarious


----------



## Torin.

I'm happy to use oil, but I am no good at just winging proportions of ingredients (as that uses up a LOT of brain energy I don't have spare), so need an actual recipe with amounts. Will try the one in the link


----------



## Cleo38

O2.0 said:


> He he  No vampires in this house either! I look at recipes calling for one (even just two) cloves of garlic and I laugh. Who puts just one clove of garlic in anything? :Hilarious Not me! It's 5 or more or just go home :Hilarious:Hilarious


Yes, I stocked up when i did my online shopping. Although i also made another batch of the Misr Wat (Ethiopian red lentil dish) & thought I would put a bit (!) extra of the berbere spice mix in as I love it so much .... OMG, just a bit too hot so had to cook some more lentils up to even it out a bit :Jawdrop:Wideyed


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> Yes, I stocked up when i did my online shopping. Although i also made another batch of the Misr Wat (Ethiopian red lentil dish) & thought I would put a bit (!) extra of the berbere spice mix in as I love it so much .... OMG, just a bit too hot so had to cook some more lentils up to even it out a bit :Jawdrop:Wideyed


Snap! Last night I had the Ethiopian Kik Alicha - Split yellow pea stew to which I added some carrot and diced sweet and ordinary potato.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2013/10/01/ethiopian-yellow-split-pea-butternut-stew/

To go with I also made Ingudai Tibs - Ethiopian sauteed mushrooms - yummy! And I had everything with a homemade Naan!

https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/side/vegetable/ingudai-tibs-ethiopian-sauteed-mushrooms.html


----------



## Cleo38

Magyarmum said:


> Snap! Last night I had the Ethiopian Kik Alicha - Split yellow pea stew to which I added some carrot and diced sweet and ordinary potato.
> 
> http://www.coconutandberries.com/2013/10/01/ethiopian-yellow-split-pea-butternut-stew/
> 
> To go with I also made Ingudai Tibs - Ethiopian sauteed mushrooms - yummy! And I had everything with a homemade Naan!
> 
> https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/side/vegetable/ingudai-tibs-ethiopian-sauteed-mushrooms.html


That sounds bloody lovely! Am definitely going to make that. Have just ordered some teff flour so I can make some authentic flatbreads. I love this sort of food as it's easy to make & delicious. I can't stop eating the misr wat that I made. I was supposed to freeze some but I ate it for several days in a row (with differing accompanying dishes) & I didn't get fed up of it.

Am meeting up with my mum & sister soon for a day out in London & we are going to a Lebanese restaurant for lunch ... am already looking at the menu & planning what I'm going to have as there are loads of vegan dishes


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I do love Dr Milton Mills.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse




----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Part II of above


----------



## O2.0

It took me a minute, but when I saw it, I couldn't unsee, and OMG!!! :Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious:Hungover


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

:Jawdrop:Joyful and who spells nut with a double T?


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> :Jawdrop:Joyful and who spells nut with a double T?


I got stuck at the double T, didn't even look at the rest of the picture, then when I did, I nearly choked on my lentils


----------



## Matrod

O2.0 said:


> It took me a minute, but when I saw it, I couldn't unsee, and OMG!!! :Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious:Hungover


I particularly love the one with the strategically placed crease on it :Hilarious:Hilarious


----------



## O2.0

I'm smack in the middle of Rich Roll's latest podcast with Bassem Youssef and absolutely loving it. Dr. Youssef is a cardiac surgeon, but found himself a comedian in Egypt, then exiled in the US. Fascinating, fascinating story, and he just so happens to also be a passionate advocate of a WFPB lifestyle!

There is a small section where they get in to the rhetoric of diet and how the "attacks" on those who would encourage eating less or no meat and dairy are so similar to the political divides. Where the conversation becomes more about personal attacks than addressing actual facts. Pathetically, it made me feel a little better about the "attacks" we experience here and IRL about how we eat and daring to mention it.

But anyway it's a great conversation, I can't wait to finish it 

http://www.richroll.com/podcast/bassem-youssef-383/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@O2.0 have you seen this? Almond milk recall

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-d00f24638b-192763785


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> @O2.0 have you seen this? Almond milk recall
> 
> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...il&utm_term=0_5651a57357-d00f24638b-192763785


Yes, it's been all over the place, but we don't buy store bought milks anymore. I have figured out how to make almond, oat, and cashew milk at home, and much rather do it myself anyway since it's cheaper and I can know exactly what's in it. It's what I use in cooking and baking too. Overnight oats with home made cashew milk taste like a dessert!

I never bought that brand but I believe they are owned by a dairy company. That in itself is interesting, that dairy companies are buying out plant milk companies. The dairy industry is acting like they know the clock is ticking....


----------



## O2.0

I'll get photos later, but made a sweet potato stew with Indian spices (turmeric, chili, smoked paprika, cumin) and I can't get enough of it! Had it for breakfast instead of oatmeal LOL! 

Finally reading (listening to) Rich Roll's "Finding Ultra" and really enjoying it so far. Was listening to the opening chapter while running and it was so emotional I had to catch my breath, as I was about to start crying!!


----------



## Magyarmum

Now you know why we Brits are so addicted to our curries!

If you really want to try more Indian vegetarian/vegan food Hebbar's Kitchen is a brilliant website and her videos are very simple to follow.

https://hebbarskitchen.com/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> I'll get photos later, but made a sweet potato stew with Indian spices (turmeric, chili, smoked paprika, cumin) and I can't get enough of it! Had it for breakfast instead of oatmeal LOL!
> 
> Finally reading (listening to) Rich Roll's "Finding Ultra" and really enjoying it so far. Was listening to the opening chapter while running and it was so emotional I had to catch my breath, as I was about to start crying!!


I've read the book and did find it very inspiring - what a come back he made after years of addiction. I'd love to listen to more of his podcasts but they are a little bit longer than most and I put them in my favourites intending to listen but just don't seem to get round to it. Since the Light Watkins podcast (with Dr Chatterjee) and reading his book I've got so into my meditation twice daily that I only have time to listen/watch my plant based stuff when I'm chopping veggies/cooking or when I'm ironing. I get most put out if I have to miss out on one of my meditations :Joyful:Joyful Never would have believed it.


----------



## Cleo38

Magyarmum said:


> Now you know why we Brits are so addicted to our curries!
> 
> If you really want to try more Indian vegetarian/vegan food Hebbar's Kitchen is a brilliant website and her videos are very simple to follow.
> 
> https://hebbarskitchen.com/


Oh wow, I could look at sites like this all day!! :Shamefullyembarrased:Hungry:Happy


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I've read the book and did find it very inspiring - what a come back he made after years of addiction. I'd love to listen to more of his podcasts but they are a little bit longer than most and I put them in my favourites intending to listen but just don't seem to get round to it. Since the Light Watkins podcast (with Dr Chatterjee) and reading his book I've got so into my meditation twice daily that I only have time to listen/watch my plant based stuff when I'm chopping veggies/cooking or when I'm ironing. I get most put out if I have to miss out on one of my meditations :Joyful:Joyful Never would have believed it.


I listen to podcasts and audiobooks out running. Especially on monotonous road running days. One of the things I kind of love about trail running is that in some spots I don't get cell service so no podcasts either, and I have to quite literally unplug and embrace fully where I am.

I've gotten very precious about my yoga/meditation time. I do about 20 to 30 minutes of yoga followed by some meditation. My favorite is to go to the stream and do it there, but the mosquitos have been eating me up! More of a fall / winter thing, instead I do it at home and invariably as soon as I settle in, a kid walks in to talk or the dog decides to fling his toy around... :Hilarious


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> Oh wow, I could look at sites like this all day!! :Shamefullyembarrased:Hungry:Happy


Another one for you then is Manjula's kitchen, again with some good videos

http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Some very inspiring stories


----------



## Magyarmum

Help! I need your collective brain power to help me decide what to prepare for lunch on Thursday. 

I've got some friends from the UK coming to see me - one Brit and his wife and SIL who are Hungarian. He's just emailed me to say that he's allergic to dairy and no eggs or cheese unless it's goat's milk or goat's milk cheese. 

I had planned on doing a cold meal with salads and a mushroom, spinach and cheese quiche made with plant milk which is fine for me as I do occasionally eat eggs and cheese. I'm now thinking of doing something hot but it will have to be something I can make the night before and just reheat. 

I don't want to do any cooking whilst they're here as that would mean turning my back on them whilst I'm cooking because they both have severe hearing disabilities and as I don't know signing they have to rely on lip reading - and the SIL doesn't speak English!

Suggestions would be welcome pleeeeeeze!

PS No meat loaves because for some reason mine are always a disaster!


----------



## O2.0

What about a sweet potato lasagna? Or ratatouille type dish? Both of those reheat the next day nicely and I bet your garden has all sorts of good cooking vegetables


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

When we first went vegan I made a lovely filo pastry flan or tart but I can't find the recipe. It had a pastry base with pureed peas (possibly some mint I think) then a layer of caramelised red onion finished with asparagus spears which I blanched in boiling water and cut in half length wise then stuck the whole thing in the oven for about 15-20 mins. I liked it but my OH didn't so I haven't made it since. 

What about one of your lovely Ethiopian stews or curries?


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Some very inspiring stories


I watched this the other day, love seeing the transformations 

In other news, I have a new obsession. Bulk shopping at my local bulk store that also has local produce. Today they had rolled oats in bulk for 69cents a pound which is an amazing price. I now have enough oats to feed us for three months I think! And we eat a LOT of oats. All four of us eat oatmeal pretty much every day, plus I use it in recipes as flour. I think I may have a problem, I kind of went crazy with bulk shopping today. Oats, raisins, raw cashews, raw sunflower and pumpkin seeds, dates, raw mixed nuts, rice, quinoa, and of course beans and garbanzos. But I have food forever and spent less than $100, even including the fresh produce I also bought. Apples are in season now and the peaches are still around, so loaded up on those... Yeah, I might have a food hoarding thing going on LOL!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> What about a sweet potato lasagna? Or ratatouille type dish? Both of those reheat the next day nicely and I bet your garden has all sorts of good cooking vegetables


Have you tried this one?


----------



## Cleo38

Tonight's dinner was Misr wat again (I love that dish & can't stop making it!), with green beans & spinach fried in balsamic vinegar & some home made Ethiopian flat breads made with teff flour.
They weren't the easiest to make but once I'd made a couple & got the pan hotter they did turn out better

I also had some 'chicken of the woods' mushroom (proper name laetiporus sulphureus) that my IPO trainer gave me. I've never had it before but had it fried some in olive oil & with my curry. It was bloody lovely, really nice flavour but odd in some ways as it really did have such a meaty texture. Any way I soon got over that it was so tasty & have loads left for other dishes. Has anyone else had this?


----------



## O2.0

Oh yum! In Spain we used to get a wild mushroom called "setas" I'm not sure if it's the same thing? Haven't seen any here, and yes they do have a heavy, meaty texture. Delicious though! 
I'm impressed you made bread! That's one area I'm afraid to tread in to. I'm a terrible baker anyway because I'm terrible about not being exact about weights and measurements, and following directions exactly which is apparently important in baking LOL!

Two long mileage days in a row and needed some good sustenance post run. Had some lovely avocados, so threw an entire avocado on top of beans, brown rice, and corn, and topped that with salsa. Stupid simple, but so delicious. Sometimes it's the most basic meals that are the yummiest! I never get tired of different incarnations of beans and rice!


----------



## Cleo38

That looks yummy @O2.0. Sometimes the simple things are the most delicious, that's how I feel with the misr wat. It is so simple & has a handful of ingredients but it's one of my favourite dishes & I could eat it every day .... & did one week 

The bread mixture was more like a batter so making them was sort of like making pancakes but the more I cooked the mixture the more it looked like it was raw ... was weird but I figured it out as I went along & the first few were given to the dogs .... who seemed to like them anyway.


----------



## O2.0

Cleo38 said:


> That looks yummy @O2.0. Sometimes the simple things are the most delicious, that's how I feel with the misr wat. It is so simple & has a handful of ingredients but it's one of my favourite dishes & I could eat it every day .... & did one week
> 
> The bread mixture was more like a batter so making them was sort of like making pancakes but the more I cooked the mixture the more it looked like it was raw ... was weird but I figured it out as I went along & the first few were given to the dogs .... who seemed to like them anyway.


Always helpful to have garbage disposal dogs :Hilarious:Hilarious


----------



## Jonescat

I found myself in a Korean grocery yesterday and now have lots of lovely veg, salted black beans and five spice flavoured tofu, paper tofu and also something called 10 grain brown rice. It looks fantastic - it has Brown rice, red wheat, whole oats, rolled oats,millet, jobs tear, pearl barley, sorghum, mung beans and buckwheat in it. Has anyone used it before? I am assuming that it is just cooked and served like any other grain?

Also has anyone used paper tofu? It is several very thin rectangles of tofu that I think is maybe fried until crispy and served with a sauce, but may be used to wrap things in.


----------



## Cleo38

Wow, that sounds like a great shop @Jonescat . Can't wait to hear about what you make with all your stuff


----------



## O2.0

I've never even heard of paper tofu! 

I was thinking about how I often end up eating some combination of a grain, a bean, and a veggie, and how even with that very simple base I end up eating a really big variety of foods. Then I thought about how the standard western diet is basically different incarnations of chicken dishes, at least that's what it looks like on the recipes that show up on my FB feed LOL. I remember listening/reading some plant based doctor say that as soon as you go plant based, the variety in food goes through the roof and in turn the nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants etc., also go up. 
I know, I know, preaching to the choir, but it just struck me today


----------



## O2.0

This has been in the news today, very exciting  
https://www.livekindly.co/hundreds-doctors-tell-america-go-vegan-white-house/


----------



## Cleo38

O2.0 said:


> I've never even heard of paper tofu!
> 
> I was thinking about how I often end up eating some combination of a grain, a bean, and a veggie, and how even with that very simple base I end up eating a really big variety of foods. Then I thought about how the standard western diet is basically different incarnations of chicken dishes, at least that's what it looks like on the recipes that show up on my FB feed LOL. I remember listening/reading some plant based doctor say that as soon as you go plant based, the variety in food goes through the roof and in turn the nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants etc., also go up.
> I know, I know, preaching to the choir, but it just struck me today


Completely this!! Since I have changed my diet I have found that rather than being restrictive (as seems to be the perception) it has actually increased the range of foods I eat.

As I said, the foraged mushroom was given to me (& another member of the club who is veggie) but not to the meat eaters ... when asked he said it was because we seem to be alot more adventurous with our foods & would appreciate it.

Whilst I do know some people who eat meat that are experimental the majority I know aren't ..... I suppose like anything when we stick to what we know we become less willing to change our routines.

My spice/herb cupboards are full now, & not with just the usual stuff. I have made dishes, sort out new recipes, etc & I can honestly say that I have never eaten so well or such varied foods as I do now.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> This has been in the news today, very exciting
> https://www.livekindly.co/hundreds-doctors-tell-america-go-vegan-white-house/


Did it get widespread coverage?

Another hospital now promoting the plant based diet

http://www.drmonicaaggarwal.com/201...il&utm_term=0_a249d7fb87-1702c48e32-500520057


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Did it get widespread coverage?
> 
> Another hospital now promoting the plant based diet
> 
> http://www.drmonicaaggarwal.com/201...il&utm_term=0_a249d7fb87-1702c48e32-500520057


Sadly no, not a lot. Yes on social media, but that was about it...

I ran 9 miles 2 days in a row, and then today's 4 mile "easy" hike turned in to an 8 miler with some serious climbs (navigator is fired), so I've got some calories to gobble up. 
Came home and reheated the sweet potato stew/curry thing and threw another of those gorgeous avocados on top, then downed a giant smoothie with spinach, bananas, flaxseed meal, berries and mango. Now I'm sitting here freezing in the air conditioning LOL.


----------



## Boxer123

Stir fry veg and tofu with rice.


----------



## Royoyo

Just checking in with the plant based thread. Nice to see it's still going and thanks for all the recipe ideas . It will be 1 whole year next month for me since I have eaten a animal product and I plan to keep it that way.

My lunch was homemade hummus, avacado, some greens and sun dried tomatoes (they are my weakness) on toast with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar on top. It was DELICIOUS.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

That looks delicious @Royoyo :Hungry


----------



## Royoyo

rottiepointerhouse said:


> That looks delicious @Royoyo :Hungry


It was yummy @rottiepointerhouse it's become a bit of an addiction at the minute for me!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.forksoverknives.com/ant...d-in-majority-of-supermarket-meat/#gs.0aa74lY

Not sure how this relates to the UK but doubt we are much better :Vomit


----------



## Boxer123

Puy lentil bolognese with tomato and avacardo salad. It's a huge bowl as I'm doing back to back training runs at the moment.


----------



## Cleo38

Does anyone have any recipes for some healthy (& cheap) sweet snack bars. I've been buying Nakd bars but I think I could make better, cheaper ones so need some ideas. I know @O2.0 posted about some sort of balls a while ago but I can't see to find the recipe.


----------



## O2.0

Cleo38 said:


> Does anyone have any recipes for some healthy (& cheap) sweet snack bars. I've been buying Nakd bars but I think I could make better, cheaper ones so need some ideas. I know @O2.0 posted about some sort of balls a while ago but I can't see to find the recipe.


Date balls are the bomb! 

Amounts are not exact - do what you like, as long as the mixture sticks together enough to form balls or bars you're good 

1 cup rolled oats
2 cups medjool dates (you can use other kinds, but medjool are gooey and sweet and really help the bars stick together).
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds 
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp almond butter
1 tsp cinnamon

Throw the whole mess in the food processor and process until it forms a doughy mass. Roll the mass out in to tubes, cut, and roll in to balls. Chill in the fridge. 
This recipe disappears in my house like crazy, I make probably 2 to 3 batches a week. 
The combination I'm using is to increase magnesium and zinc intake, but really you can use any seeds, nuts etc, that you like. You can use peanut butter instead of almond butter, really whatever sounds good to you, throw it in there and see 

I also make cacao nut balls that everyone loves, not quite as nutrient rich, but very good too:
2 cups pecans (or other softer nut like walnuts)
1 cup dates
1 cup raisins
1/4 cup raw cacao powder. 
Same process as above, blitz, roll, balls, chill.


----------



## Cleo38

O2.0 said:


> Date balls are the bomb!
> 
> Amounts are not exact - do what you like, as long as the mixture sticks together enough to form balls or bars you're good
> 
> 1 cup rolled oats
> 2 cups medjool dates (you can use other kinds, but medjool are gooey and sweet and really help the bars stick together).
> 1/4 cup raisins
> 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
> 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
> 2 tbsp almond butter
> 1 tsp cinnamon
> 
> Throw the whole mess in the food processor and process until it forms a doughy mass. Roll the mass out in to tubes, cut, and roll in to balls. Chill in the fridge.
> This recipe disappears in my house like crazy, I make probably 2 to 3 batches a week.
> The combination I'm using is to increase magnesium and zinc intake, but really you can use any seeds, nuts etc, that you like. You can use peanut butter instead of almond butter, really whatever sounds good to you, throw it in there and see
> 
> I also make cacao nut balls that everyone loves, not quite as nutrient rich, but very good too:
> 2 cups pecans (or other softer nut like walnuts)
> 1 cup dates
> 1 cup raisins
> 1/4 cup raw cacao powder.
> Same process as above, blitz, roll, balls, chill.


Thanks so much for that. I know when you posted before they sounded yummy so thought I might have a go at them sometime soon. 
Will just have to try not to scoff the lot too quickly


----------



## O2.0

Cleo38 said:


> Thanks so much for that. I know when you posted before they sounded yummy so thought I might have a go at them sometime soon.
> Will just have to try not to scoff the lot too quickly


The cacao balls are deadly! I try not to make those too often LOL! Or if I do make sure that there are a lot of teenagers in the house to scoff them down


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I make really simple mashed banana with oats and cinnamon, usually add some flaxseed too.


----------



## Wild With Roxi

Hiya everyone! Just thought I'd join this awesome thread  
I've been vegan about 6 months now, and vegetarian 5 years before that!  

Today I visited a little whole foods cafe/shop, while it sold a few non-vegan products, a lot of the food was vegan friendly and they had a variety of products.
Nobo vegan ice cream in many flavours, plant based milks, oatly vegan cream, vegan chocolate, vegan nutella style stuff, vegan geletin replacer, vegan cheese and so much more! I bought a couple stuff lol. I also got a veggie (twas vegan friendly dw, we asked) burger and it was AMAZING. 

Another thing - I'm struggling with my two new friend's, love of meat..Its more extreme than I've ever seen it before..They eat everything, from bears to deer to chickens to rabbits to cows to sheep to ducks to quail to frogs and to crabs, shrimp and snails. Its sad to here them talking about how tasty it all is, oblivious to the fact the animals they're eating went through so much pain, suffering, torture and then death...for those few minutes of pleasure  They even asked me how I haven't killed and eaten my own pet quail.. LIKE WHAT. I replied with "Why haven't you eaten your dog yet??" 
The worst thing is, they don't feel any remorse or care by the sounds of things..It seems like they value taste over life by far. 
We are on a marine biology camp together, my fifth year doing so and their first, its the first year that everyday there is mention of how tasty the animals we are learning about or observing in the wild are..and some even went on to say its fine to kill and eat fish but not sharks..(which are a type of fish..?) We even named a large male crab we found, Vincent Crabbe, and we all loved him, but on the way back to base they were talking about how good crab meat is...I said "You'd eat vincent?! Noooo" . 

But yeah, thats just some stuff thats been bothering me lately, thanks for reading all that.

Glad to join this thread


----------



## O2.0

Welcome @Wild With Roxi 

I find for me personally, I don't really get involved with discussions with people who just want to turn it all in to a joke. 
Paulo Coelho has a great quote - "The world is changed by your example, not your opinion." 
I try to be an example of a healthy vegan so that when people see me eating well, living well, and being well, they see my food choices as something positive in my life. Many people do end up interested and if they ask, I'll share. But otherwise, I just eat my delicious food, live a full life, and let others see how well it works for me 

Gosh reading that it sounds horribly smug and self-righteous. I don't mean it that way at all! I just try to be a positive influence if I can


----------



## Sacrechat

Wild With Roxi said:


> Hiya everyone! Just thought I'd join this awesome thread
> I've been vegan about 6 months now, and vegetarian 5 years before that!
> 
> Today I visited a little whole foods cafe/shop, while it sold a few non-vegan products, a lot of the food was vegan friendly and they had a variety of products.
> Nobo vegan ice cream in many flavours, plant based milks, oatly vegan cream, vegan chocolate, vegan nutella style stuff, vegan geletin replacer, vegan cheese and so much more! I bought a couple stuff lol. I also got a veggie (twas vegan friendly dw, we asked) burger and it was AMAZING.
> 
> Another thing - I'm struggling with my two new friend's, love of meat..Its more extreme than I've ever seen it before..They eat everything, from bears to deer to chickens to rabbits to cows to sheep to ducks to quail to frogs and to crabs, shrimp and snails. Its sad to here them talking about how tasty it all is, oblivious to the fact the animals they're eating went through so much pain, suffering, torture and then death...for those few minutes of pleasure  They even asked me how I haven't killed and eaten my own pet quail.. LIKE WHAT. I replied with "Why haven't you eaten your dog yet??"
> The worst thing is, they don't feel any remorse or care by the sounds of things..It seems like they value taste over life by far.
> We are on a marine biology camp together, my fifth year doing so and their first, its the first year that everyday there is mention of how tasty the animals we are learning about or observing in the wild are..and some even went on to say its fine to kill and eat fish but not sharks..(which are a type of fish..?) We even named a large male crab we found, Vincent Crabbe, and we all loved him, but on the way back to base they were talking about how good crab meat is...I said "You'd eat vincent?! Noooo" .
> 
> But yeah, thats just some stuff thats been bothering me lately, thanks for reading all that.
> 
> Glad to join this thread


It sounds to me like your friends may be rubbing your nose in how much they like to eat animal protein. Could it possibly be because you keep telling them what you've just told us in this post? People don't like being told what to do. I suspect they are reacting to what you say.


----------



## Sacrechat

O2.0 said:


> Welcome @Wild With Roxi
> 
> I find for me personally, I don't really get involved with discussions with people who just want to turn it all in to a joke.
> Paulo Coelho has a great quote - "The world is changed by your example, not your opinion."
> I try to be an example of a healthy vegan so that when people see me eating well, living well, and being well, they see my food choices as something positive in my life. Many people do end up interested and if they ask, I'll share. But otherwise, I just eat my delicious food, live a full life, and let others see how well it works for me
> 
> Gosh reading that it sounds horribly smug and self-righteous. I don't mean it that way at all! I just try to be a positive influence if I can


I actually agree with what you are saying. SHOCK HORROR! It's like I said on the other thread, you can't change a closed mind by telling them what to do, but what you've said here possibly could change minds, because it's a non-confrontational approach.


----------



## Matrod

Cleo38 said:


> Does anyone have any recipes for some healthy (& cheap) sweet snack bars. I've been buying Nakd bars but I think I could make better, cheaper ones so need some ideas. I know @O2.0 posted about some sort of balls a while ago but I can't see to find the recipe.


I make nut biscuits:

3 tbsp nut butter
2 tbsp oats
2 tbsp almond milk

Mix it all together & form into whatever size you want & cook at 200 degrees C for 10-12 minutes.

The original recipe calls for 1tbsp of cacao nibs but I leave them out as they make me feel a bit mental. I'll often chuck in a handful of goji berries for sweetness along with sesame seeds & ground vanilla.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lemon kissed blondie bites

These little bites are sweet, with a kiss of zesty lemon! They are also packed with wholesome ingredients like dates, nuts, and oats to give them a nutritional punch!

https://www.bluezones.com/recipe/le...199095005&mc_cid=904e8da636&mc_eid=97f9300fe5


----------



## Magyarmum

I had a lovely afternoon on Thursday with my friends from the UK. Because the SIL is Hungarian I wasn't sure whether she'd like Indian or my favourite Ethiopian food, so I decided to play it safe and made a mushroom and spinach risotto. 

I also made two side dishes, a sweet and sour 3 bean salad and a tomato, onion and black olives with goat's cheese. 

It's a good job I settled for a risotto because it turns out none of them like spicy food! They all said how much they enjoyed the meal, so I was not only pleased but quite relieved I'd made the right choice!

On Friday my new cookbook arrived. Fresh India - vegetarian recipes by Meera Sodha. She lives in the UK so all the recipes are based on ingredients you can buy in your local shops. I can't wait to try some of them.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Magyarmum said:


> I had a lovely afternoon on Thursday with my friends from the UK. Because the SIL is Hungarian I wasn't sure whether she'd like Indian or my favourite Ethiopian food, so I decided to play it safe and made a mushroom and spinach risotto.
> 
> I also made two side dishes, a sweet and sour 3 bean salad and a tomato, onion and black olives with goat's cheese.
> 
> It's a good job I settled for a risotto because it turns out none of them like spicy food! They all said how much they enjoyed the meal, so I was not only pleased but quite relieved I'd made the right choice!
> 
> On Friday my new cookbook arrived. Fresh India - vegetarian recipes by Meera Sodha. She lives in the UK so all the recipes are based on ingredients you can buy in your local shops. I can't wait to try some of them.


I've got her book, love it. I already make a few of her recipes from this site

https://www.theguardian.com/food/series/the-new-vegan

I've put photos on earlier in the thread of these two I've made although I do tweak the recipes quite a bit as she uses far too much oil for me

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...as-recipe-coriander-chutney-vegan-meera-sodha

I changed the swede for sweet potato and add green pepper, mushrooms and green lentils to make it go further.

and this one we love as it gets quite a bit of Kale into us - I also add frozen edamame beans when I add the frozen peas

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...m-kale-pea-stir-fry-the-new-vegan-meera-sodha


----------



## Wild With Roxi

O2.0 said:


> Welcome @Wild With Roxi
> 
> I find for me personally, I don't really get involved with discussions with people who just want to turn it all in to a joke.
> Paulo Coelho has a great quote - "The world is changed by your example, not your opinion."
> I try to be an example of a healthy vegan so that when people see me eating well, living well, and being well, they see my food choices as something positive in my life. Many people do end up interested and if they ask, I'll share. But otherwise, I just eat my delicious food, live a full life, and let others see how well it works for me
> 
> Gosh reading that it sounds horribly smug and self-righteous. I don't mean it that way at all! I just try to be a positive influence if I can


yeah same! The only reason I had to say i'm vegan was because they were asking me to eat an unvegan muffin, and I didn't mention it after that unless they mentioned like when I ordered sorbet instead of ice cream, except for the time I replied to them after they asked why i hadn't eaten my own pet yet. and the crab thing too but I don't no if that counts because I didn't mention me being vegan just a bit of my opinion...But they constantly talked about eating animal products lol. Ah well, the camps over now anyway. I find my friends and family love saying "she's vegan" every chance they get.. it's annoying tbh.


----------



## Wild With Roxi

Sacremist said:


> It sounds to me like your friends may be rubbing your nose in how much they like to eat animal protein. Could it possibly be because you keep telling them what you've just told us in this post? People don't like being told what to do. I suspect they are reacting to what you say.


Check out my other reply  But yeah..I don't mention being vegan if I can help it, usually only if I'm offered food or something.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@Wild With Roxi have you seen the trailer for The Game Changers yet?






Might be worth mentioning some of that next time they rib you about being vegan


----------



## Cleo38

I had a rare day out yesterday that didn't involve the dogs or a dog training/behaviour seminar. Instead I met my mum, sister & niece in London & we went for lunch at a Lebanese restaurant. So anoraks & wellies swapped for relatively smart clothes .... although I still managed to get mud on my top at some point.

I was in heaven, so may vegan dishes, so much to choose from & I couldn't decide so they made me up a vegan meze platter with lots of small portions .... it was amazing! I could have stayed there all day sampling their food. Definitely recommend it if anyone is in that area

https://www.noura.co.uk/


----------



## Lurcherlad

I’ve started taking Probiotics. Hope they settle my digestion!


----------



## Matrod

Lurcherlad said:


> I've started taking Probiotics. Hope they settle my digestion!


I've started taking them too, my digestive system is all over the place, I'd got it in a good place then I lost Rodney & it all went to *!#% again :Arghh


----------



## O2.0

Well, while trying to keep up with the "discussion" thread, I cooked up lunch for the next few days:










I don't even know what I put in there anymore LOL
I started with onions and mushrooms, I do know that, there's also quinoa, lentils, turmeric and curry spice, garlic - of course, sweet potato, bell peppers, corn, broccoli... I think that's it? 
Plenty of nutrients that's for sure!


----------



## Jonescat

The seasons are moving on and I have just made my first batch of soup since I don't know when. It is home grown courgette and leek, with rosemary and a touch of harissa paste.

I am having a lot of fun with courgettes this year instead of getting oppressed by them - they are in almost everything I eat right now but actually you can do a lot with them - one of the new things is using them as the backbone in hummous sarnies to stop the bread going soggy.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

*THE REASON A PLANT-BASED DIET HAS SO MANY ANTI-AGING BENEFITS*









*Dr. Joel Kahn*



Posted by Dr. Joel Kahn | Aug 12, 2018


https://www.livekindly.co/reason-pl...cc550d54c137a81061c47c4a0ff25626b88671c4bcfc8


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Watermelon steak anyone?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Might come in handy if anyone needs a cheesy type sauce

https://www.forksoverknives.com/rec...esy+Sauce&utm_campaign=PCOS+GC8/21#gs.S_41knc


----------



## Jonescat

In my ongoing quest to work out how the food industry makes their product, and to make it better at home, here is a recipe for date syrup. It is still sugar but it hasn't gone through the incredible level of processing sugar cane or beet has to get to your table.

https://www.lazycatkitchen.com/date-syrup-silan/

It is basically boil with water, strain, reduce the liquid to syrup through boiling again. I bet it is is great in flapjacks.


----------



## O2.0

Jonescat said:


> In my ongoing quest to work out how the food industry makes their product, and to make it better at home, here is a recipe for date syrup. It is still sugar but it hasn't gone through the incredible level of processing sugar cane or beet has to get to your table.
> 
> https://www.lazycatkitchen.com/date-syrup-silan/
> 
> It is basically boil with water, strain, reduce the liquid to syrup through boiling again. I bet it is is great in flapjacks.


I use just plain dates in baking instead of sugar, you still retain all the fiber and nutrients from the dates along with the sweetness, they work great! You can also buy "date sugar" which is nothing but ground up dates. That works well in baking as well, just not in anything where you would need for it to dissolve.


----------



## Jonescat

I do bake with dates as well, but this is just a frivolity along the way really. I hadn't heard of date sugar until this week, so that is on my list to try to make next.

I am eating our first sweetcorn cobs of the year so far, having so far protected them from both badgers and high wind. They are gorgeous, and need no recipe. Also a lot of black kale and green beans, and starting into tomatoes. For protein and carbs, tonight will be pinto beans, probably with tomatoes, garlic and oregano.


----------



## Jonescat

So this is the Korean 10 grain brown rice - it is very good  with pinto beans, steamed kale and beans. The rice has teeny tiny mung beans in it (I guess so they cook in the same time) and recommended.


----------



## O2.0

Major batch cooking day today.
A veggie stew mess sort of thing with tons of good veggies blended up then added potatoes, peas, & corn - OH loves it and it's a sneaky way to get veggies in him he wouldn't otherwise eat like purple cabbage, cauliflower and mushrooms (that end up in the blended part).

Quinoa, sweet potatoes, lentils and a bunch of in-season veggies that I'll top with avocado for lunch.

Big batch of brown rice. 

Double batch of date balls.

And cut up some melons and fruit for the kids to grab for quick snacking.

The fridge is busting at the seams, sadly, it will be empty by Wednesday LOL.


----------



## Jonescat

I am renaming this "mindfulness stew". I have made it many many times but this time something like a teaspoon of mung beans in every portion remained as hard as a ball bearing. The stew was otherwise too good to waste so no bolting the food, just a very mindful sifting of the beans in mouth to remove the potential toothcrackers! Also left with the rest of a 3kg bag of beans thinking "do I want to go through that again?" Maybe I will sprout them instead.

I am not sure why it happened, and I haven't come across it before - any ideas?










It is mung beans, potato, spinach, bell pepper and fresh tomato with onion/garlic/ginger/fenugreek/cumin/turmeric/chilli and fresh coriander leaf.


----------



## karenmc

My husband and I are not vegetarian or vegan but do enjoy some meat free meals each week. This thread as I have posted before is great for ideas. I would like to have a go at making a lentil ragu/bolognaise that we can have with pasta. I have seen some recipes which use red lentils and some with puy lentils. Which do you think would be best. I have never cooked with puy lentils before but am happy to try them. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I also find when trying new dishes it's great as our children are 9 and 12 and love trying new dishes so we are always keen to introduce new healthy meals. Thank you


----------



## Jonescat

I think I would go with puy or small brown lentils - just make sure you cook them until they are tender! I find red lentils puree very quickly but brown and green ones are very obliging about sitting in a sauce simmering away and holding their shape until everyone is ready.


----------



## Magyarmum

I agree with @Jonescat. When I make dishes that call for "meat" like a Bolognese sauce or Shepherd's Pie I use chopped Cremini mushrooms. Unlike the ordinary white ones, cremini mushrooms remain firm when cooked and give a similar texture to minced meat. With Shepherd's pie if you add some Marmite to the gravy it gives a really nice "meaty flavour.


----------



## karenmc

Ooh thanks for the great ideas. I love lentils but know what you mean about the red ones. They break down very quickly. I'm going to have a play around tonight and see what the result is...hopefully tasty!!!


----------



## karenmc

I had a go last night and made a lovely lentil and bean ragu type dish. It was really tasty!
Recipe:
1 onion chopped
2 carrots diced
2 sticks of celery chopped
Cooked these in a little olive oil until onion starting to soften.
Added 3 cloves of chopped garlic
Added approx tablespoon of tomato puree and mixed well. 
Added a tin of chopped tomatoes
and a drained (and rinsed) tin of brown lentils. 
Added some dried parsley, dried oregano, black pepper and smoked paprika. 
I then added some vegetable stock so it was nicely covered and let it simmer. I was going to just have it like this with pasta (it already tasted lovely) but I decided to put in a small tin (is it 225g, the ones that are half a normal size tin) of red kidney beans in chilli sauce. This gave it a bit of a spicy taste and I served it with rice. I am definitely going to make it again and maybe next time leave out the chilli beans and try with pasta. Maybe even throw in some more veg e.g courgette or pepper.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Had a piece of this last night - bloody lovely! 










It was to celebrate my sister's 60th birthday and my niece had it made "free from" so I could indulge.

(She ordered me one for my birthday last year - I had a piece for breakfast most mornings until it was gone! ).


----------



## Magyarmum

Lurcherlad said:


> Had a piece of this last night - bloody lovely!
> 
> View attachment 366616
> 
> 
> It was to celebrate my sister's 60th birthday and my niece had it made "free from" so I could indulge.
> 
> (She ordered me one for my birthday last year - I had a piece for breakfast most mornings until it was gone! ).


That looks good! For some reason I never seem to get round to making cakes, but I think I'll try and make the effort for when my grandson visits this time next month.

Trying to use up as many courgettes as possible I made a spicy zucchini kofta in tomato curry sauce. I enjoyed it and it tasted even better the following day. To use up some more courgettes I might make some of the kofta balls to freeze for winter.

https://www.aartisfoodologue.com/single-post/2016/03/07/Zucchini-Kofta-Curry


----------



## O2.0

Batch cooking again today.
10 pounds (yes ten) of boiled potatoes that I added stewed, blended veggies, sweet corn and peas. Kids and OH love it, hence the ten pounds of the stuff!
Also the usual giant batch of rice.
Then a mess of savory sweet potatoes with broccoli, some veggies and garbanzos that I'll probably mix together for lunches.


----------



## Wild With Roxi

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Watermelon steak anyone?


O
M
G

I really wanna try it now! but 75 dollars!?? That is steeeeppp


----------



## Wild With Roxi

Today I went to a Family party, and they had gorgeous bean stew and and rice as well as Quinoa Curry for the Vegans and vegetarians at the party 
They also had divine Vegan Twix and Bounty style bars...SO GOOD. and a few other desserts too! There was 6 vegans, 5 vegetarians and 2 reduce-a-tarians there lol. 
Goes to show, there are more and more of us every day


----------



## Wild With Roxi

We even brought some home to eat for supper and tomorrow


----------



## O2.0

Wild With Roxi said:


> I really wanna try it now! but 75 dollars!?? That is steeeeppp


Nope. 
I love my watermelon exactly as is. This strikes me as a terrible thing to do to watermelon! :Hilarious


----------



## Wild With Roxi

O2.0 said:


> Nope.
> I love my watermelon exactly as is. This strikes me as a terrible thing to do to watermelon! :Hilarious


:Hilarious:Hilarious


----------



## rona

https://www.tesco.com/productrecall/

Almonds


----------



## catz4m8z

I really need to get back on the WFPB horse...Ive put on half a stone recently by eating so much junk.
Still cooking healthy, nutritious meals for the dogs but then I go and inhale a tub of Pringles rather then cook for myself!:Banghead 
*sigh* I should just eat the dog food really!:Shy


----------



## O2.0

catz4m8z said:


> *sigh* I should just eat the dog food really!:Shy


:Hilarious:Hilarious
What inspired me to truly change was preparing food for the kids. I caught myself making them a prepared meal one too many times and the penny dropped. I decided then and there to make them real food. Now that they're teens they do eat junk, but far less than their peers, and they even notice how they feel when they've been eating junk vs. Mama's "healthy" stuff. 

Are you on FB? There is a great site there for whole food plant based eating that can be really helpful. Or just use Dr. Greger's app (it's free) and work towards hitting his daily dozen as best you can every day


----------



## Magyarmum

Last night I tried out a new "bolognese" sauce made with cauliflower instead of mushrooms which I normally use.

I really enjoyed it, in fact I think I prefer it to the mushroom recipe.

I loosely followed this recipe, but added chopped green pepper, celery and spinach as well. And I used fresh tomatoes instead of tinned ones.

https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/cauliflower-bolognese/


----------



## Jonescat

I have just ordered the Forks over Knives book - hadn't realised Isa C_M was a contributor - I really like her food


----------



## catz4m8z

Hurrah! Actually made something healthy today! Got the soupmaker out and had broccoli and spinach soup, very tasty.
Ive just filled the freezer up with veg too as everything seemed to be going out of date at the local shop so was half price or less. Going to make some ratatouille tomorrow as well (as I have some super cheap courgettes and they really arent a veg that freezes well).
How I wish I had a bigger freezer though!:Shy


----------



## O2.0

catz4m8z said:


> Hurrah! Actually made something healthy today! Got the soupmaker out and had broccoli and spinach soup, very tasty.
> Ive just filled the freezer up with veg too as everything seemed to be going out of date at the local shop so was half price or less. Going to make some ratatouille tomorrow as well (as I have some super cheap courgettes and they really arent a veg that freezes well).
> How I wish I had a bigger freezer though!:Shy


Oh ratatouille sounds lovely!


----------



## 3dogs2cats

I sometimes get asked if I can make a cake or some sort of dessert for various occasions, I am going to be making a cake next week so am spending a wet Saturday afternoon being totally idle sat on my sofa browsing for ideas, came up with this:

http://www.thelittleblogofvegan.com/2018/01/vegan-unicorn-cake-recipe.html

This will *not* fit the requirements of what I have been asked for on many levels but it made me smile so thought I`d share it here!


----------



## catz4m8z

OMG! Im drooling!!rool Looks lovely but TBH Id could do without the unicorn faff....just give me the chocolately, caramel filling!


I currently have a banana and walnut loaf in the oven. Also experimenting with fake bread (I dont have room for a bread maker or the muscles to knead properly so I just chucked some baking powder in with a load of WM flour!). Also added onion, tomatoes, herbs, garlic, nutritional yeast and now Im waiting curiously for the result!
Luckily I have very low standards when it comes to my baking efforts so it should be ok.:Smug


----------



## O2.0

Yesterday I was trying to get some things cooked up to have during the week, nothing exciting, just some grains to have to mix veggies in to, so a batch of rice, a batch of quinoa, and a batch of pasta for the kids, and then I had a pot of veggies going too. But enough to keep me paying attention to the stove. As you can see, slinky dog that we're dog sitting felt the need to lay down in the most inconvenient place :Hilarious:Hilarious


----------



## Lurcherlad

This was my sister's birthday cake that I enjoyed in DomRep which was vegan. Made by a local restaurant as was the one they got me for my belated birthday when I was there last September ... scrummy!


----------



## Magyarmum

I felt like having something different tonight for dinner, and after a search through lots of pretty pictures for vegan food on Pinterest settled for Crispy Chickpea Cutlets which were not only easy to make but quite delish to eat. Had a really nice dinner with tiny new potatoes from the garden and a salad!

https://www.living-vegan.com/crispy-chickpea-cutlets-lemon-caper-sauce-2/


----------



## Elles




----------



## catz4m8z

wow, @Elles that looks awaffley nice! (sorry,,,I had to!LOL).

Just seen that they now make vegan Magnums, available at Tescos. Woo hoo!!
Even if you arent a fan of processed stuff its nice to see more mainstream products embracing the common sense.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Haven’t “seen” RPH on for a while.

Hope all is well?


----------



## catz4m8z

Lurcherlad said:


> Haven't "seen" RPH on for a while.
> 
> Hope all is well?


I dont think they have been on for a couple of weeks....also hoping all is well.

Ive just done a big batch cook as Ive got some nightshifts coming up and I CBA cooking every day!
So just made butternut squash and sweet potato soup, bean chilli, big bowl of brown rice (added some frozen mixed veg for extra vitamins!) and a chocolate courgette cake coz I cant be healthy all the time!

Just watching people on Youtube who gave up veganism coz it affected their health. Surprisingly similar stories really.
I went vegan, ate tons of fruit smoothies and all my teeth fell out!:Wideyed
I went vegan, followed the latest freaky fad diet and developed health issues!
I went vegan, ate nothing but fruit and vegetables and developed anaemia!:Shifty
Some people really shouldnt be allowed out on their own nm on social media!


----------



## Teddy-dog

Glad you are ok @rottiepointerhouse (thought I'd reply on here as I don't have the energy for the other thread this evening), been wondering where you were


----------



## Jonescat

Deep in home grown produce 

Last night was assorted green beans stewed with tomatoes and garlic, and saffron potatoes (potatoes, onions, more garlic,paprika, bay, rosemary, saffron) 
Lunch - courgette, almond and cardamom soup
Tonight - some variant of leek, green bean, tomatoes and whole wheat pasta.

I have squashes just about ready to eat as well, which is great for soup and muffin combos. 

Still trying to work out what to cook first from the FoK cookbook. It took ages to get here.


----------



## Teddy-dog

Made the sweet potato Dahl from Bosh tonight. SO yummy!! Definitely making it again sometime.


----------



## O2.0

Teddy-dog said:


> View attachment 369536
> 
> 
> Made the sweet potato Dahl from Bosh tonight. SO yummy!! Definitely making it again sometime.


I love sweet potatoes this time of year! I'm throwing them in everything!


----------



## Elles

I gave my son a vegan strawberry and banana yogurt and had to get the box to prove to him it really was dairy free.  He likes yogurts, so he’s pleased there are genuine alternatives to dairy. I think the marketing is more intelligent. Instead of promoting things as vegan (just for weirdos) it’s being promoted as free from, or dairy free alternative, or plant power, that kind of thing. I think it helps to move people in the right direction, so long we don’t make ourselves ill eating rubbish.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Alpro now do a “no added sugar” fruit yoghurt which I bought yesterday to try.

If they taste as good as the normal Alpro ones, I’ll swap them 

They are half the points on my Weight Watchers app.


----------



## Jonescat

Tonight's tea was Ethiopian lentil stew and Ethiopian green beans and potatoes, with black eye peas subbed in for the lentils, and kale. I love the berbere spice mix, worked very well with the peas. There is quite a lot of it left so I guess I will be having an Ethiopian week 

https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.c...reen-beans-and-potatoes-yataklete-kilkil.html


----------



## O2.0

Jonescat said:


> Tonight's tea was Ethiopian lentil stew and Ethiopian green beans and potatoes, with black eye peas subbed in for the lentils, and kale. I love the berbere spice mix, worked very well with the peas. There is quite a lot of it left so I guess I will be having an Ethiopian week
> 
> https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.c...reen-beans-and-potatoes-yataklete-kilkil.html
> 
> View attachment 369651


I love black eyed peas!


----------



## Boxer123

I've got a stinky cold so tonight I made an extra hot lentil chilli to try and get rid of the cold. Served with a jacket spud.


----------



## O2.0

Boxer123 said:


> I've got a stinky cold so tonight I made an extra hot lentil chilli to try and get rid of the cold. Served with a jacket spud.


I'm a big believer in garlic to cure all ills 

I've been on a smoothie kick in the mornings. Spinach, flaxseed meal, orange, mango, strawberries, blueberries... whatever frozen and fresh fruit I have laying around. 
Dr. Greger says you need a tablespoon of flaxseed every day and this has been a good way to get that in and lots of good vitamin C and antioxidants for avoiding the sniffles. Watch me get sick now LOL!


----------



## Boxer123

O2.0 said:


> I'm a big believer in garlic to cure all ills
> 
> I've been on a smoothie kick in the mornings. Spinach, flaxseed meal, orange, mango, strawberries, blueberries... whatever frozen and fresh fruit I have laying around.
> Dr. Greger says you need a tablespoon of flaxseed every day and this has been a good way to get that in and lots of good vitamin C and antioxidants for avoiding the sniffles. Watch me get sick now LOL!


I need something I feel grotty I think I knocked the immune system when I did the ultra. I believe chilli cures all my hubby was sweating and grumbling but I love it!


----------



## Cleo38

Jonescat said:


> Tonight's tea was Ethiopian lentil stew and Ethiopian green beans and potatoes, with black eye peas subbed in for the lentils, and kale. I love the berbere spice mix, worked very well with the peas. There is quite a lot of it left so I guess I will be having an Ethiopian week
> 
> https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.c...reen-beans-and-potatoes-yataklete-kilkil.html
> 
> View attachment 369651


That looks lovely. I have eaten an Ethiopian dish nearly all week (with different vegetables & breads each day) & I'm still not sick of it. I think I'm addicted to that berbere spice mix


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> That looks lovely. I have eaten an Ethiopian dish nearly all week (with different vegetables & breads each day) & I'm still not sick of it. I think I'm addicted to that berbere spice mix


I'm another one who's convinced berbere spice mix is addictive as is Ethiopian food. In an effort to kick the habit last week I decided I was going to eat something different for a few days.

I made this with aubergines and tomatoes which I really enjoyed, especially the following lunchtime when I ate the remains tucked into a tortilla.

https://www.themediterraneandish.com/braised-eggplant-recipe-greek-style/
. 
The next dish I made was a stir fry using a packet of ready made Szechuan sauce. What a disaster because I didn't realise the sauce contained cornflour and my stir fry ended up as a glutinous inedible mess!

My third attempt was a mushroom bourguignon which called for a slosh of red wine which I duly applied only to find that the wine had turned to vinegar and no matter what I did removed the vinegary flavour, so unfortunately that ended up in the dustbin and I had vegan cheese on toast instead!

I'm now back to happily eating my Ethiopian, berbere spiced food again and thoroughly enjoying it! 
-


----------



## O2.0

I'm on a potato kick lately and have been making savory sweet potatoes. The last concoction I made was a little too spicy for my taste, but everyone else loves it, including two co-workers LOL!


----------



## Guest

O2.0 said:


> I'm on a potato kick lately and have been making savory sweet potatoes. The last concoction I made was a little too spicy for my taste, but everyone else loves it, including two co-workers LOL!


Sweet potatoes (we call them kumera here) are one of my favourite foods. How do you make your savory kumera?


----------



## O2.0

McKenzie said:


> Sweet potatoes (we call them kumera here) are one of my favourite foods. How do you make your savory kumera?


I wish I paid more attention, but basically I just throw stuff in the pot. 
This last batch, I cubed the sweet potatoes, added a small amount of water and cooked until they started to soften, then added chili spices, celery seed, canned tomatoes (no salt), an onion, and some leftover pureed veggies I had made for OH, oh and cooked garbanzo beans, and garlic, always garlic LOL. I think that's all. 
Basically it's potatoes, canned tomatoes (or salsa) onions, garlic, a bean, and whatever else is in the fridge you need to get rid of 

I've also made them with quinoa which I really like too.


----------



## Matrod

@rottiepointerhouse tagging you again to let you know it's vegan week on the bake off next week.


----------



## 3dogs2cats

Matrod said:


> @rottiepointerhouse tagging you again to let you know it's vegan week on the bake off next week.


Oh imteresting I don't normally watch bake off but will look out for it next week, I've always enjoyed baking for events and much prefer to supply vegan cakes and bakes if I can so will be interested in this.


----------



## Guest

O2.0 said:


> I wish I paid more attention, but basically I just throw stuff in the pot.
> This last batch, I cubed the sweet potatoes, added a small amount of water and cooked until they started to soften, then added chili spices, celery seed, canned tomatoes (no salt), an onion, and some leftover pureed veggies I had made for OH, oh and cooked garbanzo beans, and garlic, always garlic LOL. I think that's all.
> Basically it's potatoes, canned tomatoes (or salsa) onions, garlic, a bean, and whatever else is in the fridge you need to get rid of
> 
> I've also made them with quinoa which I really like too.












Totally yum! I ate far too much of it!


----------



## Lurcherlad

3dogs2cats said:


> Oh imteresting I don't normally watch bake off but will look out for it next week, I've always enjoyed baking for events and much prefer to supply vegan cakes and bakes if I can so will be interested in this.


Be nice if cafes and other outlets made a little bit of effort to have a vegan option on their menu.

OH can tuck into a coffee and cake if we go out while the best I can end up with is coffee and a bag of plain crisps!


----------



## O2.0

McKenzie said:


> View attachment 370692
> 
> 
> Totally yum! I ate far too much of it!


Looks delicious! Glad my lack of recipe worked


----------



## Cleo38

Magyarmum said:


> I'm another one who's convinced berbere spice mix is addictive as is Ethiopian food. In an effort to kick the habit last week I decided I was going to eat something different for a few days.
> 
> I made this with aubergines and tomatoes which I really enjoyed, especially the following lunchtime when I ate the remains tucked into a tortilla.
> 
> The next dish I made was a stir fry using a packet of ready made Szechuan sauce. What a disaster because I didn't realise the sauce contained cornflour and my stir fry ended up as a glutinous inedible mess!
> 
> My third attempt was a mushroom bourguignon which called for a slosh of red wine which I duly applied only to find that the wine had turned to vinegar and no matter what I did removed the vinegary flavour, so unfortunately that ended up in the dustbin and I had vegan cheese on toast instead!
> 
> I'm now back to happily eating my Ethiopian, berbere spiced food again and thoroughly enjoying it!
> -


Oh no, a disappointing dinner is very upsetting!!

That aubergine dish looks lovely, I've saved the link & will make this when I get some aubergines in.

Am going away for a week with the dogs on Saturday & am taking a few of the Ethiopian dishes I made then put in the freezer. I really don't want to be cooking too much once I'm there or taking loads of stuff with me so ready made stuff seems the best option. At the weekend I needed a really quick lunch so made myself vegan cheese on toast with (a small amount) of berbere spice sprinkled on top ..... even that was lovely!

My sister lives down south & there is a lovely Ethiopian restaurant in Brighton that we are definitely going to visit next year. I think next year I need to make more of an effort going out to restaurants sampling all different foods


----------



## catz4m8z

totally craving Dominos tonight..... why dont they do vegan pizza yet!!? why!!? why!!? why??!rowning


----------



## Cleo38

catz4m8z said:


> totally craving Dominos tonight..... why dont they do vegan pizza yet!!? why!!? why!!? why??!rowning


I've never had a pizza from there but I saw on a FB group that Asda now do their own fresh vegan pizzas. And at £3.50 (or something like that) for a large-ish one that's not bad. I am going to treat myself to one soon as the Tesco Wicked Kitchen ones, whilst nice, are quite small.


----------



## 3dogs2cats

catz4m8z said:


> totally craving Dominos tonight..... why dont they do vegan pizza yet!!? why!!? why!!? why??!rowning


I though Dominos did vegan pizza? I must be getting confused with another pizza company. Good job I haven`t just tried to convince a meat/Dairy eater to give the vegan pizza at Dominos a go! Very good if Asda are offering vegan variety, Its small things like not being able to get a pizza on the way home on a Friday night that can put some people off the idea they could ever stop eating dairy.


----------



## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> totally craving Dominos tonight..... why dont they do vegan pizza yet!!? why!!? why!!? why??!rowning


Dominos here do vegan pizza!


----------



## catz4m8z

McKenzie said:


> Dominos here do vegan pizza!


They just trialed it in september in 43 stores....mainly the major cities though.
Its even more frustrating when you know its out there but not in your store!LOL:Shy


----------



## Teddy-dog

catz4m8z said:


> They just trialed it in september in 43 stores....mainly the major cities though.
> Its even more frustrating when you know its out there but not in your store!LOL:Shy


I was just gonna say it's in some stores.... don't you have another pizza place that does vegan?? We have a local takeaway that caters for vegans and it's yummy!


----------



## O2.0

Another sweet potato mash-up yesterday that will be lunch today and I actually paid attention to what I was doing  

2 sweet potatoes, cubed
1 red onion
2 or 3 good handfuls of sliced white mushrooms
2 bell peppers, one red, one yellow
1 can unsalted diced tomatoes

Dry fry the onions until slightly brown, add tomatoes, a little bit of water, potatoes. Let the potatoes almost soften, add the rest of the veggies, cook until desired texture. (I like my potatoes very soft). 

Spices I went crazy since this was just for me and my daughter who has the same taste as me  
In no particular order or amounts....
Garlic (a lot, of course) 
curry powder
cumin
turmeric
celery seed 
Salt


----------



## Teddy-dog

Hi guys.
What ‘vegan’ (for want of a better word) documentaries do you guys recommend? Ones based on proper scientific fact about health, environment or the animals. 

Someone I know is wanting to find out much. They’ve watched Cowspiracy but I know that’s a bit sensationist and think it has some real facts in but also some over inflated facts?


----------



## O2.0

Teddy-dog said:


> Hi guys.
> What 'vegan' (for want of a better word) documentaries do you guys recommend? Ones based on proper scientific fact about health, environment or the animals.
> 
> Someone I know is wanting to find out much. They've watched Cowspiracy but I know that's a bit sensationist and think it has some real facts in but also some over inflated facts?


The one that I always recommend is Forks over Knives. Last I checked available on Netflix. It's not sensationalist and the website has links to back up all the claims made in the documentary. 
I also really liked What the Health, also with links, also not too heavy on shock-value footage.

Those two to me are the best introductory films.


----------



## Cleo38

Teddy-dog said:


> Hi guys.
> What 'vegan' (for want of a better word) documentaries do you guys recommend? Ones based on proper scientific fact about health, environment or the animals.
> 
> Someone I know is wanting to find out much. They've watched Cowspiracy but I know that's a bit sensationist and think it has some real facts in but also some over inflated facts?


I've watched that & Forks Over Knives ... whilst interesting & they do raise a lot of valid points (& I don't doubt that a plant based diet is alot better than one made up of convenience, processed foods) I do find a lot of the 'science' is incorrect or taken out of context when reading further. Still, they are good starting points & you can always take notes as you watch them regarding statements or studies they quote that you may want to read more .... that's what I did anyway


----------



## Jonescat

This is potato and courgette in tomato and cinnamon sauce, accompanied by butter beans, squash and spinach with fennel seeds.










I watched the bake off vegan week last night and had to laugh at Paul's dinosaur attitudes. Prue seems to have a much more open and global palette. I know pastry's bad but some of those tartlets looked heavenly (although you can keep the pavlova - never really liked with meringue so not starting with it now!)


----------



## Magyarmum

Jonescat said:


> This is potato and courgette in tomato and cinnamon sauce, accompanied by butter beans, squash and spinach with fennel seeds.
> 
> View attachment 371593
> 
> 
> I watched the bake off vegan week last night and had to laugh at Paul's dinosaur attitudes. Prue seems to have a much more open and global palette. I know pastry's bad but some of those tartlets looked heavenly (although you can keep the pavlova - never really liked with meringue so not starting with it now!)


That looks good, Can I ask if you do anything special with your butter beans? Over here although I can buy most type of beans either dry or tinned, butter beans aren't one of them. My grandson brought me 2 packets of Asda Dry Butter Beans when he came over last week and I'm now looking for something interesting to do with them.

Would you believe it for some reason there are no cauliflowers to be found in any of the shops and after their being missing for several weeks, brocolli, bok choy and kale are back on the shelves again! Strange because I've never noticed before?


----------



## Jonescat

@Magyarmum Those ones came out of a can from Lidl (best butter beans in the UK!!) but I do also cook from dry - soak in hot water for at least 1 hour, usually a bit longer in the pressure cooker with the lid on, drain and rinse, then pressure cook for about 15 -20 mins.

They make exceedingly good and very smooth hummous, and are great in big stews. The dished above was a roasted onion squash chopped up and swished around in a little stock and fennel, then add the beans, then add the spinach. Greek style is good too
https://www.olivetomato.com/tender-greek-roasted-beans-in-tomato-sauce-gigantes-plaki/

For reasons I can't really explain, I don't usually put hot spices with them, they just seem to go better with a ton of herbs or garlic.


----------



## O2.0

More savory sweet potatoes  This time I added smoked paprika as well as cumin, turmeric, curry spice, and celery seed. It smells amazing!
I've shared this lunch (or variations of it) with 2 co-workers, and now a third wants to try, so I'll be taking lunch for three other people tomorrow (out today because of Hurricaine Michael). I love sharing WFPB eating with others, and showing them how tasty and filling healthy eating can be. This stew is chock-full of antioxidants, fiber rich, and of course all those good phyto-nutrients, vitamins and minerals that just make you feel good.


----------



## O2.0

Dr. Greger article:

https://nutritionfacts.org/2018/10/11/meat-industry-response-to-meat-being-labeled-carcinogenic/

I don't know about the UK, but colo-rectal cancers are rampant here. Seems like every day someone else is diagnosed. I do think the fiber deficiency in the Standard American diet is in large part to blame, but we also eat far too much processed meats - often touted as healthier options too. Apparently a turkey (deli meat) sandwich is "healthier" than a hamburger. But the turkey meat is highly processed and preserved....


----------



## Magyarmum

Whilst I was looking for something else, I saw this which I think you all might find funny!


----------



## O2.0

Magyarmum said:


> Whilst I was looking for something else, I saw this which I think you all might find funny!


That's awesome  
I saw one the other day something about you feed your kid hot dogs made with god knows what, and no one bats an eye, but feed your kid a vegan quinoa dish and people loose their shit. Story of my life LOL

I have two active, fit, healthy kids and not a week goes by without someone asking me (often the same person asking again) if I don't worry about them getting enough nutrients. 
No, I worry when they eat fast food instead of eating at home.

Interestingly, as older teens with more freedom to eat what and where they choose, they've both started noticing that they don't feel as good when they eat out a lot.


----------



## Magyarmum

Jonescat said:


> @Magyarmum Those ones came out of a can from Lidl (best butter beans in the UK!!) but I do also cook from dry - soak in hot water for at least 1 hour, usually a bit longer in the pressure cooker with the lid on, drain and rinse, then pressure cook for about 15 -20 mins.
> 
> They make exceedingly good and very smooth hummous, and are great in big stews. The dished above was a roasted onion squash chopped up and swished around in a little stock and fennel, then add the beans, then add the spinach. Greek style is good too
> https://www.olivetomato.com/tender-greek-roasted-beans-in-tomato-sauce-gigantes-plaki/
> 
> For reasons I can't really explain, I don't usually put hot spices with them, they just seem to go better with a ton of herbs or garlic.


I made your Gigantes Plaki recipe yesterday which I had with with roast cremini mushrooms, brocolli, bok choy and tiny potatoes from my garden. Delicious! There was just enough of the beans and tomatoes to go into a taco topped with vegan cheddar cheese and warmed in the microwave for lunch today. Tonight I've made a barley lentil, white haricot bean and vegetable, cumin stew which I hope will taste as good as it smells

I've now got to decide what to cook for when my Granddaughter arrives on Wednesday. A toss up between the Gigantes Plaki and the Ethiopian Lentil stew which her brother loved when he was over last week. And as between us we finished eating my stock of homemade naan, yesterday I made some more - thank goodness they freeze well and if you make them small enough they fit in the toaster to reheat.

Saturday we.re off to Poland for the weekend and I've asked for vegetarian dinners at the hotel where we're staying so it'll be interesting to find out what Polish vegetarian food is like, although I wouldn't be surprised if I'm served an Italian pasta dish!


----------



## Guest

I had a really yummy (and quick) salad for dinner this evening - black beans, avocado, tomato and cucumber. I had a huge bowl of it and it was delicious!


----------



## Guest

Pad Thai noodles with green, butter and endamine beans, avocado, and satay sauce tonight :Smug


----------



## Magyarmum

Saw this today for those of you living in the UK

https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/...utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_term=

https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/..._source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_term=&ut


----------



## catz4m8z

Magyarmum said:


> Saw this today for those of you living in the UK
> 
> https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/...utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_term=
> 
> https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/..._source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_term=&ut


As somebody says in the comments its actually finding a local store that stocks this stuff thats the problem. I got excited to find out Iceland was doing a much bigger vegan range, went down my local store and its the same half a freezer of Linda McCartney sausages as they always have!

Ive been really craving meat and cheese lately but I think its coz my diet is so crap in general....mainly starchy carbs and pick n mix!:Shy 
I never remember to take my supplements either but I think Ive cracked that problem. I just put them next to the dogs tablets! Whilst I never remember for me I never forget to give them their supplements!LOL:Hilarious
Trying to do better though. Made a big vat of soup (cabbage, spinach, lentil, potato and onion) and also some colcannon for tea....which mostly gets rid of the huge green cabbage that was going off in the fridge. Now I have lots of cauliflower and sweet potatoes left which screams curry to me.


----------



## Wild With Roxi

Teddy-dog said:


> Hi guys.
> What 'vegan' (for want of a better word) documentaries do you guys recommend? Ones based on proper scientific fact about health, environment or the animals.
> 
> Someone I know is wanting to find out much. They've watched Cowspiracy but I know that's a bit sensationist and think it has some real facts in but also some over inflated facts?


The Land of Hope and Glory,What the Health,Dominion


----------



## Wild With Roxi

I just had Spiced Chickpeas, basically a bunch of chickpeas baked in the oven with a bunch of spices 
They were so good! And a small handful filled me up for the night. They remind me of a mock meat or something,I think it's the flavour of the spices with the chickpeas!


----------



## Wild With Roxi

I also started eating toast with almond butter and banana for lunch the past few days - it's unbelievably tasty and filling!


----------



## Wild With Roxi

last but not least, my best friend who is a meat eater currently, told me on sunday she is becoming veggie and if she could have decent vegan donuts she'd be vegan right away. I'm soooooo happy  We're bringing vegan donuts from a "normal" donut place that has a few vegan donuts too when we visit tomorrow too see if they would work  If so, she'll become vegan. The suspense will be real..haha


----------



## Teddy-dog

Wild With Roxi said:


> last but not least, my best friend who is a meat eater currently, told me on sunday she is becoming veggie and if she could have decent vegan donuts she'd be vegan right away. I'm soooooo happy  We're bringing vegan donuts from a "normal" donut place that has a few vegan donuts too when we visit tomorrow too see if they would work  If so, she'll become vegan. The suspense will be real..haha


The normal doughnuts from Co-op are vegan too..


----------



## catz4m8z

Teddy-dog said:


> The normal doughnuts from Co-op are vegan too..


TBF the majority of regular jammie doughnuts are vegan (I should know....Ive eaten enough of them!!LOL).


----------



## O2.0

There are so many vegan options out there now, even things not specifically labeled vegan often are. 

Just a caution though to anyone going vegan for health reasons in addition to ethical ones, not all vegan food is healthy  
I do love some vegan B&J ice cream from time to time, but the fat and sugar content messes with my stomach.


----------



## Wild With Roxi

She loves the donuts!! Yayyy! 

Also, Thanks for the info


----------



## Magyarmum

My granddaughter is here at the moment and this afternoon she made what smells like a yummy vegan apple and walnut cake. Can't wait to taste it!

Yesterday we got back from a 3 day bus trip to Krakow, Poland. I'd ordered vegetarian dinners at the hotel. The first night had a spicy tomato vegetable soup followed by green pesto pasta and salad. The second night thick peas soup with toasted chickpeas, and pancakes stuffed with spinach and mozzarella. All surprisingly good as were the breakfasts which was a buffet with lots of salads and cereals as well as all the other things you normally expect! 

I also had a very nice lunch on the way back as my granddaughter and I decided to share a plate of chips, a mixed salad and pierogi stuffed with mushroom and spinach.


----------



## Jonescat

This is not a wfpb cake but it has no animal products at all in it - old style vegan. It was modelled on a Black Forest Gateau so lashing of cherries, kirsch and chocolate  
















I will be returning to making sensible food today - pumpkin soup for lunch


----------



## Wild With Roxi

Delish!! I want:Hungry


----------



## Britt

I wish I'd live in the UK. Being vegan here isn't easy, most supermarkets don't sell vegan food. Organic stores do but everything is super expensive. Now that I'm retired money is an issue and I eat mostly puréed veggies, home made soups, Ezekiel bread with veggie spread ... I have a lot of catching up to do. I will read every single post in this section looking for ideas.


----------



## Cleo38

Oh that looks lovely @Jonescat !! I hadn't had cake for ages until a friend & I went to a lovely new vegan cafe in Ely a few weeks ago. All the food was amazing but the cake (chocolate & peanut butter) was particularly gorgeous .... am still remembering every mouthful! :Joyful


----------



## O2.0

Britt said:


> I wish I'd live in the UK. Being vegan here isn't easy, most supermarkets don't sell vegan food. Organic stores do but everything is super expensive. Now that I'm retired money is an issue and I eat mostly puréed veggies, home made soups, Ezekiel bread with veggie spread ... I have a lot of catching up to do. I will read every single post in this section looking for ideas.


Where are you Britt? 
You mention Ezekiel bread which is in the US, I'm in the US too and find I spend WAY less than my friends on groceries. You don't have to buy things labeled vegan, just shop the produce isle and the bulk section


----------



## Britt

O2.0 said:


> Where are you Britt?
> You mention Ezekiel bread which is in the US, I'm in the US too and find I spend WAY less than my friends on groceries. You don't have to buy things labeled vegan, just shop the produce isle and the bulk section


I'm in Belgium and order Ezekiel online (website based in Wales).


----------



## Magyarmum

Britt said:


> I wish I'd live in the UK. Being vegan here isn't easy, most supermarkets don't sell vegan food. Organic stores do but everything is super expensive. Now that I'm retired money is an issue and I eat mostly puréed veggies, home made soups, Ezekiel bread with veggie spread ... I have a lot of catching up to do. I will read every single post in this section looking for ideas.


Hi Britt I know the problem as here in Hungary there are very few supermarkets that sell vegan foods and apart from Tesco where the ingredients are given in English, the others are usually in Polish, German or Hungarian which makes reading labels extremely difficult!

Because I was getting disheartened with the difficulties presented being vegan, rather than give up entirely I decided to compromise and be a vegetarian instead which has made life so much easier. The only time I have dairy products are when I'm out, if there's no alternative - at home I rarely eat eggs, cheese, butter or drink milk. I've also found I don't like most of the prepared vegan "pretend meat" , such as sausages or cold cuts, especially as most of them are made with soya, which doesn't agree with me. I buy loads of veggies, and have a good stock of various grains, beans and lentils and variety of herbs and spices. If I'm not sure what I want to prepare I'll spend some time googling recipes for the ingredients I have, looking for inspiration and I've often come up with some really delicious recipes!

Good luck!


----------



## O2.0

I'm not 100% vegan in that while I don't intentionally eat any animal products, I'm sure animal products sometimes sneak in to what I eat especially when I eat out or when I'm eating food friends offer. For example yesterday, I ate lunch with a friend at a lovely Mexican (real Mexican, not Tex-mex) restaurant and had a black bean burrito. I made sure there was no cheese, but the black beans could have had chicken broth - they didn't taste like they did, but I don't know 100% for sure. 

But with what I buy and prepare at home, it is very easy (and inexpensive) to stay vegan. 
Basically all I buy is either produce, or bulk items. Fruits, veggies, beans, and grains. One ingredient items. In the last year or so, I've gotten to where pretty much everything we eat is from scratch. 
Milk is cashew milk - cashews, dates, water thrown in the blender, you don't even need a high speed blender if you soak the cashews first. And raw cashews you can get online. 

We do still buy some prepared items like tortilla chips, bread (Ezekiel or another brand - Dave's Killer Bread) that aren't labeled vegan, but a quick peruse of the ingredients shows they are. 

Today's meal was a savory sweet potato stew with pumpkin and squash and garbanzos - perfect for a blustery gray day like we're having


----------



## Matrod

I got a squash box the other day, it really is a thing of beauty. Can't wait to get stuck into this lot. I really love this time of year with all the autumnal & winter veggies.


----------



## O2.0

Matrod said:


> I got a squash box the other day, it really is a thing of beauty. Can't wait to get stuck into this lot. I really love this time of year with all the autumnal & winter veggies.
> 
> View attachment 373889


Gorgeous!!


----------



## Britt

Wild With Roxi said:


> I also started eating toast with almond butter and banana for lunch the past few days - it's unbelievably tasty and filling!


Gonna try that tomorrow.

I usually eat soup with vegan cheese on Ezekiel bread now that days are colder.


----------



## O2.0

When it's hot a frozen fruit smoothie with pumpkin seeds, flax and spinach is my breakfast. 
Now that it has finally cooled off I'm on an oatmeal kick. Rolled oats, spices, flax, and berries - yum!


----------



## Wild With Roxi

It'


Britt said:


> Gonna try that tomorrow.
> 
> I usually eat soup with vegan cheese on Ezekiel bread now that days are colder.


My Mom told me to try it, so I did. And it was amazing! 
Awesome, that sounds really good


----------



## O2.0

Britt said:


> I usually eat soup with vegan cheese on Ezekiel bread now that days are colder.


Have you tried hummus instead of vegan cheese (since you say vegan options are hard to come by). 
Hummus is super easy to make at home, and you can flavor it however you like  
I also use garbanzo beans with nutritional yeast to make a "cheese" type sauce which we pour over pasta or veggies. My kids love it.


----------



## Sandysmum

It's taken a long time for me to decide to stop eating meat, even though for the past year or so I've not beeen able to touch raw meat with my bare hands. I've also realised that part of the reason is I've been eating the same things just out of habit, not coz I actually liked them. It's strange how when you're brought up having some kind of meat, no matter how cheap, in your main meals then it becomes the normal thing to do without even thinking about it. So, things are changing, but I'm not a good cook and for the moment I'm relying a bit on ready meals , but I'm sure that's going to change to. Veggie ready meals !! I didn't even know they existed before last week. 
It's quite exciting really learning about all this new (to me anyway) stuff, and I'm not missing meat. The one thing I am missing is quick things to put in a sandwich so any suggestions would be appreciated.


----------



## O2.0

jetsmum said:


> It's taken a long time for me to decide to stop eating meat, even though for the past year or so I've not beeen able to touch raw meat with my bare hands. I've also realised that part of the reason is I've been eating the same things just out of habit, not coz I actually liked them. It's strange how when you're brought up having some kind of meat, no matter how cheap, in your main meals then it becomes the normal thing to do without even thinking about it. So, things are changing, but I'm not a good cook and for the moment I'm relying a bit on ready meals , but I'm sure that's going to change to. Veggie ready meals !! I didn't even know they existed before last week.
> It's quite exciting really learning about all this new (to me anyway) stuff, and I'm not missing meat. The one thing I am missing is quick things to put in a sandwich so any suggestions would be appreciated.


I make veggie patties out of beans, spices and whatever other concoctions I have in the fridge, and the kids stuff them in sandwiches for a quick snack. 
Easier is make your own hummus, then throw in whatever veggies sound good to you. 
My daughter makes hummus, avocado, tomato and spinach leaves with black pepper. Loves it. 
And then the classic nut butter combinations too. Peanut butter and jams/marmalade, or fruit.


----------



## Sandysmum

O2.0 said:


> I make veggie patties out of beans, spices and whatever other concoctions I have in the fridge, and the kids stuff them in sandwiches for a quick snack.
> Easier is make your own hummus, then throw in whatever veggies sound good to you.
> My daughter makes hummus, avocado, tomato and spinach leaves with black pepper. Loves it.
> And then the classic nut butter combinations too. Peanut butter and jams/marmalade, or fruit.


Thanks for the reply. I'm trying to cut back on my sugar intake too, so jams etc aren't something I want to have on a reguar basis, and I don't like peanuts. Tbh I was hoping there would be some kind of cooked meat substitute, but I've not been able to find anything yet.


----------



## O2.0

jetsmum said:


> Thanks for the reply. I'm trying to cut back on my sugar intake too, so jams etc aren't something I want to have on a reguar basis, and I don't like peanuts. Tbh I was hoping there would be some kind of cooked meat substitute, but I've not been able to find anything yet.


You don't have to use sugar-laden jams, just mash up a banana or slice up some strawberries  
You don't have to use peanut butter, I really like almond butter or cashew butter too.

And of course hummus is sugar-free. It's really good on sandwiches with veggies and greens


----------



## Puddy2shoes

jetsmum said:


> Thanks for the reply. I'm trying to cut back on my sugar intake too, so jams etc aren't something I want to have on a reguar basis, and I don't like peanuts. Tbh I was hoping there would be some kind of cooked meat substitute, but I've not been able to find anything yet.


Hi jetsmum, I use St.Dalfour jams and marmalade, it has no added sugar and doesn't contain sweetners either, they use grape juice as the sweetener, it's not cheap though, about £2.00 for a not very big jar, I get mine from Tesco but it's widely available, the orange and ginger marmalade is gorgeous....


----------



## Lurcherlad

Alpro now do a no added sugar fruit yoghurt - 2 flavours I’ve found - blueberry(?) and mango. Love the mango one and you can taste the difference. Much nicer than the usual (oversweet imo) normal ones.

2 points on WW instead of 4/5 for the normal ones


----------



## Puddy2shoes

Lurcherlad said:


> Alpro now do a no added sugar fruit yoghurt - 2 flavours I've found - blueberry(?) and mango. Love the mango one and you can taste the difference. Much nicer than the usual (oversweet imo) normal ones.
> 
> 2 points on WW instead of 4/5 for the normal ones


A family member is vegan and i'll tell him about this, the mango one sounds lovely, thankyou.


----------



## catz4m8z

jetsmum said:


> Tbh I was hoping there would be some kind of cooked meat substitute, but I've not been able to find anything yet.


I think the only substitute for cooked meat would be the fake meats! Probably not as healthy as some other options though but the Quorn ham slices arenice, I also like the smoked Tofurkey you can get. Although Im also a big fan of black beans made into a pate with bits of salad veg....can be abit messy if you over fill (which I always do!LOL) but its really nice.

Just made up a giant vat of veggie soup with added chickpeas. I had to add the chickpeas after the other foodie thread on here was slating them and it just gave me a craving! I'll probably be eating soup for the next several days but TBH Im fine with that!


----------



## O2.0

jetsmum said:


> Tbh I was hoping there would be some kind of cooked meat substitute, but I've not been able to find anything yet.


I was young when I stopped eating meat so I'm not a good judge on what textures "feel" like meat, but according to other, mushrooms can add a meaty texture to veggie patties, stews, and sauces like pasta sauce. 
I've also seen walnuts and mushrooms combined together for a meaty-ish feel to a dish.

Bosh has some good ideas:
https://www.bosh.tv/


----------



## Jonescat

I really like the flavoured tofus in sandwiches - basil, "italian", olive and smoked for example.


----------



## Matrod

Puddy2shoes said:


> Hi jetsmum, I use St.Dalfour jams and marmalade, it has no added sugar and doesn't contain sweetners either, they use grape juice as the sweetener, it's not cheap though, about £2.00 for a not very big jar, I get mine from Tesco but it's widely available, the orange and ginger marmalade is gorgeous....


I love their jams, the orange & ginger one is my absolute favourite.


----------



## Matrod

For anyone looking for a yogurt alternative coconut collaborative yogurts are amazing, there are quite expensive though for what you get.

Rodney used to go mad for them too, I was faced with this every time I had one....


----------



## Puddy2shoes

Matrod said:


> I love their jams, the orange & ginger one is my absolute favourite.


Hi Matrod, yes, I could never eat the heavily laden sugar ones again, just the thought of them gives me toothache even where I have no teeth...someone I know who said they hated ginger is now addicted to this marmalade.....I never knowingly eat anything with artificial sweeteners in, they can leave a nasty aftertaste...I like the strawberry and raspberry ones of this make too..


----------



## Magyarmum

O2.0 said:


> I was young when I stopped eating meat so I'm not a good judge on what textures "feel" like meat, but according to other, mushrooms can add a meaty texture to veggie patties, stews, and sauces like pasta sauce.
> I've also seen walnuts and mushrooms combined together for a meaty-ish feel to a dish.
> 
> Bosh has some good ideas:
> https://www.bosh.tv/


It's only since I became a vegetarian that I've begun to like mushrooms and appreciate how versatile they are particularly the large Portobello ones.

Sliced and tossed in oil and z'atar then either grilled or baked in the oven they're lovely with homemade oven chips and a salad. Cut up into bite sized chunks and cooked in red wine and veggie stock plus some Marmite and sour cream makes a very acceptable "beef strogonoff"

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/60923/portobello-mushroom-stroganoff/

Thin slices of marinated eggplant or courgette make a good imitation "bacon" and are really nice in a BLT sandwich

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a55771/eggplant-bacon-recipe/

Yesterday I bought some Radicchio - I've never had it before. Has anyone got any ideas for recipes that aren't salad?


----------



## catz4m8z

Magyarmum said:


> It's only since I became a vegetarian that I've begun to like mushrooms and appreciate how versatile they are particularly the large Portobello ones.


Mushrooms are one of those foods like peppers that I really wished I liked coz they seem to be part of so many recipes. I just cant make myself like the tastes though! I seem to do alot of substituting though in things.
No idea about raddichio...I thought it was just a salad item.

Just made an apple cinnamon cake today and added sugar as I thought I should and have now realiesed that I probably would have preferred it without the sugar. ah well, next time...no sugar. (I always put courgettes in cakes though, Ive gotten used to them!LOL).
@O2.0 has made me fancy bean patties now as well so tomorrow I'll be whipping up some black bean ones with some biscuits I think.


----------



## Puddy2shoes

Magyarmum said:


> It's only since I became a vegetarian that I've begun to like mushrooms and appreciate how versatile they are particularly the large Portobello ones.
> 
> Sliced and tossed in oil and z'atar then either grilled or baked in the oven they're lovely with homemade oven chips and a salad. Cut up into bite sized chunks and cooked in red wine and veggie stock plus some Marmite and sour cream makes a very acceptable "beef strogonoff"
> 
> https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/60923/portobello-mushroom-stroganoff/
> 
> Thin slices of marinated eggplant or courgette make a good imitation "bacon" and are really nice in a BLT sandwich
> 
> https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a55771/eggplant-bacon-recipe/
> 
> Yesterday I bought some Radicchio - I've never had it before. Has anyone got any ideas for recipes that aren't salad?


Hi Magyarmum, I just googled 'can you cook radicchio' and some ideas came up about roasting & frying it, apparently it becomes mellow in taste. after cooking, I don't know if this is suggested in any of the recipes but as i'm writing this kikkoman soy sauce popped in my head, I love this brand, no nasty ingredients like other makes have, I sprinkle this liberally into bowls of rice, noodles etc., looking forward to hearing what you did and how it tasted...


----------



## catz4m8z

Anybody got any tips for helping burgers/patties stick together??
Mine are always abit hit and miss and I still havent worked out the secret ingredient to get the right consistency. My last lot (black bean and sweet potato with sesame seed coating) are tasty but I dont feel like Ive cracked it yet!


----------



## O2.0

catz4m8z said:


> Anybody got any tips for helping burgers/patties stick together??
> Mine are always abit hit and miss and I still havent worked out the secret ingredient to get the right consistency. My last lot (black bean and sweet potato with sesame seed coating) are tasty but I dont feel like Ive cracked it yet!


Flaxseed meal with a bit of water has a binding quality like eggs. 
I usually add about a quarter cup to any batch of veggie burgers, but I make big batches


----------



## Matrod

catz4m8z said:


> Anybody got any tips for helping burgers/patties stick together??
> Mine are always abit hit and miss and I still havent worked out the secret ingredient to get the right consistency. My last lot (black bean and sweet potato with sesame seed coating) are tasty but I dont feel like Ive cracked it yet!


I use chia seeds, once they've swelled they work really well.


----------



## Cleo38

Thought I would have a go at making some aquafaba meringues last night but I don't think I have the right mixer as the consistency just wouldn't get thick enough.
But so as not to waste it I thought I'd use it for something else so chucked some oats in, some maple syrup, chopped nuts, some seeds & some chopped dried fruit then mixed it all up.
Added the mixture to a muffin tin then baked .... not sure how long but they came out lovely. Nice & chewy like those rice crispy bar things.

Have eaten quite a few but am trying not to make too much of a pig of myself


----------



## Boxer123

Tofu and veg stir fry tonight hubby happy with veggie meals he spent 10 minutes talking to cows on a walk the other day then said he felt bad about eating them.


----------



## Cleo38

Dinner tonight had a middle eastern influence to it. Roasted veggies (butternut squash, courgette, peppers, onions, garlic, carrots & celery) with baharat spice mix. I then added them to some cous cous & mixed in a tin of kidney beans ,& chick peas along with some chopped chillies. 
Mmmmm, lovely & plenty left over for tomorrow


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> Dinner tonight had a middle eastern influence to it. Roasted veggies (butternut squash, courgette, peppers, onions, garlic, carrots & celery) with baharat spice mix. I then added them to some cous cous & mixed in a tin of kidney beans ,& chick peas along with some chopped chillies.
> Mmmmm, lovely & plenty left over for tomorrow


Knowing how much you like spicy food, I've got another spice mix for you to try! It's Panch Phoran (Indian Five Spice Mix). You can either make it yourself, or I think Tesco sell it.

https://www.daringgourmet.com/

I made this the other night and very nice it was too!

https://www.veganricha.com/2016/05/bengali-mixed-veggies-charchari-recipe.html


----------



## Jonescat

That cauliflower looks really good 

This is Moroccan carrot soup with chermoula, except that I subbed the carrots for a medium roast squash. It was really good, and came out very thick, but you could add more water or stock. Chermoula is essentially pesto made with coriander and no cheese, and I added a bit of cayenne as well as the paprika in the recipe because I like heat.










The recipe comes from a Paul Gayler book but I also found it online here
http://www.friendsofmorocco.org/Food/CarrotSoup.htm

and these are the seeds about to be roasted


----------



## Sacrechat

*Socca flatbread*

*Ingredients (makes 1 thick or 2 thin flatbreads)*

130g Chickpea Flour (gram flour)
250ml Water
50ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Pinch of Salt

Filling:

Pesto (Choose from Green or Red)

*Instructions*

Make the batter by whisking all the ingredients together in a bowl (except the Pesto…) then let it rest for at least 30 minutes and up to a couple of hours.

Heat up your grill and put a 25cm frying pan under the grill to warm. Add a little oil to give the base of the pan a nice coat. Whisk the batter again and pour into the hot pan. (If you want two thin Flatbreads, pour only half the batter into the pan, if you want one thick Flatbread, use all the batter).

Make sure the pan is evenly coated with batter (think French pancake) and place under the grill for 3-5 minutes until the top begins to brown and blister.

You know it's done when the edges are crispy but the middle is still soft.

Slip the Flatbread from the pan and onto a nice serving board and spread your chosen Pesto over the top. Cut into wedges and serve with a green salad

*Note*

Socca can be used in place of a wrap or as gluten free pizza base.

For added flavour just add to the Socca batter before cooking: chopped fresh herbs, garlic or spices like chilli, cumin, smoked paprika, sumac or za'atar.


----------



## Cleo38

Thanks so much for that @Magyarmum, have just ordered some. That cauliflour dish looks lovely, am going to try that when I next buy a cauli. I saw a recipe for a whole roasted one the other day & it looked amazing ..... hahaha, if I'm not eating then I'm thinking about food or reading about it


----------



## Matrod

I love socca although I don’t put in any oil in it, I usually add tomatoes, mushrooms, chives & herbs to my mix & eat it with a load of hummus & salad leaves :Hungry


----------



## 3dogs2cats

Cleo38 said:


> Thanks so much for that @Magyarmum, have just ordered some. That cauliflour dish looks lovely, am going to try that when I next buy a cauli. I saw a recipe for a whole roasted one the other day & it looked amazing ..... hahaha, if I'm not eating then I'm thinking about food or reading about it


Was the cauliflower `stuffed` in the recipe you saw? There is what looks a lovely stuffed whole roasted cauliflower recipe on line somewhere, can`t remember where though! I know I gave it a go and no way could I get the core out of the cauli without breaking off the florets, that is just a skill I don`t possess!


----------



## Cleo38

3dogs2cats said:


> Was the cauliflower `stuffed` in the recipe you saw? There is what looks a lovely stuffed whole roasted cauliflower recipe on line somewhere, can`t remember where though! I know I gave it a go and no way could I get the core out of the cauli without breaking off the florets, that is just a skill I don`t possess!


It's this one ..... look so yummy!!!

https://tasty.co/recipe/whole-roast...X86Hz7B3SMmfM1baGtRh3JvKgAWpHXsapiIWP9_O0mA0w


----------



## 3dogs2cats

Cleo38 said:


> It's this one ..... look so yummy!!!
> 
> https://tasty.co/recipe/whole-roast...X86Hz7B3SMmfM1baGtRh3JvKgAWpHXsapiIWP9_O0mA0w


Yes that does look very nice, I think I could manage that recipe. This is the one I had a go at:

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/roasted-stuffed-cauliflower

There was no way I could the core out without it all breaking into florets!


----------



## Jonescat

I have just discovered a product called "ajvar" - a Balkan speciality that is basically red bell peppers roasted and pureed, and then with added oil, and flavourings like tomatoes, aubergine, salt etc. Mine has tomatoes. I am very excited about this. as apparently it often spread on bread, and I think it will make an amazing sandwich spread, and I think will be fairly easy to make now I know about it. It also reminded me of an old colleague, who left Hungary in 1959, and who often had a crusty roll and a red pepper for lunch. He said it reminded him of home.


----------



## Matrod

Dinner tonight was aubergine & soya mince fatteh with a tahini & coconut yogurt sauce, it was adapted from a nigella recipe. It looks a bit rank in the photo but it was very tasty.


----------



## Guest

I think I’ve developed an intolerance to almond milk  I’ve been having it on my weetbix every morning for most of the year but lately I’ve been feeling slightly nauseous a little while after breakfast. I’m swapping to oat milk to see if that helps but I really loved almond milk!


----------



## Magyarmum

Jonescat said:


> I have just discovered a product called "ajvar" - a Balkan speciality that is basically red bell peppers roasted and pureed, and then with added oil, and flavourings like tomatoes, aubergine, salt etc. Mine has tomatoes. I am very excited about this. as apparently it often spread on bread, and I think it will make an amazing sandwich spread, and I think will be fairly easy to make now I know about it. It also reminded me of an old colleague, who left Hungary in 1959, and who often had a crusty roll and a red pepper for lunch. He said it reminded him of home.


Ajvar is known as Zakuszka in Hungary and you can buy it ready made in the supermarket. Here's the recipe for it ...

http://kifoztuk.hu/receptek/item/zakuszka

Hungarians love their peppers with bread and cheese, ham or whatever for lunch and in most supermarkets you find "piknik" packs which consist of a couple of tomatoes and two or three peppers - which by the way aren't the bell peppers but the long ones like these ....


----------



## O2.0

McKenzie said:


> I think I've developed an intolerance to almond milk  I've been having it on my weetbix every morning for most of the year but lately I've been feeling slightly nauseous a little while after breakfast. I'm swapping to oat milk to see if that helps but I really loved almond milk!


I don't know how cheap/expensive cashews are in your neck of the woods, but I make cashew milk very easily - soak cashews (if you have a high speed blender you don't even need to soak), blend in water and done. I use 1/4 cup cashews to 1 cup water, which makes a pretty creamy milk (I use it in coffee) but add more/less water to taste. 
Add dates for sweetness if you like.


----------



## O2.0

Thought I would do a typical "what do you eat in a day" post for those newer to the thread or looking to add more vegan meals in to the day 

This is a fairly typical day for me. I added an extra meal just to give more ideas.

Bottom two are snacks - fruit and nuts. I snack on fruit throughout the day, the cookies are made with almonds, maple syrup, and vanilla extract (I counted them as my nuts  )
Bottom left is usual breakfast, I either make a smoothie or oatmeal and always add a tablespoon of ground flax seeds as per Dr. Greger's advice. Quick and easy way to make sure I get a daily dose of flax.
Middle is some sort of stew or soup. Winter I tend to eat stews, summer it's more likely a hearty salad. I always include a starch and a bean (or several). The one on the left is sweet potatoes, garbanzos, and tons of veggies. The one on the right is black beans, garbanzos, quinoa, sweet corn and more veggies.
Top is the grain and greens combination. I try to get another grain in at some point. This is whole grain pasta and broccoli with a spinach pesto sauce.

I'm not sure how close I get to Dr. Greger's daily dozen or Dr. Furhman's G-BOMBS, but this is fairly good I would say. None of this required any special shopping or specifically vegan food, all of this is readily available at the farmer's market and any average grocery store.
My teens will happily eat everything on here too. Most of it I make large batches so we have leftovers for quick meals.


----------



## Puddy2shoes

O2.0 said:


> View attachment 375654
> 
> 
> Thought I would do a typical "what do you eat in a day" post for those newer to the thread or looking to add more vegan meals in to the day
> 
> This is a fairly typical day for me. I added an extra meal just to give more ideas.
> 
> Bottom two are snacks - fruit and nuts. I snack on fruit throughout the day, the cookies are made with almonds, maple syrup, and vanilla extract (I counted them as my nuts  )
> Bottom left is usual breakfast, I either make a smoothie or oatmeal and always add a tablespoon of ground flax seeds as per Dr. Greger's advice. Quick and easy way to make sure I get a daily dose of flax.
> Middle is some sort of stew or soup. Winter I tend to eat stews, summer it's more likely a hearty salad. I always include a starch and a bean (or several). The one on the left is sweet potatoes, garbanzos, and tons of veggies. The one on the right is black beans, garbanzos, quinoa, sweet corn and more veggies.
> Top is the grain and greens combination. I try to get another grain in at some point. This is whole grain pasta and broccoli with a spinach pesto sauce.
> 
> I'm not sure how close I get to Dr. Greger's daily dozen or Dr. Furhman's G-BOMBS, but this is fairly good I would say. None of this required any special shopping or specifically vegan food, all of this is readily available at the farmer's market and any average grocery store.
> My teens will happily eat everything on here too. Most of it I make large batches so we have leftovers for quick meals.


Oh my goodness, everything looks so delicious, and just as i'm about to go off and make myself a piece of toast...


----------



## Guest

O2.0 said:


> I don't know how cheap/expensive cashews are in your neck of the woods, but I make cashew milk very easily - soak cashews (if you have a high speed blender you don't even need to soak), blend in water and done. I use 1/4 cup cashews to 1 cup water, which makes a pretty creamy milk (I use it in coffee) but add more/less water to taste.
> Add dates for sweetness if you like.


Sadly quite expensive here, but I love them! Too expensive to use to make milk, but it sounds yummy 

Feeling lazy tonight - smashed avo on toast for dinner I think.


----------



## O2.0

McKenzie said:


> Sadly quite expensive here, but I love them! Too expensive to use to make milk, but it sounds yummy
> 
> Feeling lazy tonight - smashed avo on toast for dinner I think.


Might be worth looking online and seeing if you can get cashew pieces cheaper - whole ones are always more expensive, but for milk pieces do just fine. Make sure you're looking at raw, not roasted.

Also, do the math, cashews are expensive, yes, but you use relatively few in the milk, I buy in bulk and even if I were paying $12 a pound, a pound lasts me 2 or 3 months going through about a litre of milk a week. So, being conservative, 4 litres X 2 months = 8 litres of milk for $12. That's $1.50 per litre of milk. I've never seen any plant milk in the store that cheap.


----------



## Sandysmum

catz4m8z said:


> I think the only substitute for cooked meat would be the fake meats! Probably not as healthy as some other options though but the Quorn ham slices arenice, I also like the smoked Tofurkey you can get quote]
> 
> Thanks for reccomending the quorn slices, i've tried the 'chicken' and the 'ham' and they are exactly what i need when I need to make a really quick snack. I've not found Tofurkey yet, but will keep looking.


----------



## MaggieDemi

O2.0 said:


> This is whole grain pasta and broccoli with a spinach pesto sauce.


That looks amazing, I love pasta. I'm thinking of going Vegetarian in the new year. Probably won't go Vegan because I love cheese and honey. I'm just trying to lead a kinder lifestyle all around, and I'm sure there are health benefits too if I research and do it the right way.


----------



## O2.0

MaggieDemi said:


> That looks amazing, I love pasta. I'm thinking of going Vegetarian in the new year. Probably won't go Vegan because I love cheese and honey. I'm just trying to lead a kinder lifestyle all around, and I'm sure there are health benefits too if I research and do it the right way.


Check out Forks over Knives for some ideas and recipes  
https://www.forksoverknives.com/


----------



## MaggieDemi

O2.0 said:


> Check out Forks over Knives for some ideas and recipes


Thank you so much for the link. I need all the help I can get, I'm just learning how to cook.


----------



## O2.0

MaggieDemi said:


> Thank you so much for the link. I need all the help I can get, I'm just learning how to cook.


Best advice I can give is to start experimenting with spices and figure out which ones you love and how to use them. 
Some of my favorites:
Curry spice
Smoked paprika
Cumin - wonderful with any bean dish
Celery seed - stews and soups
And of course no dish in this house escapes a good dose of garlic and/or onion 

Currently working on a big spread for Thanksgiving, hopefully I'll remember to take pictures tomorrow!
So far I have:
Garbanzo bean salad 
Curried sweet potatoes
Chile with gardein "meat" crumbles (I'm not a huge fan of meat replacements but OH likes it.)
Butternut squash tortellini (store bought) that I will make a vegan cream sauce for tomorrow.
Two batches of almond cookies, one with chocolate chips, one with cranberries.

Tomorrow I'll make mashed potatoes, squash & veggie medley, apple pie, and I think that's it


----------



## O2.0

Got a photo  
Spent a lot of time cooking, ate entirely too much, but all in all it was a success  
Below are the WFPB dishes, I also made very non WFPB macaroni and cheese casserole for the kids, that I indulge them in twice a year (Christmas and Thanksgiving), and there was a store bought bread loaf that surprisingly did not get many takers. WFPB for the win! 

Clockwise from top left:
Butternut squash tortellini (store bought) with homemade creamy alfredo sauce made with cashews and garbanzos.
Vegan chili with gardein meat replacer crumbles. 
Mashed potatoes.
Veggie salad
Almond cookies with cranberries
Apple pie with vegan crust
Summer squash & veggies (go great on top of the mashed potatoes)
Curried sweet potatoes.


----------



## MaggieDemi

O2.0 said:


> Butternut squash tortellini (store bought) with homemade creamy alfredo sauce made with cashews and garbanzos.


That looks amazing, especially the pasta. I hope I can cook like that someday.


----------



## O2.0

MaggieDemi said:


> That looks amazing, especially the pasta. I hope I can cook like that someday.


Ha ha! 
I'm a free spirit in the kitchen. I look at recipes, then do an approximation based on my mood at the moment LOL. The result is either really good, but I can never replicate it because I don't remember exactly what I did, or it's not good at all. The chili was not terrific. OH requested the "meat" crumbles, which I normally don't use, so I messed up the seasoning, not counting on the flavor already added to the crumbles.

The creamy sauce is amazing, but again, I have no idea of amounts I just throw stuff in until it tastes right. This was a handful of cashews, a can of garbanzo beans, lemon juice, nutritional yeast - no idea how much, just what looked right, onion powder, and lots of fresh garlic, salt, and damn, now I can't even remember what else I put in there! See? I'm hopeless. But today it turned out terrific and even our omnivore guest was raving about it.


----------



## MaggieDemi

O2.0 said:


> But today it turned out terrific and even our omnivore guest was raving about it.


Do you have a gas stove or electric? We have electric and I think some of the recipes I try to make are better suited to gas stoves.


----------



## O2.0

MaggieDemi said:


> Do you have a gas stove or electric? We have electric and I think some of the recipes I try to make are better suited to gas stoves.


Gas, and yes, I LOVE gas even though this side of the pond a lot of people are freaked out by gas ranges. I don't know why, when you turn it off, it's actually off, not like electric that stays hot forever. 
But you should be able to adjust by switching burners or sticking to one setting. What recipes are you looking at?


----------



## MaggieDemi

O2.0 said:


> What recipes are you looking at?


I've been trying to make stir-fries like Vegetable Lo Mein, you know the type with soy sauce and noodles. I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but they always fail on my electric stove.


----------



## Matrod

I made a vegan cake yesterday & it's so delicious I've eaten far too much of it already  it has a mango & coconut yoghurt icing to make it extra tasty. The recipe used aquafaba, I've never used it before it any recipe but I'm sure it's what made the cake so light. My sisters coming round tomorrow so I expect the whole will be gone then!


----------



## Lurcherlad

FYI Wildwood Restaurant chain have a vegan menu.

Tonight had bruschetta with avocado and tomatoes followed by a tomato, aubergine and garlic pasta dish.

Very tasty


----------



## catz4m8z

That cake looks lovely @Matrod (then again its cake.....not sure cake can ever look bad!LOL)

Yesterday I had 'ham' and cucumber sandwiches and 'bacon' crisps. Feel like I might have missed the point somewhere!:Hilarious


----------



## Magyarmum

Humour over hummus from "The Daily Mash. Enjoy!

 
*the dailymash*
Tuesday, 27th November

*Are you eating enough hummus?*
27th November 2018








Ads by Kiosked


*Get Daily Mash headlines:* 

*IN the busy, modern world it can be hard to tell if you're getting your full, daily amount of creamed chick peas and tahini. Take our quick test to find out.*

*1. Did you eat hummus for breakfast today?*

A. No. I just had four pints of tea and a piece of toast.

B. Yes. I had a Full Hummus Breakfast, which is like a Full English Breakfast but with healthy, delicious hummus instead of the greasy English parts.

*2. Do you plan to eat hummus for lunch?*

A. No. I'll be eating a sausage roll and then wondering why I feel like shit for the rest of the afternoon.

B. Yes. I'll have a pot of hummus with some frozen hummus sticks to dip in it.

*3. Will you be eating hummus with your dinner tonight?*

A. No, I'll either have another sausage roll or I won't have anything because I'll still be feeling funky from the sausage roll I had for lunch.

B. Yes, I'll be having hummus soup for starters, which is essentially a bowl of hummus. Followed by hummus on a stick, followed by a hummus cheesecake, which, again, is essentially just a bowl of hummus.

*Mostly As:* It's as if you've never heard of hummus or, for some reason, think it looks, smells and tastes disgusting. But what you really hate is yourself.

*Mostly Bs:* You clearly like hummus but your hummus intake is, at best, moderate. You should also consider eating hummus as a snack.


----------



## catz4m8z

Hummus is brilliant. Tasty as a dip, sandwich filling and as I recently discovered as a pasta sauce!

But not that hummus....the picture reminds me weirdly of a nipple!:Wideyed (or maybe it reminds me normally and the nipple is weird....:Shifty).
:Hilarious


----------



## Puddy2shoes

Hi Magyarmum, i just read your post about hummus, it’s hilarious, couldn’t stop laughing as I was reading it, so funny, thankyou for posting it....


----------



## Puddy2shoes

catz4m8z said:


> Hummus is brilliant. Tasty as a dip, sandwich filling and as I recently discovered as a pasta sauce!
> 
> But not that hummus....the picture reminds me weirdly of a nipple!:Wideyed (or maybe it reminds me normally and the nipple is weird....:Shifty).
> :Hilarious


Your post is hilarious too, I don't know what you look like but I can imagine you saying it while the rest of us are thinking it...well done for throwing social etiquette out of the window...

OMG, i've just looked at the picture of that hummus again and realised I will never be able to look at hummus again without thinking of this post, my hummus eating days are doomed and this thread is going to the dogs, which is more than I can say for the hummus because the dogs probably wouldn't eat it anyway.....


----------



## Jonescat

I have been having a soup week - love Winter food.

They are Fennel and Tomato from Veggiestan, Savoury Pumpkin from the FoK book and my granny's recipe for lentil soup


----------



## Magyarmum

Those soups look delicious especially the fennel and tomato!

I'm making cauliflower and celery soup for lunch as it's bitterly cold outside and soup is great for warming you up.

Last night I made Black rice with peppers, courgettes, walnuts and feta cheese with a side dish of garlicky mushrooms. Very nice.

https://www.dish.co.nz/recipes/italian-black-rice-capsicum-zucchini-walnuts-and-herbs


----------



## catz4m8z

Puddy2shoes said:


> I don't know what you look like but I can imagine you saying it while the rest of us are thinking it...well done for throwing social etiquette out of the window...


yeah, I do have a reputation for having the same verbal filter as a 3 year old!LOL:Shy

Those soups look amazing @Jonescat. Really inspired me to get my soup maker out. Making broccoli and cauliflower soup today (lots of onion and garlic coz I have a cold and adding cheesey flavour with some nutritional yeast!).


----------



## MaggieDemi

Jonescat said:


> They are Fennel and Tomato from Veggiestan


Oh, I need to make that soup! It looks so good. Not sure what Veggiestan is since I'm in the US, but I'll Google it.


----------



## Jonescat

This is the recipe
http://www.theculinaryguide.co.uk/eatingin/2011/1111/0911/veggiestan-recipes/veggiestan-recipes.htm

and she has a web site here
http://veggiestan.com/

I don't have any arak so didn't add that, and didn't bother with the garnishes, but the soup itself doesn't need them.

There is also Snackistan
http://snackistan.co.uk/

I do intend to visit her shop/restaurant if I am ever within reach/


----------



## MaggieDemi

Jonescat said:


> This is the recipe


Thank you so much for the recipe! That was very kind of you. I'm happy to see that the ingredients are in US measurements.


----------



## O2.0

Good article shared by Dr. Garth Davis

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/...1VR_C9cunhX8OAASJhL4eikrO6hemOH1DS7DMI-9CYhKQ


----------



## Magyarmum

An interesting article in today's BBC News

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-4642...s-discrimination-against-his-ethical-veganism


----------



## Magyarmum

I decided to cook something completely different last night because I feel my diet is becoming a little too limited. I have to admit I'm addicted to spicy Ethiopian food and it's a hard habit to kick!

As I had kohlrabi and fennel in the fridge I thought I'd google recipes using those vegetables. I ended up making a Kohlrabi Schniztel and a Fennel,Butter Bean Stir fry which I had with baby potatoes.

I've had both Celeriac and Aubergine Schniztels before, but must say the Kohlrabi one has to be the nicest.

All in all a very enjoyable meal!

https://www.elephantasticvegan.com/kohlrabi-schnitzel/

http://www.potomacvegetablefarms.com/recipe/giant-lemon-fennel-beans/


----------



## Matrod

Dinner tonight was fennel, tomato & olive pie with lots of garlic & home grown winter salad & sprouted seeds. I made the pastry with coconut butter & rye flour & it handled really well. I usually make it with spelt flour but I'm trying to stay away from gluten at the moment.


----------



## O2.0

Matrod said:


> Dinner tonight was fennel, tomato & olive pie with lots of garlic & home grown winter salad & sprouted seeds. I made the pastry with coconut butter & rye flour & it handled really well. I usually make it with spelt flour but I'm trying to stay away from gluten at the moment.
> 
> View attachment 380129


*Interested* 
I'm trying to find a good pie crust recipe that's vegan, but without using the typical vegan butter substitutes. Do tell about this coconut butter!


----------



## Magyarmum

O2.0 said:


> *Interested*
> I'm trying to find a good pie crust recipe that's vegan, but without using the typical vegan butter substitutes. Do tell about this coconut butter!


This is the coconut butter/oil I use for making pastry - it doesn't taste of coconut, in fact it's tasteless.

I also use it sometimes instead of olive or sunflower oil for cooking.

https://bioszallito.hu/eden_premium_kokuszolaj_vodros-termek-201443


----------



## O2.0

Ah so it's basically coconut oil? Well, that I have! I'll have to try that!


----------



## Matrod

O2.0 said:


> Ah so it's basically coconut oil? Well, that I have! I'll have to try that!


What she said ^^. It works well in pastry, you do have to chill it right down in the fridge first so it's solid though as it's melts easily. I tend to make the pastry in a food processor so the heat of my hands don't warm it up.


----------



## Magyarmum

Matrod said:


> What she said ^^. It works well in pastry, you do have to chill it right down in the fridge first so it's solid though as it's melts easily. I tend to make the pastry in a food processor so the heat of my hands don't warm it up.


I think the coconut oil/butter we get over here must be slightly different to the one you can get in the UK. The one I buy is quite hard even though I keep it in a cupboard rather than the fridge. I've just found out that you can buy it in the supermarket from the butter, margarine section.


----------



## Matrod

Magyarmum said:


> I think the coconut oil/butter we get over here must be slightly different to the one you can get in the UK. The one I buy is quite hard even though I keep it in a cupboard rather than the fridge. I've just found out that you can buy it in the supermarket from the butter, margarine section.


It stays at a spreadable consistency when it's normal temperatures but does turn to liquid in the summer if it's hot but it's not hard, you can get it anywhere here now, it's so popular.


----------



## O2.0

We had a wet, cold snow/sleet mess here yesterday, so it was a day for stews. 
I made a white potato stew with carrots, onion, celery, bell peppers, mushrooms, and red cabbage (I think that's all, I was cleaning out the fridge, so who knows what ended up in there LOL). OH is picky about cooked veggies, so everything but the potatoes got blended and then added back in to the potatoes. The carrots and bell peppers made it a beautiful red/orange color, and it's quite pretty. Was a huge stew (7 pounds of potatoes - yes, really, I have teenagers) and it's half gone already!

The sweet potatoes, I chopped up 3 of them, boiled them in water with curry spices added in (curry, turmeric, and a little bit of cumin) and in a separate pan cooked up some onion, celery, and more bell peppers (they were on huge sale on Saturday so I had bought a ton, and forgot I already had four in the fridge) and a ton of garlic. When the sweet potatoes were soft, I added two tablespoons of coconut flour to the water, added in the veggies, and let the whole thing sit for about an hour. OMG it was SO good! I do like coconut though and you could definitely taste it, but the combination of the sweet of the coconut and sweet potato with the spice of the garlic and curry was amazing.


----------



## catz4m8z

Very frustrated with family at the moment. My father and aunt both have quite bad arthritis and are complaining of about it (esp this time of year with the cold weather). Ive pointed out how bad animal products are for causing inflammatory responses in the body but do you think I can get them to even Google anything about it??
Personally if I was in pain all the time Id be looking up anything that might help but apparently giving up milk and meat, etc is just too wacky!
oh well...you can lead a horse to water but you cant make it eat tofu!


----------



## O2.0

catz4m8z said:


> Very frustrated with family at the moment. My father and aunt both have quite bad arthritis and are complaining of about it (esp this time of year with the cold weather). Ive pointed out how bad animal products are for causing inflammatory responses in the body but do you think I can get them to even Google anything about it??
> Personally if I was in pain all the time Id be looking up anything that might help but apparently giving up milk and meat, etc is just too wacky!
> oh well...you can lead a horse to water but you cant make it eat tofu!


My good-will towards men is thin this time of year and I'm finding myself less and less inclined to help those who claim to want help but who don't want to put forth any effort towards change. It's just too frustrating. Enter my callous bitch side :Shifty

I have a co-worker who says she believes in all the WFPB stuff, hell, her doctor recommended it for her because of her heart disease, her friend's husband is off all his medications because of WFPB, but she does nothing but question why she can't have a glass of milk at night, why she can't use olive oil when she cooks, why she can't have eggs for breakfast. I have been answering these questions since May of last year. I have sent her articles, links, videos, information galore. I have in person explained to her about animal products and how they affect her heart disease specifically, what oil does to the endothelial lining of her vascular system.
She cornered me last Tuesday with the same questions, and I finally said "you can eat whatever you want, but if you want to really feel better, get rid of the animal products long enough to feel the results. But really it's up to you and how much of an effort you're willing to make to feel better." It came out a little harsher than I intended, but good grief. Make a choice and follow through!


----------



## O2.0

Okay maybe I'm not a totally callous bitch 
Sweet potato stew/goulash thing that I make again this weekend. A co-worker who has been feeling poorly loves the sweet potato messes I make, so I omitted the coconut flour (she doesn't like coconut), added ginger which she does like, and brought her a nice big bowl of it for her lunch today, for which she was very grateful. 
It sounds so domestically Betty Crocker-ish, but I do love it when people enjoy food I share with them, especially when I know the health benefits it will give them too.


----------



## Snoringbear

If you're ever in London and looking for a good vegan restaurant I'd recommend this place. I've been to the one near Covent Garden. I'm not a vegan but thought the food was delicious. https://eatbychloe.com/


----------



## Sandysmum

Help!! We were planning on having vegetarian haggis for the veggies at our family Xmas dinner, but everywhere has sold out and we don't have a plan B. Can anyone recommend something ready made from one of the supermarkets. There's not time or space to cook from scratch so it has to be something that just gets shoved in the oven and being new to all this I have no idea what to get as a special treat.


----------



## Magyarmum

jetsmum said:


> Help!! We were planning on having vegetarian haggis for the veggies at our family Xmas dinner, but everywhere has sold out and we don't have a plan B. Can anyone recommend something ready made from one of the supermarkets. There's not time or space to cook from scratch so it has to be something that just gets shoved in the oven and being new to all this I have no idea what to get as a special treat.


I can't help with something ready made because I don't live in the UK but how about stuffed portobello mushrooms which are dead easy to make and can be cooked in the oven. Here are some ideas for the stuffing, but usually I make up my own depending what I've got in the fridge. I've even used bought sage and onion stuffing and just added some finely chopped onion, feta cheese and shredded spinach to it

https://www.tasteloveandnourish.com/vegetable-stuffed-portabella-mushro.oms/

https://www.foodnetwork.ca/healthy-eating/blog/easy-vegan-stuffed-portobello-mushrooms/

Just an idea!


----------



## Jonescat

jetsmum said:


> Help!! We were planning on having vegetarian haggis for the veggies at our family Xmas dinner, but everywhere has sold out and we don't have a plan B. Can anyone recommend something ready made from one of the supermarkets. There's not time or space to cook from scratch so it has to be something that just gets shoved in the oven and being new to all this I have no idea what to get as a special treat.


https://www.haggisuk.co.uk/

Order it now!


----------



## Cleo38

I had this at a friend's a couple of years ago & it was lovely https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/298404245


----------



## O2.0

LOL I smelled Haggis cooking once, smelled like what my mom used to make for the dogs that stunk up the whole house! :Yuck:Yuck
Veggies smell good, don't know that you can replicate the disgustingness of haggis with veggies LOL!


----------



## Sandysmum

Thanks for your ideas which I will pass on to my daughter who does the cooking. (I'm still getting the hang of cooking from scratch again after a hiatus of , well, lets just say a few years, so I wouldn't trust me to make xmas dinner this year, maybe next year)

Jonescat, Mcsween is the brand we usually get and it's yummy, but everywhere's sold out and I think it's too late to order online now .


----------



## Cleo38

jetsmum said:


> Thanks for your ideas which I will pass on to my daughter who does the cooking. (I'm still getting the hang of cooking from scratch again after a hiatus of , well, lets just say a few years, so I wouldn't trust me to make xmas dinner this year, maybe next year)
> 
> Jonescat, Mcsween is the brand we usually get and it's yummy, but everywhere's sold out and I think it's too late to order online now .


It might be worth posting in a local FB group & asking if anyone knows if these are being stocked anywhere. My local vegan group is really good for this sort of thing especially this time of year when people are frantically searching for ready made stuff.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Bought some vegan ready rolled puff pastry and a jar of mincemeat so I can make myself some mince pies for Xmas.

Can’t find any ready made that are meat, dairy and egg free.

Along with soya cream/custard - yum!


----------



## Jonescat

Whereabouts are you @jetsmum? I have two in the freezer....


----------



## Jonescat

O2.0 said:


> LOL I smelled Haggis cooking once, smelled like what my mom used to make for the dogs that stunk up the whole house! :Yuck:Yuck
> Veggies smell good, don't know that you can replicate the disgustingness of haggis with veggies LOL!


You probably have to be brought up with it 
When everyone else said they miss bacon, I used to think "haggis" as I never really got on with bacon, but then the veggie ones were invented and now I don't miss anything from the old way of eating


----------



## Jonescat

Just want to share this - I went to a birthday party last week and this was the cake - all vegan, from a lovely lady in Bristol. All fresh edible flowers on top and salted caramel chocolate underneath - it's only wonky because it had a long journey to get to the party.


----------



## Cleo38

Oh wow, @Jonescat !!! Looks amazing 

I wanted to go to the Ely vegan market this weekend but I was busy both days so missed out. There are quite a few vegan stalls (inc a cake stall!) there on 'normal' days now though but I have stinking cold atm so cant face driving there but hopefully I'll be ok for the weekend


----------



## Sandysmum

Jonescat said:


> Whereabouts are you @jetsmum? I have two in the freezer....


Why didn't I think of that !!!


----------



## catz4m8z

Veggie haggis sounded abit weird to me but checking out the ingredients it sounds quite similar to the bean loafs I make....just in a bag rather then a tin!
Its not that hard to smoosh a bunch of veggies, pulses and oats together and call it a main course.
(I fancied something more like a traditional 'meaty' roast this year so went with a tofurkey joint).


----------



## catz4m8z

Had my parents visiting just now and served them some chocolate cougette cake. My dad pointed out it was so moist and squidgy that it would be a good pudding with cream!
Anyways just tried a slice covered in coconut cream and OMG its bloody lovely! Like a Bounty bar in cake form!:Woot Too nice.....will def have again.:Smug


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

jetsmum said:


> Help!! We were planning on having vegetarian haggis for the veggies at our family Xmas dinner, but everywhere has sold out and we don't have a plan B. Can anyone recommend something ready made from one of the supermarkets. There's not time or space to cook from scratch so it has to be something that just gets shoved in the oven and being new to all this I have no idea what to get as a special treat.


These appear to have sold out online but if you have a store nearby you might be lucky and still be able to get one

https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/vegan-beetroot-wellington/567017-671003-671004


----------



## Sandysmum

Thanks everyone, but panic over!! SIL has been working away and guess what he brought back with him, I never thought I'd be so happy to see a vegetarian haggis (or any haggis for that matter!). 

I know I might come over as a bit silly with the questions I've asked here, but honestly it's still so new and changing the habits of a long lifetime isn't that easy, especially when you've forgotten how to cook. You all come over as such good cooks with such good ideas, I'm hoping to learn a lot, so please put up with my silly questions for a bit longer.


----------



## O2.0

jetsmum said:


> Thanks everyone, but panic over!! SIL has been working away and guess what he brought back with him, I never thought I'd be so happy to see a vegetarian haggis (or any haggis for that matter!).
> 
> I know I might come over as a bit silly with the questions I've asked here, but honestly it's still so new and changing the habits of a long lifetime isn't that easy, especially when you've forgotten how to cook. You all come over as such good cooks with such good ideas, I'm hoping to learn a lot, so please put up with my silly questions for a bit longer.


Not silly at all!!
I'm so glad you're interested 

I was a terrible cook for years, simply not interested. Once I started playing around with WFPB eating, I started liking cooking more and more. I started getting braver with spices, and now I love cooking and inventing new things


----------



## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


> These appear to have sold out online but if you have a store nearby you might be lucky and still be able to get one
> 
> https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/vegan-beetroot-wellington/567017-671003-671004


----------



## Sandysmum

So that's my first xmas as a non meat eater over. I thought that if I was going to 'relapse' at all, that would be the meal where it would happen as there were only two of us that don't eat meat while everyone else round the table was tucking into their usual 3 varieties. But tbh, I found that I didn't even think about it, as we'd made sure there plenty of options for us aswell. 

I've treated my self to some cook books and my new years resolution is to learn how to cook healthy meat free meals and hopefully loose some weight in the process while at the same time improving my general health. I did manage to make a nice veg soup yesterday, no recipe, just chucked everything in but it was nice!!


----------



## O2.0

jetsmum said:


> I did manage to make a nice veg soup yesterday, no recipe, just chucked everything in but it was nice!!


That's exactly how I cook LOL! When it's good though, enjoy it, because it never comes out the same twice 

Great to hear the meat wasn't tempting to you  OH went meatless about 5 or 6 years ago, and the meat doesn't tempt him, which surprised him also. He's even managed to give up cheese entirely too. The only thing he still can't entirely quit is the occasional treat of ice cream when we're out.


----------



## stockwellcat.

Tescos Nut roast, Parsnips, Broccolli, Roast Potatoes and Vegetarian Gravey. Yum.


----------



## MaggieDemi

jetsmum said:


> did manage to make a nice veg soup yesterday, no recipe, just chucked everything in but it was nice!!


I wish I could cook like that, without a recipe. It seems like all my recipes call for 10 ingredients that I don't have.


----------



## Cleo38

MaggieDemi said:


> I wish I could cook like that, without a recipe. It seems like all my recipes call for 10 ingredients that I don't have.


I got a soup maker he other year & it was such a good buy. Now I just bung in a bag of (un)frozen veg, some stock, salt, pepper & whatever spice & switch on .... 20 mins later lovely soup


----------



## Sandysmum

MaggieDemi said:


> I wish I could cook like that, without a recipe. It seems like all my recipes call for 10 ingredients that I don't have.


I can't do the fancy stuff either, but I'm finding out you don't need to. I did a nice meal tonight, quorn nuggets and steamed potatoes with onion gravy. I had some ready chopped onions that needed using up today, so I fried them, added some veggie stock cubes in water and a bit of garlic salt . Very basic but tasty. It's rare for me to say anything nice about my cooking, but this time it worked out quite well.


----------



## catz4m8z

Cleo38 said:


> I got a soup maker he other year & it was such a good buy. Now I just bung in a bag of (un)frozen veg, some stock, salt, pepper & whatever spice & switch on .... 20 mins later lovely soup


yes!! Big round of applause for the soup maker, its probably my best kitchen gadget! Im rubbish at cooking but even I can throw a bunch of veggies in a soup maker and press a button!

Ive just been eating such crap towards the end of the year (and of course over xmas:Shy) that its now diet time.....again. Im trying the potato diet, which is basically just eating potatoes with some seasonings/condiments and nothing else. Figured Id try and do it for 5 days a week and eat normal the rest. If nothing else it will be a good experiment to reset my taste buds more towards WFPB and I really do love tatties!
Currently making a giant pot of mashed (which I sometimes ate as a meal beforehand anyways!) and some garlic and rosemary roasties.

Tried to convince another person last night that eating _all_ animals was wrong...not just some. Its amazing how deeply ingrained cultural perspectives are. This person was horrified at the idea of eating dogs or spiders but perfectly ok with eating pigs....coz they are farm animals and so supposed to be eaten! Pretty sure that the pig and the dog dont know this!


----------



## MaggieDemi

Cleo38 said:


> I got a soup maker


I've never heard of a soup maker. I'll have to look around and see if we have them in the U.S.



jetsmum said:


> quorn nuggets and steamed potatoes with onion gravy.


This sounds easy enough to make. I do like Quorn products.



catz4m8z said:


> Im trying the potato diet, which is basically just eating potatoes with some seasonings/condiments and nothing else.


I love baked potatoes. They are even good with just ketchup on them.


----------



## Cleo38

MaggieDemi said:


> I've never heard of a soup maker. I'll have to look around and see if we have them in the U.S.
> 
> .


I have this one .... it's fantastic!!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01FDPZ7UE/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## MaggieDemi

Cleo38 said:


> I have this one .... it's fantastic!!


Thank you. That looks similar to my Vitamix, I wonder if that makes soup. I know it makes smoothies.


----------



## O2.0

For the US based folks on here, just got back from Whole Foods, I usually don't go there, it's too far, and too pricey for me, but was nearby for daughter's doc appointment, and lo and behold, now in their hot bar section they have an all vegan section too! We ended up eating lunch there, was very good! Lots of good veggies including a carrot medley that was really tasty, had purple, orange, white, yellow and reddish carrots. YUM!


----------



## Guest

So I've committed doing vegan January. I'm not officially starting until next Tuesday because I have a number of engagements before then which are just going to make it too tricky if I've only been vegan for a few days! But in the meantime I'm getting myself prepared and eating vegan when I can. I'm hoping that I'll be able to make the changes since there's an end date on it, but also hoping that by the time I get to the end of January it will be a habit that I can continue with. I've dumped all dairy products that were in my kitchen, not that I had many (except the cheese which I chopped up and froze for the dogs). I'm currently soaking some cashews for cashew milk (@O2.0) in the hope that I'll enjoy it in my tea - I'm happy with other plant milks on oats etc but I can't find a plant milk that I like in tea.

It's also encouraged me to look at some of the household and body products I use. I tend to chose eco friendly products anyway, but I do have a few products that aren't cruelty free which I will be replacing. This morning was out of hand soap and facial cleanser but got a really nice cruelty free and palm oil free alternative to the one I usually get, and it wasn't that much more expensive.

Oh and I really enjoyed Neil Barnard's podcast @O2.0 - thanks for that.


----------



## O2.0

Oh let me know how you like the cashew milk 

I've discovered Jason products https://www.jason-personalcare.com/en/ don't know if they're available in NZ, but they're very reasonably priced here


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## Guest

Oh also meant to say I’m hoping if I stick with it, being non-dairy will help with the adult acne I suffer from. I’ve been on the 3rd gen contraceptive pill for probably 15+ years now and while it controls my acne very well, I feel very uneasy about taking it for so long (but nothing else works). If going dairy free controls my acne I will be vegan for life!


----------



## baubbles

For those in the UK M&S has a new range of vegan food called 'plant kitchen' it looks a big range but didn't get to inspect it in detail. Was going to post a link but not sure it's allowed but if you google marks plant kitchen it should come up. I I did see a pizza with jackfruit. Jackfruit has always scared me for some reason think it's the texture. Also saw dirty fries and a mac n cheese.  It's too late for me to do vegan January but may do a February one.


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## catz4m8z

Glad to hear you're joining us @McKenzie ! Hope its going well.

I failed miserably with my potato diet experiment.... but all is not lost! I like the idea of potatoes and non starchy veggies for most meals but I couldnt do it all day. New years resolution though is to get back into WFPB eating (as well as lose some weight!) as I eat way too much junk food.
I know I eat too much coz I cut everything except basic whole foods out the last few days and have only just got rid of my horrible headache (pretty sure it was caused by junk food detox!LOL:Shy).


----------



## Guest

Avocado on toast and vegan mint choc chip coconut ice cream for dinner tonight - the perfect summer meal!


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## catz4m8z

McKenzie said:


> Avocado on toast and vegan mint choc chip coconut ice cream for dinner tonight - the perfect summer meal!


ooooh, that ice cream sounds nice! But TBH Ive never had an avocado, they just never appeal to me.

Even though its really cold today I fancied a salad. So spinach salad with roast sweet potatoes and black beans with a nutbutter dressing and then as I fancied something sweet for desert I had a big medjool date. yum! (dogs thought so too....I chucked some leftover sweet potato in their bowls for tea and they ate that first!LOL).


----------



## O2.0

catz4m8z said:


> But TBH Ive never had an avocado,


Oh you should try one! I love them, or use them to make brownies - YUM!

Medjool date with peanut butter or almond butter is soooo good!


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## Magyarmum

O2.0 said:


> Oh you should try one! I love them, or use them to make brownies - YUM!
> 
> Medjool date with peanut butter or almond butter is soooo good!


Avocados are SO expensive here and nine times out of ten are a disappointment because they're either rock hard or rotten!


----------



## O2.0

Magyarmum said:


> Avocados are SO expensive here and nine times out of ten are a disappointment because they're either rock hard or rotten!


Ah, well then no, avoid them  
Come visit me and I'll make you guacamole and avocado toast and top your beans and rice with it and convert you


----------



## catz4m8z

Magyarmum said:


> Avocados are SO expensive here and nine times out of ten are a disappointment because they're either rock hard or rotten!


Thats part of what puts me off...Im sure Id get a wonky one coz I have no idea what they are supposed to feel like when you eat them!:Hilarious


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## Matrod

I LOVE avocados  I like them with a tiny bit of salt & lime juice or mashed up on toast.

I had lentil & mushroom cottage pie for dinner, it was delicious & just right for a cold winters night.


----------



## Magyarmum

O2.0 said:


> Ah, well then no, avoid them
> Come visit me and I'll make you guacamole and avocado toast and top your beans and rice with it and convert you


The trouble is I was spoilt living in South Africa because we had a large avocado tree in the garden. My GSD used to love them and every day when they were in season ate two or three. My favourite way of eating them is to sprinkle them with salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce or when I ate meat was to have a bacon and mashed avocado roll!


----------



## O2.0

Magyarmum said:


> The trouble is I was spoilt living in South Africa because we had a large avocado tree in the garden. My GSD used to love them and every day when they were in season ate two or three. My favourite way of eating them is to sprinkle them with salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce or when I ate meat was to have a bacon and mashed avocado roll!


Ha ha! We had an avocado tree in our yard when I was little too. Different continent, but still  We also had mangos, OMG, sitting on the back step eating mango... I had to eat it outside because I'd end up wearing mango juice all over my face and half my chest  Nothing like it.


----------



## MaggieDemi

Did you all start taking vitamins when you went vegetarian? Which ones? I already take a multi-vitamin and Calcium/Magnesium.


----------



## Matrod

MaggieDemi said:


> Did you all start taking vitamins when you went vegetarian? Which ones? I already take a multi-vitamin and Calcium/Magnesium.


I take b12 complex everyday & iodine every 3 days or so, I only started taking the iodine when I went completely animal free.


----------



## O2.0

MaggieDemi said:


> Did you all start taking vitamins when you went vegetarian? Which ones? I already take a multi-vitamin and Calcium/Magnesium.


A good whole foods plant based vegan diet will provide you with all the nutrients you need except for B12 (which omnivores should take too). B12 comes from bacteria in the dirt. In the day when we walked around barefoot outside, didn't wash our root veggies super well and drank out of streams we got plenty of B12 from the environment, now that we don't do that and sanitize everything to death, we need to supplement. The good thing about B12 is that humans are exceptionally good at storing it so it's not something you have to take every day. I take a sublingual drop vitamin once a week. I could probably get away with once a month, but I would forget.

If you live in a northern climate vitamin D is a good idea too. When I remember, I take it in these dreary winter months. But the rest of the year I get plenty from the sun. I never wear sunblock as my wrinkles can attest 

In order to get all the nutrients I need, I try to hit Dr. Greger's daily dozen every day










As you get more and more in to this way of eating is actually not that hard. Morning bowl of oatmeal with flaxseed meal, blueberries, cinnamon and cloves, plus a cup of coffee with homemade cashew milk hits the whole grains, berries, flaxseed, spices, and nuts in one small meal. Throw your veggies in to a big salad or stew for lunch, fruit for snack, then more whole grains and veggies for dinner and you're covered.


----------



## Magyarmum

O2.0 said:


> A good whole foods plant based vegan diet will provide you with all the nutrients you need except for B12 (which omnivores should take too). B12 comes from bacteria in the dirt. In the day when we walked around barefoot outside, didn't wash our root veggies super well and drank out of streams we got plenty of B12 from the environment, now that we don't do that and sanitize everything to death, we need to supplement. The good thing about B12 is that humans are exceptionally good at storing it so it's not something you have to take every day. I take a sublingual drop vitamin once a week. I could probably get away with once a month, but I would forget.
> 
> If you live in a northern climate vitamin D is a good idea too. When I remember, I take it in these dreary winter months. But the rest of the year I get plenty from the sun. I never wear sunblock as my wrinkles can attest
> 
> In order to get all the nutrients I need, I try to hit Dr. Greger's daily dozen every day
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As you get more and more in to this way of eating is actually not that hard. Morning bowl of oatmeal with flaxseed meal, blueberries, cinnamon and cloves, plus a cup of coffee with homemade cashew milk hits the whole grains, berries, flaxseed, spices, and nuts in one small meal. Throw your veggies in to a big salad or stew for lunch, fruit for snack, then more whole grains and veggies for dinner and you're covered.


It would take me about 3 days to eat that amount of food!


----------



## O2.0

Magyarmum said:


> It would take me about 3 days to eat that amount of food!


The serving sizes are really small though. I slice of bread counts as a grain serving. My bowl of oatmeal I eat in the morning counts as two servings of whole grains, so one bowl of oatmeal and one slice of bread and I'm done with grains for the day. A normal sized bowl of pasta would hit all 3 servings. 
It is a lot of variety though. I definitely don't hit all dozen every day, but it's a good guide


----------



## catz4m8z

Magyarmum said:


> It would take me about 3 days to eat that amount of food!


I def couldnt eat that much fruit a day. I have frozen raspberries in my morning oats but other then that I just dont really eat fruit that much.

As for supplements I take a multivitamin a couple of times a week and an iodine tablet the same (I realiesed that I dont eat anything that has iodine in it in a vegan diet, which is mainly salt and sea vegetables I think). I also take a vit D over winter and flaxseed capsules as I dont like the milled stuff.
Im not that bothered about B12 though as I drink plenty of plant milk that's fortified and I like putting nooch (nutritional yeast) on everything!

Clearing out the fridge for lunch today. Used up the last of my mashed potato with cabbage, leek and a sad and elderly courgette with garlic, nooch and smoked paprika for potato cakes. Its made 7 which is only about 400 calories so Im just going to eat all of them!LOL:Smug


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## O2.0

catz4m8z said:


> I def couldnt eat that much fruit a day.


Really? 
One apple, one banana, a handful of raisins. Done 

It's possible though I'm a pig LOL I do eat a lot of food....


----------



## catz4m8z

O2.0 said:


> Really?
> One apple, one banana, a handful of raisins. Done


bananas and raisins?? bleurgh!!:Yuck Just not a big fruit eater.....although I will happily stuff my face with veggies so it probably evens out!


----------



## Sandysmum

Wouldn't a multi vitamin do instead, just to make sure?


----------



## MaggieDemi

Thanks everybody! I checked my multivitamin and it has Vitamin D and Vitamin B12 in it. I don't know anything about Iodine, so I will have to research that. Thanks for the food chart too.


----------



## O2.0

catz4m8z said:


> bananas and raisins?? bleurgh!!:Yuck Just not a big fruit eater.....although I will happily stuff my face with veggies so it probably evens out!


I thought you ate things like banana bread? But yes, I think you can even out with more veggies  In the summer I tend to gorge on fruit and eat fewer veggies, in the winter I tend to eat far more root veggies and less fruit. I think it all evens out in the wash 

Dr. Furhman says you just need G-BOMBS every day:
Greens
Beans
Onions
Mushrooms
Berries
Seeds 
That I can do far more easily as nutritional yeas counts as a mushroom and garlic counts under onions. You know I eat garlic every day no problem LOL!



jetsmum said:


> Wouldn't a multi vitamin do instead, just to make sure?


Just depends on which school of thought you subscribe to. 
For one, in the US the vitamin and supplement industry is highly unregulated and it's a minefield out there just knowing what you're getting. Including a lot of chemicals and additives you may not want to be getting. 
There is good evidence that vitamins/supplements in pill form as opposed to food form aren't absorbed as well and our bodies can't use them. For example, there is an interesting study on antioxidants in athletes, when the athletes ate antioxidants in food form it had a positive impact on oxidative stress from training, but the same amount of antioxidants in refined form (powder) as opposed to the whole berry, didn't have any effect positive or negative. So it seems the antioxidant benefit of berries only works when you eat the whole berry, not a powdered supplement. There are multiple cases of this with different nutrients. 
Then there's the argument that some vitamins in excess are not good either. When we eat vitamins in food form our body does a better job of being able to take and leave what we need.

But like I said, I do take B12 and don't eat dirt instead


----------



## catz4m8z

O2.0 said:


> I thought you ate things like banana bread?
> 
> Dr. Furhman says you just need G-BOMBS every day:
> Greens
> Beans
> Onions
> Mushrooms
> Berries
> Seeds


I like making various loaf cakes or breads but not banana...every now and then I try and make myself like them as they seem to be so popular but just not a fan (not in cakes, raw, smoothies, etc). I dont like peppers or mushrooms either which seem to be in every recipe too!

Liking most of the G-bombs though! If I had to pick any fruit it would be berries.


----------



## MaggieDemi

O2.0 said:


> Dr. Furhman says you just need G-BOMBS every day


What does G-BOMBS mean? Sorry if this is a stupid question.


----------



## O2.0

MaggieDemi said:


> What does G-BOMBS mean? Sorry if this is a stupid question.


The list under it  
G - greens, any dark green leafy vegetable. Spinach, kale, collards, I think broccoli counts too. 
B - beans, any of your legumes, can be beans, tofu, lentils... 
O - onions, but leeks, garlic, chives, shallots... any of the allium family of plants counts. 
M - mushrooms (I think nutritional yeast also counts)
B - berries 
S - seeds

This is a much more manageable list than Dr. Greger's daily dozen, though honestly once you get in to this, the daily dozen really isn't that bad either.

It's only lunch time and I've hit everything on there except beans, and cruciferous veggies. And I'm not going to worry about the cruciferous veggies today anyway, I'm having a giant bowl of sweet potato stew that has tons of yellow squash and bell peppers (and onion, garlic, and some yummy indian spices).

I use both lists more as a guide when I make meals and go shopping. Like today, knowing I'm low on beans, I'll probably add some lentils to the sweet potato stew for lunch tomorrow.


----------



## MaggieDemi

O2.0 said:


> The list under it
> G - greens, any dark green leafy vegetable. Spinach, kale, collards, I think broccoli counts too.
> B - beans, any of your legumes, can be beans, tofu, lentils...
> O - onions, but leeks, garlic, chives, shallots... any of the allium family of plants counts.
> M - mushrooms (I think nutritional yeast also counts)
> B - berries
> S - seeds


Thank you so much! That is very helpful.


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## Guest

I just spent 10 minutes lurking in the health food area of the supermarket looking for flaxseed, feeling frustrated that they only had linseed. I finally pulled out my phone and googled it and found out they are the same thing!


----------



## O2.0

McKenzie said:


> I just spent 10 minutes lurking in the health food area of the supermarket looking for flaxseed, feeling frustrated that they only had linseed. I finally pulled out my phone and googled it and found out they are the same thing!


Ha ha! That's totally something I would do. But I wouldn't have been smart enough to google it in the store, I would have gone home, googled it 3 days later LOL!


----------



## MaggieDemi

McKenzie said:


> looking for flaxseed, feeling frustrated that they only had linseed. I finally pulled out my phone and googled it and found out they are the same thing!


That's good to know. I didn't know they were the same thing either.


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## catz4m8z

huh, I didn't know linseed and flaxseed were the same either! Although I never have a problem finding it here. I don't like milled flaxseed though so I only buy it to put in the dogs food!
I do love every other sort of seed however and usually end up chucking a spoonful on all sorts of things!


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## rottiepointerhouse

Two new plant based documentary/films coming out this year - trailers below






https://www.codebluedoc.com/


----------



## O2.0

@rottiepointerhouse have you seen anything on The Game Changers? I keep hearing it mentioned but I haven't seen it out yet. That's one I really want to watch too.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> @rottiepointerhouse have you seen anything on The Game Changers? I keep hearing it mentioned but I haven't seen it out yet. That's one I really want to watch too.


I've seen plenty of clips of it but like you I'm really looking forward to seeing the whole film. This was the last update I saw about it



*The Game Changers*
26 November 2018 · 
APOLOGIES: We recently made a post announcing a 'projected' public release date for the The Game Changers of February 2019. This was a mistake as we have not yet finalized our distribution plans and do not, as yet, know when the film will be made available to the public.


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## catz4m8z

Sounds like there are some good documentaries coming out.
Worried I might be turning into a WFPB bore at work though, I cant seem to help myself from telling people how bad stuff is!:Shy Like a colleague who was proud of finding a gluten free pie and I spoiled it by pointing out how bad the bacon in it was!LOL :Smug
Also me and another work friend are both dieting this year but WFPB for me and the keto diet for her...I just cant get behind a diet that is designed to make your body hungry though, seems wrong.



Anyways what are everybodies favourite spices/flavourings to add to things??
(just thinking about this as I sit with a huge bowl of new potatoes, black eyed beans, cabbage, onion, broccoli, mixed frozen veg seasoned with soy sauce, nut butter, cumin and smoked paprika. 
My favs are smoked paprika and cinnamon!).


----------



## O2.0

catz4m8z said:


> Also me and another work friend are both dieting this year but WFPB for me and the keto diet for her...I just cant get behind a diet that is designed to make your body hungry though, seems wrong.


I was so proud of myself. A work colleague who I haven't seen in a while showed up to a meeting yesterday and has lost a lot of weight. She was going on and on about Keto and loving it, and I kept my comments to nothing but "great job" and "you look fantastic." 
I figure as annoying as I find it when people say to me things like "I would be the size of a house if I ate all those carbs" or "I need protein otherwise I feel hungry" or any of the other downer comments about how I eat, the least I can do it not do the same thing to someone who is having success 



catz4m8z said:


> Anyways what are everybodies favourite spices/flavourings to add to things??
> (just thinking about this as I sit with a huge bowl of new potatoes, black eyed beans, cabbage, onion, broccoli, mixed frozen veg seasoned with soy sauce, nut butter, cumin and smoked paprika.
> My favs are smoked paprika and cinnamon!).


I LOVE smoked paprika, but sadly only my daughter shares my love of it so I have to ration how I use it as most of what I make is for everyone. 
I've recently discovered garam masala and it is lovely with curry powder in stews! Especially with sweet potatoes!


----------



## karenmc

I love sweet potatoes and paprika. I want to make a veggie and maybe sweet potato stew or other one pot type meal as while not vegetarian we both enjoy meat free meals each week. Does anyone have a recipe they could share. The lovely recipes on this thread have my mouth watering!!! Thank you


----------



## Guest

Day two of no dairy and so far it’s not too hard! I’m trying to get a taste for herbal tea since I just can’t find a plant milk I like in black tea. I feel like it’s forcing me to eat more simply since so much food that comes in packets has dairy in it. I’m guessing that the real challenges will be when I have to eat out and/or socialise.

I made overnight oats for breakfast this morning with almond milk, chia seeds, lsa and blueberries. I forgot how much I liked them!


----------



## Lurcherlad

McKenzie said:


> Day two of no dairy and so far it's not too hard! I'm trying to get a taste for herbal tea since I just can't find a plant milk I like in black tea. I feel like it's forcing me to eat more simply since so much food that comes in packets has dairy in it. I'm guessing that the real challenges will be when I have to eat out and/or socialise.
> 
> I made overnight oats for breakfast this morning with almond milk, chia seeds, lsa and blueberries. I forgot how much I liked them!


I found going dairy free quite difficult eating out because most veggie meals are smothered in cheese and even if margerine is used in baked items, it often contains dairy.

Going egg free made it harder still.

Still, I'm better off for cutting my consumption of scones, cakes, biscuits, crisps (often have whey powder on), and chocolate etc. by about 99%! 

I settled on Rice Dream vegan milk-though I only drink coffee. Once I got used to the slight natural sweetness I was converted.

Tonight I grabbed a Costa coffee this evening and had Soya which I don't really like but they must have changed their make because it was actually quite nice.


----------



## catz4m8z

Lurcherlad said:


> I settled on Rice Dream vegan milk-though I only drink coffee. Once I got used to the slight natural sweetness I was converted.
> .


I use hazelnut milk. Its lovely with cereal and makes a nice hot drink with just a sprinkle of cinnamon. Apparently its foul in tea though! My parents came round the other week and I don't drink tea or coffee so I didn't realise....they thought the milk had gone off!LOL:Hilarious


----------



## Guest

Dinner tonight was farfalle pasta with avocado sauce (just smashed avocado with salt, pepper, lemon and a bit of hot water), cherry tomatoes and white beans. It was absolutely delicious!


----------



## Lurcherlad

catz4m8z said:


> I use hazelnut milk. Its lovely with cereal and makes a nice hot drink with just a sprinkle of cinnamon. Apparently its foul in tea though! My parents came round the other week and I don't drink tea or coffee so I didn't realise....they thought the milk had gone off!LOL:Hilarious


I like nut milks on cereal etc. but they tend to have flavour so change the taste of tea and coffee.

To me, rice milk just has a creamy, slightly sweet taste which doesn't clash. I don't take sugar so the sweetness was the thing I had to get used to.

If soya is the only thing I can get out, usually a tip of a teaspoon of sugar does the trick. I usually take a travel cosmetic bottle of RM out with me though.

Yesterday, I accidentally put OH's goat milk in my coffee.....ooh yukkety, yuk, yuk!

Tasted "goaty" and fatty :Yuck


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

karenmc said:


> I love sweet potatoes and paprika. I want to make a veggie and maybe sweet potato stew or other one pot type meal as while not vegetarian we both enjoy meat free meals each week. Does anyone have a recipe they could share. The lovely recipes on this thread have my mouth watering!!! Thank you


I make a butterbean and butternut squash stew but you can swap sweet potatoes for the butternut squash. It has lots of paprika which I love. I make it in my slow cooker but you could just as easily do it on the hob or in the oven.

1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
Half a butternut squash or one sweet potato
1 leek
Green beans (handful)
Mushrooms (I use a whole pack but you don't need that many)
6 teaspoons of paprika
1 teaspoon mixed herbs
I tin tomatoes
2 tins of butterbeans (or any beans would do)
500 ml of veg stock
I add some red wine and a bit of marmite for extra flavour but again you don't have to.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I made this last night - I've been trying quite a few of the Happy Pear recipes and most have been easy and tasty. I used almond milk not soy for the sauce and didn't add fresh herbs/chilli at the end although I did chuck some peas in for colour and of course lots of nutritional yeast and black pepper at the table. Served it with watercress/rocket salad and a pitta bread. It was yummy and a big hit with my OH too.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Article comparing plant based milks/dairy and their individual impacts on the environment - good to see they all come out way better than dairy.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-46654042


----------



## O2.0

That's good to know about the plant based milks. 
In an effort to be even more sustainable though, it's worth mentioning that a lot (all?) of the plant based milks can easily be made at home and you avoid some of those extra ingredients and of course the packaging as well if you're buying your raw materials in bulk. 

I have made almond milk at home from almond butter. 
Oat milk using rolled oats.
And of course my favorite, cashew milk that to me is the nicest tasting one.


----------



## catz4m8z

*sigh* I really need to buy myself a blender....there is only so much you can do with a potato masher!


----------



## Magyarmum

O2.0 said:


> That's good to know about the plant based milks.
> In an effort to be even more sustainable though, it's worth mentioning that a lot (all?) of the plant based milks can easily be made at home and you avoid some of those extra ingredients and of course the packaging as well if you're buying your raw materials in bulk.
> 
> I have made almond milk at home from almond butter.
> Oat milk using rolled oats.
> And of course my favorite, cashew milk that to me is the nicest tasting one.


In Hungary we can buy plant milk powder to which you add water. 100g of powder makes i litre of milk and it works out at about a quarter of the price of the "ready made" stuff. I've got, oat, buckwheat and maize but you can also buy soya and rice.

I saw this add today from Knorr for coconut powder. 1 packet makes 3.3 litres, but I.m not sure how much it costs.

https://www.unileverfoodsolutions.h...e=facebook&utm_campaign=HU_SCA17_InspirationQ


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## karenmc

Thanks @rottiepointerhouse. Sounds lovely I'll give it a try.


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## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/greggs-launch-vegan-sausage-1-800-stores-demand-skyrockets

I posted this in the veganuary thread but thought I'd put it here too. It isn't the sort of food we would eat on a WFPB diet but I do have mixed feelings about it. If we don't create/support demand when more and more food outlets are coming on board then they won't keep selling vegan foods so I'm really pleased the demand has been so huge. Stupid Piers Morgan actually did Greggs a massive favour with his twitter ranting about it and his silly taste test as all the other presenters had been saying how lovely it was.


----------



## catz4m8z

Piers Morgan.... his opinions on veganism sound like they come from a 3 year old! The man is a total idiot.


Super easy bean mix for tea last night.
1 tin beans/lentils
1 tin sweetcorn
1 onion
2 cups frozen mixed veg
chuck in saucepan, cook, drain, then add 2 tbsp soy sauce and 2 tbsp tomato paste and spices of choice.

Lovely with some garlic roasties last night and the rest is going on top of wholemeal noodles for lunch!


----------



## Cleo38

rottiepointerhouse said:


> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/greggs-launch-vegan-sausage-1-800-stores-demand-skyrockets
> 
> I posted this in the veganuary thread but thought I'd put it here too. It isn't the sort of food we would eat on a WFPB diet but I do have mixed feelings about it. If we don't create/support demand when more and more food outlets are coming on board then they won't keep selling vegan foods so I'm really pleased the demand has been so huge. Stupid Piers Morgan actually did Greggs a massive favour with his twitter ranting about it and his silly taste test as all the other presenters had been saying how lovely it was.


I have never been to Gregg's & this isn't the sort of food I would normally choose to eat .... however, my hatred for Morgan surpasses any of my other beliefs so I will be going to my local Gregg's this afternoon & purchasing a few to contribute to their massive sales of this (a lot of places have sold out according to several vegan FB groups) :Kiss


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> I have never been to Gregg's & this isn't the sort of food I would normally choose to eat .... however, my hatred for Morgan surpasses any of my other beliefs so I will be going to my local Gregg's this afternoon & purchasing a few to contribute to their massive sales of this (a lot of places have sold out according to several vegan FB groups) :Kiss


Hopefully your local store will have it as none of them in our area were carrying it, the nearest is a 50 minute drive so looking forward to hearing when it is available in all branches so that we can add to the demand. I'm not a pastry fan but my OH used to enjoy sausage rolls so I'm sure he would be happy to buy one occasionally when he is in a town centre.

Did anyone see Jamie and Jimmy's Friday Night Feast last week? They did a whole episode on vegan food. I got it on catch up as its not something I'd normally watch and have to say they did a pretty good job. Some of the food looks great too.

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/jamie-and-jimmys-friday-night-feast

I'd love to try the Dosa but it did look a bit time consuming. OH wants to try it though so I will have to get my head around it. Recipe is here and its the first thing he makes on the programme

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetable-recipes/jamie-s-special-dosa/#


----------



## O2.0

Obviously won't be going to Gregg's, and my own preference is to avoid meat substitutes, but I agree that they make a good transitional food for those trying to make changes. 
Interestingly, my own teens, who do eat fast food on occasion, prefer meat substitutes to the fast food version. Given the choice between the vegan "chick" patties, and real breaded chicken, both will choose the vegan option for taste and texture. Probably because I broke them at some point :Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious


----------



## Cleo38

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Hopefully your local store will have it as none of them in our area were carrying it, the nearest is a 50 minute drive so looking forward to hearing when it is available in all branches so that we can add to the demand. I'm not a pastry fan but my OH used to enjoy sausage rolls so I'm sure he would be happy to buy one occasionally when he is in a town centre.
> 
> Did anyone see Jamie and Jimmy's Friday Night Feast last week? They did a whole episode on vegan food. I got it on catch up as its not something I'd normally watch and have to say they did a pretty good job. Some of the food looks great too.
> 
> https://www.channel4.com/programmes/jamie-and-jimmys-friday-night-feast
> 
> I'd love to try the Dosa but it did look a bit time consuming. OH wants to try it though so I will have to get my head around it. Recipe is here and its the first thing he makes on the programme
> 
> https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetable-recipes/jamie-s-special-dosa/#


Yes, I did & really enjoyed it. The lasagne looked bloody lovely although a lot of people on FB groups were saying they didn't rate the cheese used as it tasted too much of coconut oil. But then someone pointed out that the programme was sponsored by Waitrose & that was one of their chesses ... who know, vegan cheese tend to be very person specific & what one person likes might not necessary be the choice of another.

I am (or was) a massive pastry fan but have really limited my intake now & not really missed it but still find myself drooling over pics of pastry based dishes. I tried the Bosh mushroom wellington over Christmas & it was gorgeous, so tasty.

We had Waitrose vegan sausage roll on Christmas Day, my sister cooked them for the buffet in the evening & they were so nice that even the meat eaters enjoyed them & wouldn't have noticed the difference had they not been told.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> Obviously won't be going to Gregg's, and my own preference is to avoid meat substitutes, but I agree that they make a good transitional food for those trying to make changes.
> Interestingly, my own teens, who do eat fast food on occasion, prefer meat substitutes to the fast food version. Given the choice between the vegan "chick" patties, and real breaded chicken, both will choose the vegan option for taste and texture. Probably because I broke them at some point :Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious


Are they selling this in the US?

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/mcdonalds-vegan-wrap-vegan-happy-meals-uk

I think these transition foods are great for helping people to see there is pretty much a vegan alternative to anything they want to eat. I haven't been in a fast food outlet for about 20 years but its good to know if I ever get caught out there are options available.

I've been making vegan Fajitas recently - its pretty much the only time we use a vegan cheese (Violife prosociano which is so like parmesan its scary). I roast strips of red and yellow pepper, onion and mushrooms in the oven having tossed them in a mixture of chilli flakes, cumin, coriander and paprika mixed to a paste with water, put them in a wholemeal pitta stand and stuff with some salsa, loads of lettuce and top with some of the grated cheese. I add baked tofu pieces too sometimes. It is delicious.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> Yes, I did & really enjoyed it. The lasagne looked bloody lovely although a lot of people on FB groups were saying they didn't rate the cheese used as it tasted too much of coconut oil. But then someone pointed out that the programme was sponsored by Waitrose & that was one of their chesses ... who know, vegan cheese tend to be very person specific & what one person likes might not necessary be the choice of another.
> 
> I am (or was) a massive pastry fan but have really limited my intake now & not really missed it but still find myself drooling over pics of pastry based dishes. I tried the Bosh mushroom wellington over Christmas & it was gorgeous, so tasty.
> 
> We had Waitrose vegan sausage roll on Christmas Day, my sister cooked them for the buffet in the evening & they were so nice that even the meat eaters enjoyed them & wouldn't have noticed the difference had they not been told.


Snap, I made the Bosh Mushroom Wellington too and agree it was gorgeous. We still have one meal of it left in the freezer as it made enough for 3 meals for us so I put two lots in the freezer and we had the 2nd on New Year's Day. Might have the last one this weekend as not sure how long it will keep. I would definitely make it again for Christmas or if we have visitors. I did make the Happy Pear beetroot Wellington too but it wasn't nearly as nice so the birds got the rest of that one


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...s-cut-heart-disease-risk-landmark-study-finds

Well what a surprise.

*Among those who ate the most fibre, the analysis found a 15-30% reduction in deaths from all causes, as well as those related to the heart, compared with those eating the least fibre.

Coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer were reduced by 16-24%. The results mean 13 fewer deaths and six fewer cases of coronary heart disease for every 1,000 people who eat high-fibre foods compared with those who do not.

Minimally processed fibrous foods can also help people lose weight. "The randomised controlled trials involving an increase in the intake of whole grains showed reduction in body weight and cholesterol," says the paper published in the Lancet medical journal.

"Fibre-rich whole foods that require chewing and retain much of their structure in the gut increase satiety and help weight control and can favourably influence lipid and glucose levels," said Mann.

It was very difficult to have high levels of fibre on a low-carbohydrate diet unless you took fibre supplements, said Mann. And "there isn't the huge body of evidence that we're talking about" for supplements being beneficial, he said, adding that "it's pretty well impossible" to get enough fibre from fruit and vegetables alone.*

The only surprise to me is that they class 30 g of fibre a day as a high fibre diet - last time I checked I was getting 70 - 80 g a day.


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Are they selling this in the US?


I honestly don't know as I haven't been in a McDonald's in decades. I know that sound snobbish to say, but it's really true. If I get caught out, I usually opt for Subway which is so easy to do vegan options and here in the US Subway is almost as ubiquitous as McDonald's. 
About a month ago, I ended up at a Chick Fil A (fast food - chicken) and I thought I would just grab some french fries as it had been a crazy day, I hadn't eaten, I figured 'what harm can a small fries do?' Oh boy... I don't know if it was old oil they fried them in or if I just have no tolerance for high oil content foods anymore, but those fries did a number on my gut! Not to get too graphic, but they exited out the end rather ungracefully  :Yuck



rottiepointerhouse said:


> It was very difficult to have high levels of fibre on a low-carbohydrate diet


Isn't fiber implicated in reducing cancer risk also. Even seemingly unrelated cancers like breast cancer? 
I don't know if it's my age or what, but it seems every time I turn around someone else is getting a cancer diagnosis. Many of them are gut/colon cancers which I'm sure is related to not enough fiber. I wonder if with the low-carb craze reaching decades of popularity now we're going to start seeing more and more of this?

I got myself in trouble on a WFPB facebook group where someone was talking about juicing, and I mentioned that removing the fiber from the food (in this case celery) probably isn't the best plan. I got told off, told that juicing makes the nutrients more available, easier to digest blah blah. I just linked a Dr. Greger video explaining how many nutrients are attached to the fiber in the food and left it at that :Angelic


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> I honestly don't know as I haven't been in a McDonald's in decades. I know that sound snobbish to say, but it's really true. If I get caught out, I usually opt for Subway which is so easy to do vegan options and here in the US Subway is almost as ubiquitous as McDonald's.
> About a month ago, I ended up at a Chick Fil A (fast food - chicken) and I thought I would just grab some french fries as it had been a crazy day, I hadn't eaten, I figured 'what harm can a small fries do?' Oh boy... I don't know if it was old oil they fried them in or if I just have no tolerance for high oil content foods anymore, but those fries did a number on my gut! Not to get too graphic, but they exited out the end rather ungracefully  :Yuck
> 
> Isn't fiber implicated in reducing cancer risk also. Even seemingly unrelated cancers like breast cancer?
> I don't know if it's my age or what, but it seems every time I turn around someone else is getting a cancer diagnosis. Many of them are gut/colon cancers which I'm sure is related to not enough fiber. I wonder if with the low-carb craze reaching decades of popularity now we're going to start seeing more and more of this?
> 
> I got myself in trouble on a WFPB facebook group where someone was talking about juicing, and I mentioned that removing the fiber from the food (in this case celery) probably isn't the best plan. I got told off, told that juicing makes the nutrients more available, easier to digest blah blah. I just linked a Dr. Greger video explaining how many nutrients are attached to the fiber in the food and left it at that :Angelic


Yes the full article mentions colo rectal and breast cancer but I'm pretty sure it has an effect on other forms of cancer too. I'm not a fan of juicing either, I do make my OH a smoothie (which keeps the fibre) with kale, blueberries, banana, flax, pomegrante juice and almond milk a few times a week but he needs the extra calories and isn't mad about kale so its in addition to his other food not instead of. I give it a miss as I try not to drink extra calories other than my oat milk in coffee as I have the opposite problem to him - trying to keep my weight down. WFPB has been by far the easiest way I've found of doing that and the most enjoyable.

I'm very excited as Amazon have just notified me the Dean and Anne Ornish book Undo It will arrive tomorrow - they had previously said it might take until April so I can't wait to get stuck into that although I've got a little bit of Dr Chatterjee's The Stress Solution to finish first.


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Yes the full article mentions colo rectal and breast cancer but I'm pretty sure it has an effect on other forms of cancer too. I'm not a fan of juicing either, I do make my OH a smoothie (which keeps the fibre) with kale, blueberries, banana, flax, pomegrante juice and almond milk a few times a week but he needs the extra calories and isn't mad about kale so its in addition to his other food not instead of. I give it a miss as I try not to drink extra calories other than my oat milk in coffee as I have the opposite problem to him - trying to keep my weight down. WFPB has been by far the easiest way I've found of doing that and the most enjoyable.
> 
> I'm very excited as Amazon have just notified me the Dean and Anne Ornish book Undo It will arrive tomorrow - they had previously said it might take until April so I can't wait to get stuck into that although I've got a little bit of Dr Chatterjee's The Stress Solution to finish first.


I do make smoothies often, especially in the summer. Both kids love 'em and it's a great way to get seeds in to my son who detests anything seed-y or nutty (I can put a tablespoon of flax and a handful of pumpkin seeds and he has no idea). And a great way to get greens in my daughter & OH who aren't always good about getting enough greens. For me, it's also a good way to get good nutrients and stay hydrated. Love smoothies! But as you say, you're not removing any fiber that way.

I'm going to go on a mission to make fiber cool  
No one wants to hear about being vegan or even vegetarian, but the fiber message really needs to get out. In the US, 97% of Americans don't get even half of the recommended daily fiber they need. Yet all we're marketed is protein. Whoever made protein so cool needs to do the same thing for fiber!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I've found a good way to get people motivated is to get them self monitoring so things like Dr Greger's daily dozen phone app or keeping charts such as eat the rainbow, eat the alphabet in fruit and veg or this food diversity chart which aims to get people to eat at least 30 different fruits and vegetables over the course of a week.

http://www.jeannettehyde.com/

The emphasis is on different so you can only count an apple or an onion once. We made 30 by the end of day 3 but it did make me think about widening the range of fruit and veg we eat as I do tend to stick to the same salad ingredients or the same greens and the same fruits/berries rather than trying new things. If you could tie in keeping a record of how you feel such as improvements in constipation (keep a poo score perhaps would be fun for kids) improvements in skin or not feeling so hungry that could help with motivation too.


----------



## O2.0

I do get comments like "if I ate the way you do, I'd be in the bathroom all day." (For the record, I'm not in the bathroom all day.) 

All the stuff I've read and listened to about gut bacteria is fascinating (and directly related to fiber - you can't have a healthy gut flora without it). So many chronic illnesses, cancers, even mental health issues can be improved or completely solved by improving the gut. 
I recently heard (have to go back and check) that researchers can look at the DNA in your gut flora and predict which cancers you'll get! How crazy is that? Yet we're not telling cancer patients to eat more fiber?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Funny you should mention that - I've just got a copy of "Missing Microbes" how the overuse of antibiotics is fueling our modern plagues by Martin J Blaser MD. He defines modern plagues as obesity, asthma, allergies, diabetes, and certain forms of cancer amongst other things. I will report back if there is anything interesting although already shocked to read that American children on average receive 17 courses of antibiotics before they are 20 :Jawdrop I doubt its much better in the UK.

I'm really fascinated by how much they are discovering the microbiome is linked to immunity and to brain health as well as gut health. 

If you are interested in the microbiome Dr Chatterjee has done quite a few podcasts with various researchers on the subject.


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> If you are interested in the microbiome Dr Chatterjee has done quite a few podcasts with various researchers on the subject.


Yes, I listen to him pretty regularly


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

BBC report on the fibre story including what 30 g of fibre looks like.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-46827426


----------



## O2.0

Ha ha! Look what showed up on cnn!

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/10/health/high-fiber-diet-weight-loss-mortality-study-intl/index.html
"The research shows that higher intakes of fiber "led to a reduced incidence of a surprisingly broad range of relevant diseases (heart disease, type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer)," reduced body weight and total cholesterol, and reduced mortality, Reynolds wrote. Similar findings were shown with increasing whole-grain intakes."


----------



## LinznMilly

Hi all.

The prodigal daughter returns, cap in hand. :Shy

After falling off the WFPB (but not vegan) wagon diet in recent months, and taking the subsequent health hit (coughs and colds since Christmas :Bag), I'm determined to get back on board, and am trying to catch up with this thread. Another reason is that I can feel the weight starting to pile on - something I've never had before - and I don't like the idea.

I need to get motivated, which isn't easy when your breathing's laboured and you're breathing through your mouth and everything seems like a struggle.

I'll stop the pity party now, :Shy .

My diet isn't high in fat, I'm cutting down on sugar, don't add salt, and living in a first floor flat means that even on a slow day, I'm climbing stairs at least four times a day, just walking Milly. I do have a lot of fruit and veg (especially in soup, atm, :Hungry ), and I really don't snack between meals, so I think my problem is portion control.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Hi all.
> 
> The prodigal daughter returns, cap in hand. :Shy
> 
> After falling off the WFPB (but not vegan) wagon diet in recent months, and taking the subsequent health hit (coughs and colds since Christmas :Bag), I'm determined to get back on board, and am trying to catch up with this thread. Another reason is that I can feel the weight starting to pile on - something I've never had before - and I don't like the idea.
> 
> I need to get motivated, which isn't easy when your breathing's laboured and you're breathing through your mouth and everything seems like a struggle.
> 
> I'll stop the pity party now, :Shy .
> 
> My diet isn't high in fat, I'm cutting down on sugar, don't add salt, and living in a first floor flat means that even on a slow day, I'm climbing stairs at least four times a day, just walking Milly. I do have a lot of fruit and veg (especially in soup, atm, :Hungry ), and I really don't snack between meals, so I think my problem is portion control.


May be think about going back and reviewing the calorie density information - I got this email from the dietitian for Dr McDougall's programme this week so hope there is something in there to help. I slipped up a bit this Christmas too, my organic vegetable provider was doing vegan mince pies and vegan Christmas pudding so I ordered them because I do feel I should support their attempt to supply vegans with decent alternatives. I also made mushroom wellington which is pastry, something I never normally eat and low and behold I gained 3 - 4 pounds which I hate so the rest of the mince pies went out for the birds and OH ate the rest of the pudding and next year I won't be tempted to buy stuff I don't even like. I'd much rather be eating fruit than mince pies so I have no idea what came over me :Shamefullyembarrased


*The Calorie Density Approach to Nutrition and Lifelong Weight Management*
*Jeff Novick, MS, RDN*
Calorie density is the simplest approach to healthful eating and lifelong weight management. This commonsense approach to sound nutrition allows for lifelong weight management without hunger and more food for fewer calories. It's also easy to understand and follow. In addition, by following the principles of calorie density, you will also increase the overall nutrient density of your diet. The basic principles of calorie density are simple and outlined below. Remember, these are just guidelines expressing the principles and not exact recommendations.

*The Calorie Density Approach*

Calorie density is simply a measure of how many calories are in a given weight of food, most often expressed as calories per pound. A food high in calorie density has a large number of calories in a small weight of food, whereas a food low in calorie density has much fewer calories in the same weight of food. Therefore, one can consume a larger portion of a low-calorie dense food than a high-calorie dense food for the same number of calories. On a day-to-day basis, people generally eat a similar amount of food, by weight. Therefore, choosing foods with a lower calorie density allows us to consume our usual amounts of food (or more) while reducing our caloric intakes and vice versa.

Foods low in calorie density also tend to be higher in satiety. So, by consuming foods lower in calorie density, one can fill up on much fewer calories without having to go hungry and without having to weigh, measure or worry about portion control. In addition, the foods that are lower in calorie density (fruits, veggies, starchy vegetables, intact whole grains and legumes) are also the foods highest in nutrient density. Therefore, by following a diet lower in calorie density, one also automatically consumes a diet higher in nutrient density.

*The Principles of Calorie Density for Maximum Weight Loss*


*Hunger and Satiety*- Eat only when you are hungry and until you are comfortably full. Avoid starving or stuffing yourself.

*Meal Sequence*- Start all meals with a salad, soup and/or fruit. That will allow you to fill up with foods that are the lowest in calorie density.

*Liquid Calories*- Chew your calories and avoid drinking or liquefying them. Liquids do not fill you up as much as solid foods of equal calories.

*Dilution Is the *Solution (the 50/50 guideline) - Dilute the calorie density of your meals by filling half of your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and/or fruit and the other half with starchy vegetables, intact whole grains and/or legumes.

*Vegetables vs. Fats*- Non-starchy vegetables are the lowest in calorie density while fat and oil are the highest. Adding non-starchy vegetables to any dish will lower the overall calorie density of a meal, while adding even small amounts of fat and/or oil will raise its overall calorie density.

*Calorie-Dense Foods*- Limit/Avoid calorie-dense foods which include dried fruit, high-fat plant foods (nuts, seeds, avocados) and some processed whole grains (bread, bagels, crackers, dry cereal, tortilla, puffed cereals, popcorn). If used, incorporate these foods into meals that are made up predominately of low-calorie-dense foods.

*The Calorie Density Scale
Foods*
Vegetables
Fruit
Potatoes, Pasta, Rice, Barley, Yams, Corn, Hot Cereals
Beans, Peas, Lentils (cooked)
Breads, Bagels, Fat-free Muffins, Dried Fruit
Sugars (i.e. sugar, honey, molasses, agave, corn syrup)
Dry Cereals, Baked Chips, Fat-free Crackers, Pretzels, Popcorn
Nuts/Seeds
Oils

*Calories/Pound*
60 - 195
140 - 420
320 - 630
310 - 780
920 - 1,360
1,200 - 1,800
1,480 - 1,760
2,400 - 3,200
4,000

Research has shown that people can eat freely of foods that are about 300-400 calories per pound or less and not gain weight. People can consume relatively large portions of foods that are between 400 and 800 calories per pound and still lose or maintain their weight depending on their individual activity levels and metabolism. The intake of foods with a calorie density of 800-1,800 should be limited as these can contribute to weight gain and interfere with efforts to lose weight. Additionally, the intake of foods over 1,800 calories per pound should be extremely limited as these foods can very easily contribute to weight gain and obesity and can also greatly interfere with efforts to lose weight.

The 2007 report from the American Cancer Institute and the World Cancer Research Fund recommended lowering the average calorie density of the American diet to 567 calories per pound. One can easily do this by following the above principles of calorie density, which allow us to eat freely of unrefined, unprocessed fruits, veggies, starchy veggies, and intact whole grains and legumes, without the addition of salt, sugar and/or fat/oil to them.

*Summary*

Calorie density really is a common-sense approach to sound nutrition and is the cornerstone of good health. It is the simplest way to lose and/or manage your weight for life. By following a few simple principles, you will increase the amount of food on your plate while decreasing your overall caloric intake, all without ever having to go hungry. At the same time, you will be optimizing your overall nutrient intake.

In Health,
Jeff Novick, MS, RDN

ETA - 2 pounds dropped off straight away when I went back to my normal diet so I'm hoping the other couple of pounds will come off too.


----------



## LinznMilly

rottiepointerhouse said:


> May be think about going back and reviewing the calorie density information - I got this email from the dietitian for Dr McDougall's programme this week so hope there is something in there to help. I slipped up a bit this Christmas too, my organic vegetable provider was doing vegan mince pies and vegan Christmas pudding so I ordered them because I do feel I should support their attempt to supply vegans with decent alternatives. I also made mushroom wellington which is pastry, something I never normally eat and low and behold I gained 3 - 4 pounds which I hate so the rest of the mince pies went out for the birds and OH ate the rest of the pudding and next year I won't be tempted to buy stuff I don't even like. I'd much rather be eating fruit than mince pies so I have no idea what came over me :Shamefullyembarrased
> 
> 
> *The Calorie Density Approach to Nutrition and Lifelong Weight Management*
> *Jeff Novick, MS, RDN*
> Calorie density is the simplest approach to healthful eating and lifelong weight management. This commonsense approach to sound nutrition allows for lifelong weight management without hunger and more food for fewer calories. It's also easy to understand and follow. In addition, by following the principles of calorie density, you will also increase the overall nutrient density of your diet. The basic principles of calorie density are simple and outlined below. Remember, these are just guidelines expressing the principles and not exact recommendations.
> 
> *The Calorie Density Approach*
> 
> Calorie density is simply a measure of how many calories are in a given weight of food, most often expressed as calories per pound. A food high in calorie density has a large number of calories in a small weight of food, whereas a food low in calorie density has much fewer calories in the same weight of food. Therefore, one can consume a larger portion of a low-calorie dense food than a high-calorie dense food for the same number of calories. On a day-to-day basis, people generally eat a similar amount of food, by weight. Therefore, choosing foods with a lower calorie density allows us to consume our usual amounts of food (or more) while reducing our caloric intakes and vice versa.
> 
> Foods low in calorie density also tend to be higher in satiety. So, by consuming foods lower in calorie density, one can fill up on much fewer calories without having to go hungry and without having to weigh, measure or worry about portion control. In addition, the foods that are lower in calorie density (fruits, veggies, starchy vegetables, intact whole grains and legumes) are also the foods highest in nutrient density. Therefore, by following a diet lower in calorie density, one also automatically consumes a diet higher in nutrient density.
> 
> *The Principles of Calorie Density for Maximum Weight Loss*
> 
> 
> *Hunger and Satiety*- Eat only when you are hungry and until you are comfortably full. Avoid starving or stuffing yourself.
> 
> *Meal Sequence*- Start all meals with a salad, soup and/or fruit. That will allow you to fill up with foods that are the lowest in calorie density.
> 
> *Liquid Calories*- Chew your calories and avoid drinking or liquefying them. Liquids do not fill you up as much as solid foods of equal calories.
> 
> *Dilution Is the *Solution (the 50/50 guideline) - Dilute the calorie density of your meals by filling half of your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and/or fruit and the other half with starchy vegetables, intact whole grains and/or legumes.
> 
> *Vegetables vs. Fats*- Non-starchy vegetables are the lowest in calorie density while fat and oil are the highest. Adding non-starchy vegetables to any dish will lower the overall calorie density of a meal, while adding even small amounts of fat and/or oil will raise its overall calorie density.
> 
> *Calorie-Dense Foods*- Limit/Avoid calorie-dense foods which include dried fruit, high-fat plant foods (nuts, seeds, avocados) and some processed whole grains (bread, bagels, crackers, dry cereal, tortilla, puffed cereals, popcorn). If used, incorporate these foods into meals that are made up predominately of low-calorie-dense foods.
> 
> *The Calorie Density Scale
> Foods*
> Vegetables
> Fruit
> Potatoes, Pasta, Rice, Barley, Yams, Corn, Hot Cereals
> Beans, Peas, Lentils (cooked)
> Breads, Bagels, Fat-free Muffins, Dried Fruit
> Sugars (i.e. sugar, honey, molasses, agave, corn syrup)
> Dry Cereals, Baked Chips, Fat-free Crackers, Pretzels, Popcorn
> Nuts/Seeds
> Oils
> 
> *Calories/Pound*
> 60 - 195
> 140 - 420
> 320 - 630
> 310 - 780
> 920 - 1,360
> 1,200 - 1,800
> 1,480 - 1,760
> 2,400 - 3,200
> 4,000
> 
> Research has shown that people can eat freely of foods that are about 300-400 calories per pound or less and not gain weight. People can consume relatively large portions of foods that are between 400 and 800 calories per pound and still lose or maintain their weight depending on their individual activity levels and metabolism. The intake of foods with a calorie density of 800-1,800 should be limited as these can contribute to weight gain and interfere with efforts to lose weight. Additionally, the intake of foods over 1,800 calories per pound should be extremely limited as these foods can very easily contribute to weight gain and obesity and can also greatly interfere with efforts to lose weight.
> 
> The 2007 report from the American Cancer Institute and the World Cancer Research Fund recommended lowering the average calorie density of the American diet to 567 calories per pound. One can easily do this by following the above principles of calorie density, which allow us to eat freely of unrefined, unprocessed fruits, veggies, starchy veggies, and intact whole grains and legumes, without the addition of salt, sugar and/or fat/oil to them.
> 
> *Summary*
> 
> Calorie density really is a common-sense approach to sound nutrition and is the cornerstone of good health. It is the simplest way to lose and/or manage your weight for life. By following a few simple principles, you will increase the amount of food on your plate while decreasing your overall caloric intake, all without ever having to go hungry. At the same time, you will be optimizing your overall nutrient intake.
> 
> In Health,
> Jeff Novick, MS, RDN
> 
> ETA - 2 pounds dropped off straight away when I went back to my normal diet so I'm hoping the other couple of pounds will come off too.


Thanks for this. :Shamefullyembarrased

Maybe I've been concentrating too much on the fat/sat fat content of my diet, and not enough on the overall caloric density. I'll start looking at the bigger picture.


----------



## O2.0

LinznMilly said:


> I need to get motivated,


When I first started eating less processed food, I found information about health benefits really motivating, especially since I was trying to do better for my family also. 
My morning routine is to get up, make coffee, clean up the kitchen, and while I'm doing all that, I'm listening to a podcast that gets me motivated for the day. 
I like Dr. Greger's podcast for short bursts of information, and his style usually puts a smile on my face. 
https://nutritionfacts.org/audio/

Chuck Carroll on the Exam Room is also excellent. 
https://www.pcrm.org/podcast
They have an episode on cheese and another on the protein myth, both of which I've listened to more than once because they're so good.

And Dr. Chatterjee's Feel Better Live More podcast always has interesting stuff. Not always WFPB, but always very interesting. 
https://drchatterjee.com/blog/category/podcast/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> When I first started eating less processed food, I found information about health benefits really motivating, especially since I was trying to do better for my family also.
> My morning routine is to get up, make coffee, clean up the kitchen, and while I'm doing all that, I'm listening to a podcast that gets me motivated for the day.
> I like Dr. Greger's podcast for short bursts of information, and his style usually puts a smile on my face.
> https://nutritionfacts.org/audio/
> 
> Chuck Carroll on the Exam Room is also excellent.
> https://www.pcrm.org/podcast
> They have an episode on cheese and another on the protein myth, both of which I've listened to more than once because they're so good.
> 
> And Dr. Chatterjee's Feel Better Live More podcast always has interesting stuff. Not always WFPB, but always very interesting.
> https://drchatterjee.com/blog/category/podcast/


I think bit by bit Dr Chatterjee is coming around to the WFPB way of eating. I don't think he will ever be fully so but he is definitely moving away from some of his early low carb and fat is not the enemy views. If you go right back to some of his early podcasts they were nearly all with Paleo speakers. I've definitely detected a shift in his views


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> Thanks for this. :Shamefullyembarrased
> 
> Maybe I've been concentrating too much on the fat/sat fat content of my diet, and not enough on the overall caloric density. I'll start looking at the bigger picture.


Good luck. Let us know how you get on.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@O2.0 this instagram post reminded me of what you said yesterday about fibre and needing to make it fun - this gut health doctor thinks its sexy :Joyful I get the impression he is plant based - he was responding to one of the plant based cardiologists anyway.

*theguthealthmd*
@theveggiemd @theplantbasedmd It's time for fiber to be rebranded. The way it feeds and nourishes our gut Microbiota, and the POSTbiotics (butyrate, etc) that ensue are magical ⚡‍♀✨. Fiber is damn sexy. There, I said it....


----------



## LinznMilly

O2.0 said:


> When I first started eating less processed food, I found information about health benefits really motivating, especially since I was trying to do better for my family also.
> My morning routine is to get up, make coffee, clean up the kitchen, and while I'm doing all that, I'm listening to a podcast that gets me motivated for the day.
> I like Dr. Greger's podcast for short bursts of information, and his style usually puts a smile on my face.
> https://nutritionfacts.org/audio/
> 
> Chuck Carroll on the Exam Room is also excellent.
> https://www.pcrm.org/podcast
> They have an episode on cheese and another on the protein myth, both of which I've listened to more than once because they're so good.
> 
> And Dr. Chatterjee's Feel Better Live More podcast always has interesting stuff. Not always WFPB, but always very interesting.
> https://drchatterjee.com/blog/category/podcast/


Thanks for posting. I've listened to the first two, and downloaded the Daily Dozen.

So, here's what I've already done in recent weeks:


To (admittedly shop-bought) soup, I'll add 2-3 handfuls of fresh kale, chopped garlic and whatever herbs/spices take my fancy at that particular time - usuall rosemary and mint, or mixed herbs.
Stir-fries include mushrooms (I love 'shrooms :Hungry), peppers (red, and either green or yellow), sometimes broccoli, kale or both. I've extended out to spinach too.
I'll have a portion of blueberries with my breakfast, or if not, then as a snack. Today, it was with breakfast.
Swapped chocolate and crisps for fruit as a snack - and when I get cravings, it is for the fruit, not the high-fat, high-sugar crap (had to run out to the shop today because I'd been craving banana all day  )
Already have/prefer wholemeal bread over white.
Decreased coffee consumption and replaced with water.
I don't usually have fizzy drinks - it's either water or coffee.

I do need to improve my nuts and seeds intake and cut down on the processed foods - especially crumpets. :Bag Once this last lot are gone, I won't be replacing them. In the meantime, I'm cutting down.

Looking at calorie density, today, I've consumed 1,487 calories, so I certainly don't want to have anymore.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Made this tonight but cut out the oil apart from a splash of sesame oil and cut back the peanut butter. It was delicious. Another big hit with OH.

https://www.bosh.tv/recipes/nice-spice-rice


----------



## LinznMilly

Today's snack:


----------



## Snoringbear

Anyone had banana blossom? I've just ordered some. I'm going to try this recipe.

https://www.elephantasticvegan.com/banana-blossom-vegan-fish/


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## rottiepointerhouse

Snoringbear said:


> Anyone had banana blossom? I've just ordered some. I'm going to try this recipe.
> 
> https://www.elephantasticvegan.com/banana-blossom-vegan-fish/


Wow. I've never heard of banana blossom before - it looks a bit like Jackfruit. Let us know what its like - photos would be great too


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## Magyarmum

Snoringbear said:


> Anyone had banana blossom? I've just ordered some. I'm going to try this recipe.
> 
> https://www.elephantasticvegan.com/banana-blossom-vegan-fish/


I've looked at recipes using banana blossom, but never tried them. I buy a lot of spices online and looking at their site it says the flavour in similar to artichoke hearts which I have, so might try your recipe using those first.

https://www.egzotikusfuszerek.hu/hu.../bananvirag__banansziv_konzerv-product-825-1/


----------



## Cleo38

Lovely breakfast today; wholemeal toast topped with avocado hummus, baby plum tomatoes fried in olive oil with a dash of balsamic vinegar then a handful of butterhole kale chucked in at the end. Sooooooo nice!!


----------



## Snoringbear

Magyarmum said:


> I've looked at recipes using banana blossom, but never tried them. I buy a lot of spices online and looking at their site it says the flavour in similar to artichoke hearts which I have, so might try your recipe using those first.
> 
> https://www.egzotikusfuszerek.hu/hu.../bananvirag__banansziv_konzerv-product-825-1/


It's the first time I've encountered banana blossom, I'm not sure how it will taste, but looking forward to trying it. It looked interesting so I went for some. Whether it tastes like fish is one question, I'd more interested whether it tastes nice by its own virtues, I think being something new I've never heard of is more interesting tbh  I purchased it via Food Clubs while I was buying my general shopping. It's a great place to buy ethical and sustainable products at a discount. I joined one in my area a few months back. https://www.foodclubs.co/


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## catz4m8z

Banana blossoms do sound interesting. I wonder if you have to cook them in oil to get the fishiness though? Id probably bake in the oven instead.

WFPB really is good if you are trying to lose weight but are a big eater. Just had a huge bowl of home made vegetable soup with black beans and some baked chips and Im really stuffed! It works out at about 400 calories too so I can feel stuffed and virtuous at the same time!LOL:Smug


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## Snoringbear

I’ll have to get back to you once I’ve tried a few recipes. The fish taste is just something I’ve seen thrown around. I don’t think I’ll be disappointed if they don’t taste fishy, more interested if they taste nice. They’re a bit of an unknown to me tbh. Now I’ve seen them I’d like to experience them.


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## O2.0

I've never had banana blossoms (that I know of). Looking at them, they remind me a lot of artichoke hearts which I do eat a good bit - love 'em. They have a mild but very distinctive taste. I find that people who don't like artichoke hearts *really* don't like them. I wonder if banana blossoms are similar that way?


----------



## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> Banana blossoms do sound interesting. I wonder if you have to cook them in oil to get the fishiness though? Id probably bake in the oven instead.
> 
> WFPB really is good if you are trying to lose weight but are a big eater. Just had a huge bowl of home made vegetable soup with black beans and some baked chips and Im really stuffed! It works out at about 400 calories too so I can feel stuffed and virtuous at the same time!LOL:Smug


Most of the recipes I've seen for vegan "fish" recipes use Nori which is basically seaweed to give the fish flavour. You can buy the sheets from Tesco.

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/253662911

I found this which looks interesting and give some ideas for vegan "fish" recipes.

http://fishfeel.org/seafood/recipes/


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## Snoringbear

I’ve also got some seaweed wraps coming. Not sure if I’ll put it all together yet with the banana blossoms. I’d like to have a bit more of a play with the banana blossoms before I get a bit more experimental.


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## Snoringbear

Seaweed wraps from this company, again I've not heard of them just thought I'd try them. https://seamorefood.com/iseawraps/


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## O2.0

Listened to Dr. Chatterjee this morning on regenerating brain cells, fascinating, and diet came up. One of the studies discussed showed that flavinoids (found only in plant foods - particularly berries) can have a very significant effect on brain cell regrowth. 
I don't know about the UK, but in the US, there is this idea in some 'diet' circles that fruit has sugar therefore fruit is bad and like fiber in whole grains, this worries me for the future if we get in to this trend of avoiding fruits!

Anyway, here is the podcast:
https://drchatterjee.com/grow-new-brain-cells-dr-sandrine-thuret/

And Dr. Thuret's TED talk:
https://www.ted.com/talks/sandrine_...ew_brain_cells_here_s_how?language=en#t-58882

Cool stuff, nice motivation to keep doing what we're doing


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> Listened to Dr. Chatterjee this morning on regenerating brain cells, fascinating, and diet came up. One of the studies discussed showed that flavinoids (found only in plant foods - particularly berries) can have a very significant effect on brain cell regrowth.
> I don't know about the UK, but in the US, there is this idea in some 'diet' circles that fruit has sugar therefore fruit is bad and like fiber in whole grains, this worries me for the future if we get in to this trend of avoiding fruits!
> 
> Anyway, here is the podcast:
> https://drchatterjee.com/grow-new-brain-cells-dr-sandrine-thuret/
> 
> And Dr. Thuret's TED talk:
> https://www.ted.com/talks/sandrine_...ew_brain_cells_here_s_how?language=en#t-58882
> 
> Cool stuff, nice motivation to keep doing what we're doing


I haven't quite finished listening to it but I agree it was fascinating. Unfortunately Dr Chatterjee has a bit of a downer on fruit, he often recommends berries and/or cherries or other low glycaemic fruit but not fruit in general. I tagged him on instagram when one of the plant based doctors was showing some amazing research on how beneficial fruit is particularly for diabetics but he didn't respond.

Funnily enough I was telling my 81 yr old Mum about this podcast and a bit about neurogenesis - she has become the go to person for dietary advice amongst her group of ladies at the coffee shop :Hilarious:Hilarious. Unfortunately she has a filter that picks out the bits she likes and ignores the bit she doesn't so today she bought lots of blueberries and told the ladies how they should get some because they help brain health but then they all tucked in to a fry up for brunch - she forgot the part where I told her saturated fat can adversely effect neurogenisis :Arghh


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Unfortunately Dr Chatterjee has a bit of a downer on fruit, he often recommends berries and/or cherries or other low glycaemic fruit but not fruit in general.


I might have to check him out...I dont like much fruit either except berries! Sometimes in the summer I might eat abit more but generally if I eat fruit as a snack it just makes me feel hungry about half and hour later! Which is weird, I know!!:Shy


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## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> I might have to check him out...I dont like much fruit either except berries! Sometimes in the summer I might eat abit more but generally if I eat fruit as a snack it just makes me feel hungry about half and hour later! Which is weird, I know!!:Shy


He has done some amazing work and I've found his books very inspirational, particularly the first one the 4 pillar plan. It really did give me the little shove I needed to sort out lots of areas of my life other than food and was part of the reason I took a long break from here. I actually think my OH would have become seriously ill if he had carried on working the hours he was (which as we work together also meant I was) and trying to get by on 4 - 5 hrs sleep every night. He is now getting 7 hrs although I still have a way to go with him regarding relaxation but I'm getting there slowly. Dr Chatterjee isn't plant based but he is gradually moving more towards it. I'm sure you would find lots of his podcasts interesting.


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## O2.0

I eat fruit like crazy, I think I could be a fruititarian  Most days I have at least 2 apples, a cup or more of blueberries, bananas, and whatever else is in season which right now is mostly apples, pears, and citrus. Oh and pineapple, I eat pineapple a good 4 or 5 times a week. 
My kids are also fruit crazy, I generally have several bowls of fruit out on the kitchen counter to grab and snack on, and they do. On a few occasions, another parent has looked at how much fruit my (slim and healthy) kids eat, and asks me if I'm not worried about all that sugar  It's really weird how distorted our views of food has become. But no, I don't worry about my 6' teenage boy with his 30 inch waist eating 4 bananas in one go. Or when my daughter's lunch consists of more clementines than anything else. How can you not love clementines? They're so cute!!


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## rottiepointerhouse

Much the same here. I always have a huge serving of berries and a banana on my breakfast cereal/oatmeal, fresh in the summer and frozen in the winter, during the day usually an apple, two clementines, some grapes and melon if I have any. My OH eats even more and has a smoothie with kale/blueberry/banana most days. I love the two boys from Mastering Diabetes - both Type 1 Diabetics who eat tons of fruit and show that contrary to previous advice, it helps to improve blood sugar and insulin resistance.


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## catz4m8z

I just cant get into it. It just doesnt taste very satisfying to me. Ive given up buying fresh fruit coz it just sits there in a bowl slowly decomposing and judging me!:Hilarious
I do use frozen, tinned and dried fruit though so my life isnt a total fruit wasteland. For snacks Id prefer either veggie crudites or even a small bowl of porridge (with pumpkin seeds and date syrup.yum).

Today I had a monster sized tofu stir fry with wholewheat noodles....Id forgotten how much I love stir fry as it tends to be more of a summer thing for me usually.


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## Matrod

I struggle with fruit too, I have a handful of berries with my breakfast & one banana a day but that’s it. I love pineapple but I’m lazy & can’t be bothered with the prep . 

I’ve succumbed to the cold going round my office so dinner tonight is going to be simple rice & veg with a ginger & miso dressing. I’ve been necking holy basil tulsi tea today as that’s supposed to be good for colds.


----------



## O2.0

Matrod said:


> I love pineapple but I'm lazy & can't be bothered with the prep


Ha ha! I find it soothing to chop fruit and veggies LOL! 
Melon and pineapple are particularly satisfying because you start out with this mess and you end up with lovely chopped fruit


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Matrod said:


> I struggle with fruit too, I have a handful of berries with my breakfast & one banana a day but that's it. I love pineapple but I'm lazy & can't be bothered with the prep .
> 
> I've succumbed to the cold going round my office so dinner tonight is going to be simple rice & veg with a ginger & miso dressing. I've been necking holy basil tulsi tea today as that's supposed to be good for colds.


Tesco sell frozen pineapple chunks and also mango chunks which are just the pure fruit frozen. You could always chuck some in a smoothie or add to oatmeal and no prep involved  Hope you feel better soon. Touch wood we have escaped any coughs/colds or flu so far this year.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Fingers crossed this gets the go ahead for trials within the NHS.

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/national-institute-plant-based-diet-treat-t2-diabetes


----------



## kimthecat

Rotties back! yay!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

kimthecat said:


> Rotties back! yay!
> 
> View attachment 388600


Thank you - I'm keeping to the plant based/vegan threads for now though and will see how I go. How are you doing?


----------



## kimthecat

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Thank you - I'm keeping to the plant based/vegan threads for now though and will see how I go. How are you doing?


Very well thanks .  Im sort of hibernating until Spring


----------



## O2.0

As if he needed more reasons to be ridiculed, this has been the laughing stock this side of the pond for a couple days now:










The Clemson University football (american) team won the national championship and so got to visit the president in the White House. Trump's idea of feeding them was to buy out the local Wendy's, McDonald's, and Domino's pizza and put it all on silver trays. 
And look how proud he is!
I don't even know what to say......


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

:Jawdrop:Jawdrop


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Mind you the cabinet were sending out for doughnuts yesterday in the pre Brexit meeting. Nothing like a bit of brain food before the most important debate/vote in decades :Joyful


----------



## Guest

I have a lentils question - can you do anything with them other than throw them in soups and stews? 

Lentils are one thing I didn’t grow up eating so I’m a bit hazy on what to do with them and how to cook them. Do you have to soak them or something? And what s with the different types? I actually don’t even know how to use them in soups and stews apart from the one soup recipe I have which calls for red lentils!


----------



## Magyarmum

McKenzie said:


> I have a lentils question - can you do anything with them other than throw them in soups and stews?
> 
> I love lentils and have quite a collection - Puy or Beluga, Green,Yellow and the Red which is my favourite.


 I use the Puy or Beluga lentils which are black in salads and any dish where I need lentils which keep their shape. The other lentils I use for making Indian dhal which I love, or like you adding to soups or stews Unlike the Puy/Beluga lentils they tend to go mushy when cooked. You can also use them to make patties and hamburgers as well! Oh, and you don't need to soak them, just rinse them well.

https://www.jamieoliver.com/news-and-features/features/lentils-and-basic-tarka-dhal-recipe/

https://www.wideopeneats.com/5-different-types-of-lentils/

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/recipes-for-lentil-lovers/

Hope that helps .... have fun!


----------



## Matrod

McKenzie said:


> I have a lentils question - can you do anything with them other than throw them in soups and stews?
> 
> Lentils are one thing I didn't grow up eating so I'm a bit hazy on what to do with them and how to cook them. Do you have to soak them or something? And what s with the different types? I actually don't even know how to use them in soups and stews apart from the one soup recipe I have which calls for red lentils!


I always buy the precooked ones when I'm not using red lentils. I make puy lentils & rice quite often, just cook the rice with the lentils for 12 minutes or so with some spices, I have it with slow cooked onions, coconut yoghurt mixed with fresh ginger & some salad leaves, sometimes I have orange, walnuts & shallots with the salad.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

McKenzie said:


> I have a lentils question - can you do anything with them other than throw them in soups and stews?
> 
> Lentils are one thing I didn't grow up eating so I'm a bit hazy on what to do with them and how to cook them. Do you have to soak them or something? And what s with the different types? I actually don't even know how to use them in soups and stews apart from the one soup recipe I have which calls for red lentils!


You can pretty much do what you want with them. I add them to soups especially if you want them thickened, they cook in the liquid and then get blended so you wouldn't even know they were there although you don't have to blend them. I add them to curries, no need to cook them first as they cook down quite quickly - if you want to make a Biryani then chuck them in with the veggies and rice and let them all cook together. I use the Puy lentils in a pouch to make a cottage pie or stew, green lentils in a tin or dried in curries and stews and dried red lentils in soups or dahl. I posted a lovely looking recipe for a butternut squash & red lentil dahl the other day and a lentil Shepherds pie type thing with gorgeous looking potatoes on top - they are both in the Veganuary thread.


----------



## LinznMilly

Still here! Still watching overall calorie intake, and portion control. Managed to go a whole week without chips or vegan sausage rolls, and eating a lot of fruit & veg - even nuts. 

Still eating crumpets, though. 


Not entirely plant-based, but SIL made her family a vegan meal the other night (although she did use veggie mince). It was a hit! All three of her kids apparently asked for seconds - something they never do!! The youngest even licked her plate clean.


----------



## catz4m8z

LinznMilly said:


> Still here!
> 
> Still eating crumpets, though.


Glad to hear it!!:Woot well done.

As for the crumpets.....so what?? One little treat isnt going to hurt you especially if it means you dont fall of the wagon and just eat decent whole food plant foods the majority of the time.
Besides crumpets are really tasty!rool


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> Glad to hear it!!:Woot well done.
> 
> As for the crumpets.....so what?? One little treat isnt going to hurt you especially if it means you dont fall of the wagon and just eat decent whole food plant foods the majority of the time.
> Besides crumpets are really tasty!rool


Guess a lot depends on what you put on the crumpets though


----------



## Matrod

LinznMilly said:


> Still here! Still watching overall calorie intake, and portion control. Managed to go a whole week without chips or vegan sausage rolls, and eating a lot of fruit & veg - even nuts.
> 
> Still eating crumpets, though.
> 
> Not entirely plant-based, but SIL made her family a vegan meal the other night (although she did use veggie mince). It was a hit! All three of her kids apparently asked for seconds - something they never do!! The youngest even licked her plate clean.


I love crumpets :Hungry I made some jam tarts yesterday - not exactly plant based but every now & then I need a bit of stodgyness.


----------



## catz4m8z

ooooh, jam tarts!:Woot
Yesterday I had a lovely plateful of processed vegan food coz I had a total craving for something unhealthy. But that was one meal after 2 weeks of just whole plant food and now Im back to WFPB again. I cant imagine there are many people who dont eat some form of 'junk food' every once and a while.


Tomorrow Im going to clear out all the old veg in my fridge which means its soup making day!:Smuggrin Also going to make a nice bean filled chilli coz its so cold.


----------



## Matrod

I bought a recipe box this week which was sweet potato, quinoa & leek cakes with roasted tomatoes & a blood orange & watercress salad, I've lost my taste a bit with this wretched cold but the bits I could taste were very nice. It was supposed to have a poached egg on top but I skipped that bit.










My photos never make food look nice :Hilarious


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Matrod said:


> I bought a recipe box this week which was sweet potato, quinoa & leek cakes with roasted tomatoes & a blood orange & watercress salad, I've lost my taste a bit with this wretched cold but the bits I could taste were very nice. It was supposed to have a poached egg on top but I skipped that bit.
> 
> View attachment 389057
> 
> 
> My photos never make food look nice :Hilarious


Was it from Riverford?


----------



## Guest

Matrod said:


> I bought a recipe box this week which was sweet potato, quinoa & leek cakes with roasted tomatoes & a blood orange & watercress salad, I've lost my taste a bit with this wretched cold but the bits I could taste were very nice. It was supposed to have a poached egg on top but I skipped that bit.
> 
> View attachment 389057
> 
> 
> My photos never make food look nice :Hilarious


That looks yum!


----------



## Matrod

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Was it from Riverford?


No Abel & Cole, I always have a look at both as they each do vegan recipe boxes now. I've got kidney bean & sweet potato enchiladas coming next week, I don't usually eat wheat but I've got a full on week coming up so it'll be a nice treat.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Matrod said:


> No Abel & Cole, I always have a look at both as they each do vegan recipe boxes now. I've got kidney bean & sweet potato enchiladas coming next week, I don't usually eat wheat but I've got a full on week coming up so it'll be a nice treat.


I always have a look at the Riverford vegan recipe boxes when I am placing my order but they are so expensive, a bit of a rip off given the individual ingredients are quite cheap so I haven't ordered one but I like looking and getting some ideas. How many did the supplied ingredients make?


----------



## Matrod

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I always have a look at the Riverford vegan recipe boxes when I am placing my order but they are so expensive, a bit of a rip off given the individual ingredients are quite cheap so I haven't ordered one but I like looking and getting some ideas. How many did the supplied ingredients make?


Yes they are rather pricey, I don't get them very often but if I really like the sound of one & it's not similar to other things I make I'll take a chance. I got 8 cakes out of it so pretty good, I've got 4 left which I'll freeze. Some recipe boxes I've had have yielded loads of leftovers, they do vary in meal size.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Matrod said:


> Yes they are rather pricey, I don't get them very often but if I really like the sound of one & it's not similar to other things I make I'll take a chance. I got 8 cakes out of it so pretty good, I've got 4 left which I'll freeze. Some recipe boxes I've had have yielded loads of leftovers, they do vary in meal size.


8 cakes is pretty good. I like the look of this one but no way would I pay £12.45 for some rice, a tin of red kidney beans, a tin of tomatoes, a sweet potato, a pepper and some spices. I think I can hazard a guess from the ingredients how to make it so I may give it a try.

https://www.riverford.co.uk/bop/vegan-simple-recipe/


----------



## Magyarmum

Matrod said:


> I bought a recipe box this week which was sweet potato, quinoa & leek cakes with roasted tomatoes & a blood orange & watercress salad, I've lost my taste a bit with this wretched cold but the bits I could taste were very nice. It was supposed to have a poached egg on top but I skipped that bit.
> 
> View attachment 389057
> 
> 
> My photos never make food look nice :Hilarious


That looks good! I'm afraid my food photos don't look great either!

I've discovered a company in Hungary which amongst all the vegetarian products they do are a few for making what they call "frikadelle" but I know as rissoles or patties. I bought a couple of packets and they're really good and come in several different flavours depending on the ingredients. You can either just add water or add any chopped vegetable you like. There's also one of chickpeas plus the seasoning to make falafel which I might try today. And not expensive at about £1 for a 200 g packet which I think would make about 15 patties.

https://www.ataisz.hu/32-legujabb-termekek

For the first time I made hummus! Up to now I've been too lazy and it's easier to buy it, but because of the snow and ice I haven't been able to get out to do any shopping and had run out. Must say I'm very pleased with the results although it turned out a little chunkier than the bought.

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and am intrigued so printed it out and hopefully will make it as part of tonight's dinner!

http://www.landsandflavors.com/baked-potato-kibbeh/


----------



## Matrod

Magyarmum said:


> That looks good! I'm afraid my food photos don't look great either!
> 
> I've discovered a company in Hungary which amongst all the vegetarian products they do are a few for making what they call "frikadelle" but I know as rissoles or patties. I bought a couple of packets and they're really good and come in several different flavours depending on the ingredients. You can either just add water or add any chopped vegetable you like. There's also one of chickpeas plus the seasoning to make falafel which I might try today. And not expensive at about £1 for a 200 g packet which I think would make about 15 patties.
> 
> https://www.ataisz.hu/32-legujabb-termekek
> 
> For the first time I made hummus! Up to now I've been too lazy and it's easier to buy it, but because of the snow and ice I haven't been able to get out to do any shopping and had run out. Must say I'm very pleased with the results although it turned out a little chunkier than the bought.
> 
> I saw this recipe on Pinterest and am intrigued so printed it out and hopefully will make it as part of tonight's dinner!
> 
> http://www.landsandflavors.com/baked-potato-kibbeh/


I love kibbeh, I've got a Middle Eastern cookery book which has quite a few kibbeh recipes in that I make. Hope you enjoy it! I've tried making hummus so many times but it never turns out right, don't know where I'm going wrong.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I've not heard of Zac Bush before but I'm so glad I watched this podcast with him and Rich Roll. Its a bit long so has taken me a while to get round to. If you can spare the time please give it a watch.


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I've not heard of Zac Bush before but I'm so glad I watched this podcast with him and Rich Roll. Its a bit long so has taken me a while to get round to. If you can spare the time please give it a watch.


You have heard of him before!  
I shared his first podcast on Rich Roll which totally blew my mind, about leaky gut and how glyphosate in our food and water supply can affect so many things, and of course how a plant based diet can help us heal from all that.

Well darn, I just looked and I don't see it. Must have been while I was taking a break. 
In any case, if you get a chance to listen to Zach Bush's first appearance on Rich Roll, do. It really blew my mind, and honestly I had to listen to it two more times to really fully digest what he was saying. Craziness...


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> You have heard of him before!
> I shared his first podcast on Rich Roll which totally blew my mind, about leaky gut and how glyphosate in our food and water supply can affect so many things, and of course how a plant based diet can help us heal from all that.
> 
> Well darn, I just looked and I don't see it. Must have been while I was taking a break.
> In any case, if you get a chance to listen to Zach Bush's first appearance on Rich Roll, do. It really blew my mind, and honestly I had to listen to it two more times to really fully digest what he was saying. Craziness...


Its possible you did and I may well have said I would listen when I had time then forgot to go back and listen  I saw so many comments about this one so I put it in my favourites so I wouldn't forget. I haven't quite finished it yet but when I have I will go back and watch the 1st one. I have to say I'm getting more than a bit fed up with Dr Chatterjee's podcast speakers talking about animal experiments as if its just fine and dandy. I'd been really looking forward to hearing the Francis McGlone one on touch but when he started talking about experiments from the 50's taking baby monkeys away from their mothers I turned the thing off and fully intend to tell him why when I get the chance


----------



## Guest

Generally I’m not a huge fan of summer but one thing I do love about it is the berries! Strawberries are always a staple but I’ve also been having lots of blueberries, I had raspberries the other day, and today I found blackberries in the shop! Sooooo delicious! Just a shame they’re so expensive, but that doesn’t stop me


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I have to say I'm getting more than a bit fed up with Dr Chatterjee's podcast speakers talking about animal experiments as if its just fine and dandy.


Oh I thought I was being over sensitive, I noticed that too! And yup, I don't like it either


----------



## catz4m8z

McKenzie said:


> and today I found blackberries in the shop! Sooooo delicious! Just a shame they're so expensive, but that doesn't stop me


You should try growing them! Ive got a special variety that is thornless and puts out just one or two super long 'vines' that are covered in blackberries every year. Perfect for small spaces!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> Oh I thought I was being over sensitive, I noticed that too! And yup, I don't like it either


The neurogenesis talk was the same, I was really enjoying it then she came out with those experiments done on rodents about the benefits of chewing food, at least she admitted that removing their teeth and feeding them hard chow was barbaric  I will definitely raise it with him when I can as it is putting me off listening to them which is a shame.


----------



## LinznMilly

I feel guilty for being happy after reading those posts about the Dr Chatterdee podcasts, so I'll whisper it.

I weighed myself today, and I've lost 4lbs.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

LinznMilly said:


> I feel guilty for being happy after reading those posts about the Dr Chatterdee podcasts, so I'll whisper it.
> 
> I weighed myself today, and I've lost 4lbs.


No don't whisper - shout it out  Well done you.


----------



## O2.0

LinznMilly said:


> I feel guilty for being happy after reading those posts about the Dr Chatterdee podcasts, so I'll whisper it.
> 
> I weighed myself today, and I've lost 4lbs.


Awesome!

I've gained 5 pounds last I checked, but my clothes all fit the same... I have upped the strength element of my yoga routines so I'm hoping it's mostly muscle


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I meant to say for those of you watching weight and doing WFPB there is going to a be a 7 day challenge by Forks over Knives with a couple of fitness experts on board too and lots of input from plant based doctors starting in February. I can't remember the date but will post the details as soon as they are released.


----------



## catz4m8z

Stuffed after tea today.
Had bean chilli with a massive side of cabbage and broccoli and some oven baked chips. Made a super easy dressing for the veg, just a tbsp nut butter, tbsp low sodium soy sauce, small blob garlic paste and small blob of date syrup just mixed in a teeny bit of boiling water. I know Im trying to lose weight but I think some healthy fats are ok in your diet and I try and have a couple of tbsp of either nut butter or seeds a day.

I think alot of people here are way more knowledgeable about the whole vegan/WFPB thing then me. My basic view is really 'animals = cute, dead animals = not cute'.:Hilarious


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> Stuffed after tea today.
> Had bean chilli with a massive side of cabbage and broccoli and some oven baked chips. Made a super easy dressing for the veg, just a tbsp nut butter, tbsp low sodium soy sauce, small blob garlic paste and small blob of date syrup just mixed in a teeny bit of boiling water. I know Im trying to lose weight but I think some healthy fats are ok in your diet and I try and have a couple of tbsp of either nut butter or seeds a day.
> 
> I think alot of people here are way more knowledgeable about the whole vegan/WFPB thing then me. My basic view is really 'animals = cute, dead animals = not cute'.:Hilarious


Technically speaking if you want to lose weight then you ought to concentrate not on counting calories but on eating as much of your food from the lower calorie density foods as possible. I posted the information a couple of pages back for @LinznMilly . Although fats are beneficial they are the highest on the calorie density scale so I would use them sparingly apart from a tablespoon of ground flax seeds per day until you have lost a good amount of the weight you are trying to. Have you also thought about your microbiome and using time restricted eating?


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Technically speaking if you want to lose weight then you ought to concentrate not on counting calories but on eating as much of your food from the lower calorie density foods as possible.
> Have you also thought about your microbiome and using time restricted eating?


idk, I think both have value though. I mean if you eat more calories then you expend then its still going to be bad for you, even if you are overeating on lower density foods. Personally though I just measure and count cals for the high/medium density foods and then go wild with the veggies!
As to time restricted eating I dont think I could go ages between meals, I usually have a gap of about 14 hrs where i dont eat but Id get hungry if it was longer....and microbiome?? I Googled that and Im pretty sure I have one of those so its all good!LOL:Hilarious


----------



## O2.0

catz4m8z said:


> even if you are overeating on lower density foods.


But have you actually tried to overeat on the lower density foods? It's really hard to do!

You might want to check out Chef AJ on youtube. She's a lot of fun, and has some really helpful information.


----------



## catz4m8z

O2.0 said:


> But have you actually tried to overeat on the lower density foods? It's really hard to do!
> 
> You might want to check out Chef AJ on youtube. She's a lot of fun, and has some really helpful information.


yup, Ive seen lots of her stuff and TBH she cooks more or less the same kind of stuff I do! Only real difference is that she uses more blended things (I have _got_ to buy myself a blender or food processor!).


----------



## LinznMilly

O2.0 said:


> Awesome!
> 
> I've gained 5 pounds last I checked, but my clothes all fit the same... I have upped the strength element of my yoga routines so I'm hoping it's mostly muscle


I never got so far as gaining a dress size, but my hourglass figure was becoming . . . Umm. . . Square, and my hips had/have an extra layer of fat. Last night, I noticed my waist beginning to return, so at mum's this afternoon, I weighed myself, and I'm pretty close to my original weight. 

Certainly sounds like your weight gain is mostly muscle. 



rottiepointerhouse said:


> No don't whisper - shout it out  Well done you.


Thank you.  I am pretty pleased with myself. :Smuggrin


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> idk, I think both have value though. I mean if you eat more calories then you expend then its still going to be bad for you, even if you are overeating on lower density foods. Personally though I just measure and count cals for the high/medium density foods and then go wild with the veggies!
> As to time restricted eating I dont think I could go ages between meals, I usually have a gap of about 14 hrs where i dont eat but Id get hungry if it was longer....and microbiome?? I Googled that and Im pretty sure I have one of those so its all good!LOL:Hilarious


Pretty impossible to overeat calories on low density foods - the idea is the volume (which is much greater for far less calories) will fill your stomach. We all eat roughly the same volume of food per day (varies from person to person) so whether that volume is made up of low calorie density or high calorie density foods determines whether you gain or lose weight. Let Jeff Novick explain

*The Calorie Density Scale

Foods*
Vegetables
Fruit
Potatoes, Pasta, Rice, Barley, Yams, Corn, Hot Cereals
Beans, Peas, Lentils (cooked)
Breads, Bagels, Fat-free Muffins, Dried Fruit
Sugars (i.e. sugar, honey, molasses, agave, corn syrup)
Dry Cereals, Baked Chips, Fat-free Crackers, Pretzels, Popcorn
Nuts/Seeds
Oils

*Calories/Pound*
60 - 195
140 - 420
320 - 630
310 - 780
920 - 1,360
1,200 - 1,800
1,480 - 1,760
2,400 - 3,200
4,000

Research has shown that people can eat freely of foods that are about 300-400 calories per pound or less and not gain weight. People can consume relatively large portions of foods that are between 400 and 800 calories per pound and still lose or maintain their weight depending on their individual activity levels and metabolism. The intake of foods with a calorie density of 800-1,800 should be limited as these can contribute to weight gain and interfere with efforts to lose weight. Additionally, the intake of foods over 1,800 calories per pound should be extremely limited as these foods can very easily contribute to weight gain and obesity and can also greatly interfere with efforts to lose weight.

So he is saying you can eat freely from fruit & veg, eat relatively large portions of potatoes/pasta/rice/cereals and beans/lentils but limit all others and be extremely careful with those high calorie density nuts/seeds and oils. I know there is some research showing 30 g of nuts per day doesn't affect weight loss - Dr Fuhrman is very much in this camp but if I wanted to have a serious bash at losing a lot of weight I would leave them alone until I was nearer by goal.

As for the microbiome - do some reading around the subject. Night shift workers tend to mess with their circadian rhythms which can also mess with your microbiome as can lots of other things like antibiotics, antacids, NSAIDs, gut infections, stress, lack of sleep.

This is from The Gut Makeover by Jeannette Hyde (not a vegan/WFPB book by the way but well worth a read)

" Research shows that if our microbiome has a low bacteria count and certain friendly species are not dominant we may extract more calories from our diet - whatever that may be. We may also feel hungrier"

" What appears to be significant to weight management and health is bacterial diversity - the greater the numbers of different species living in your gut and consequently the greater your array of bacterial genes, the better".


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Research has shown that people can eat freely of foods that are about 300-400 calories per pound or less and not gain weight. People can consume relatively large portions of foods that are between 400 and 800 calories per pound and still lose or maintain their weight depending on their individual activity levels and metabolism.


But there is that caveat 'depending on activity levels and metabolism' though. There is a Youtuber who advocates massive amounts of fruit (like 14 bananas for breakfast!) and lots of people followed the diet as she was superskinny.....and lots of people wound up putting on weight and having other health issues coz most people cant just stuff their face with fruit in vast quantities and ignore other food groups.

Although Im all for the fruit and veggies honestly. I have a cauliflower in the fridge thats almost all gone and so far Ive just been eating it raw when I get abit peckish!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> But there is that caveat 'depending on activity levels and metabolism' though. There is a Youtuber who advocates massive amounts of fruit (like 14 bananas for breakfast!) and lots of people followed the diet as she was superskinny.....and lots of people wound up putting on weight and having other health issues coz most people cant just stuff their face with fruit in vast quantities and ignore other food groups.
> 
> Although Im all for the fruit and veggies honestly. I have a cauliflower in the fridge thats almost all gone and so far Ive just been eating it raw when I get abit peckish!


Yes there are lots of youtubers posting all sort of daft stuff, Jeff Novick on the other hand is a qualified dietitian who has spent many many years working for the McDougall programme, he still has a section on their forum and helps out with their maximum weight loss programme and 10 day immersion programmes where people in terrible health go to get put on the right track and start the reversion of their obesity and health problems. He has helped literally thousands of people to lose weight safely following a WFPB diet so I would listen to him before a youtuber any day of the week.


----------



## O2.0

catz4m8z said:


> yup, Ive seen lots of her stuff and TBH she cooks more or less the same kind of stuff I do! Only real difference is that she uses more blended things (I have _got_ to buy myself a blender or food processor!).


Have you seen this one?


----------



## O2.0

Had a good wake-up call this past weekend and in to Monday. 

Normally, I don't mind if I'm eating out to eat a little oil, but both Friday and Saturday I ended up eating out twice, and on Saturday the veggies I ordered were much more oily than I was anticipating, plus I also ate very non-vegan chocolate cake (long story but yeah, I learned my lesson - it wasn't even that good!) 
By Saturday night I had a headache (I never get headaches), felt generally like poop, and a small injury in my arm/shoulder that I had been keeping at bay with yoga was really acting up - I had done nothing very physical either. 
Went for a run Sunday morning, felt like crap, legs felt like lead. But all day Sunday I ate all my usual foods paying special attention to anti-inflammatory ones. 
Monday morning I'm feeling much better. Same thing, back to my usual foods.
Today I feel like a new person. It's crazy. 

When I first went plant based, I did it gradually and the changes in how I feel were gradual too, so it wasn't an overnight "oh wow I feel amazing" but a slow shift. And since I never felt really awful to begin with, I didn't really notice the change that much. 
But now! Just two days of 'off' eating and I felt such a difference. And the thing is, I think most of us walk around feeling minor ailments. Headache here, random pain there, lack of energy... We just shrug it off. But now that I know how good I can feel and how good I usually feel, it's so much more noticeable. Makes is a lot easier to make healthy choices


----------



## Sacrechat

*Moroccan Spiced Pie*

*Ingredients *

2 tsp each coriander and cumin seeds
1 tsp paprika, plus extra for dusting
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
150 mls olive oil
350g squash, peeled and cut into small chunks (about 2cm)
350g Sweet Potato
75g courgette
75g Aubergine
50g Mixed Peppers
12 shallots, quartered
4 cm piece root ginger, finely chopped
140g whole blanched almonds
140g shelled pistachios
75g pack dried cranberries
6 tbsp clear honey
225g pack fresh spinach
100g margarine
8 large sheets of filo pastry

*For the Hummus *

400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp ground cumin
3 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
lemon wedges to serve

*For the harissa yoghurt sauce*

200g carton vegan yogurt
6 tbsp oat, almond or cashew milk
3 large sprigs mint, leaves chopped
2 - 3 tbsp harissa paste

*Method*

1. Preheat the oven to fan 180C/ conventional 200C/gas 6. Dry fry the seeds briefly in a small pan over a medium heat until toasty - don't let them burn. Grind coarsely using a pestle and mortar (or a bowl and the end of a rolling pin), then mix in the paprika, cinnamon, 1⁄2 tsp salt and 4 tbsp oil. Tip the squash and sweet potato into a roasting tin, pour over the spiced oil and toss. Roast for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp of oil in a frying pan, add the shallots, aubergine, courgette and peppers and cook, stirring, until they start to brown. Stir in the ginger and 100g each almonds and pistachios.When brown, toss in the cranberries, 2 tbsp honey, and the spinach so it wilts. Take off the heat and stir into the squash and sweet potato, when it comes out of the oven. Set aside.
3. In a food processor, whizz the chickpeas with the garlic, cumin, remaining oil, lemon juice, 2 tbsp water and salt and pepper to make humous. Stir in the coriander.
4. Melt the margerine in a small pan. Put a loose-bottomed 28cm quiche tin on a baking sheet and brush with some margerine. Keeping the filo covered with a damp cloth so it doesn't dry out, lay one sheet over half of the tin so that it hangs over the edge by about 10cm. Lay another sheet on the other side, so it overlaps the first in the centre and hangs over the opposite edge. Brush with margerine. Lay two more filo sheets in the opposite direction in the same way and brush with more margerine.
5. Build up two more layers in this way, so you use a total of eight sheets of filo. Pile half the squash mixture in the centre of the pastry. Spread over the humous and then the rest of the squash mixture.One at a time, bring the edge of each filo sheet up to the centre to cover the filling, creating voluptuous folds as you go. Brush carefully with more margerine. (If making a day ahead, cover now with cling film and chill. To reheat, remove the pie from the fridge, heat the oven, then bake for 35-40 minutes.)
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until crisp and golden. Just before the pie is ready, reheat any remaining margerine in the pan, tip in the rest of the nuts and fry until golden. Spoon in the 4 remaining tbsps of honey and, when it melts, take off the heat and pour over the pie. Serve with Harissa yogurt sauce (mix the yogurt and milk together to make a thin sauce, stir in the herbs and season. Swirl in harissa to taste) and lemon wedges


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Did you make it @Sacremist and if so was it good?

I've just put a huge pot of butter bean and butternut squash stew on in the slow cooker, it smells wonderful. That is our dinner sorted for the next two nights. I love coming in from a cold dog walk to the smell of a nice warm stew ready to eat :Hungry


----------



## Sacrechat

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Did you make it @Sacremist and if so was it good?
> 
> I've just put a huge pot of butter bean and butternut squash stew on in the slow cooker, it smells wonderful. That is our dinner sorted for the next two nights. I love coming in from a cold dog walk to the smell of a nice warm stew ready to eat :Hungry


I have indeed made it. It was pretty substantial and we've had two meals out of it so far. I have enough for one more meal. It's in the fridge. I didn't tell hubby what was in it, just that it was a moroccan style potato pie. He thoroughly enjoyed it as did I.

I found it on the internet, but made a few adjustments. I reduced the amount of sweet potato and added the courgette, aubergine and peppers. It was full of flavour - really lovely.

It took a while to make, but considering it's enough for three meals, it's not too bad.

Your stew sounds lovely.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Interesting programme on ITV tonight at 7:30

https://www.itv.com/news/2019-01-24/food-challenge-meat-vs-vegan-tonight/

Dr Marco Springmann is the author of a recent study which examined the environmental and health benefits of eating less animal products. His findings show that a low meat diet can reduce premature mortality by around 20%, and markedly reduce environmental impacts globally. Marco believes that the government should introduce a tax on meat, to reflect its risks.

The big question, is really, do we pay the right price for the food we eat. And, at present, the negative health impacts, and the negative environmental impacts, of foods, are not accounted for in the price.

- DR MARCO SPRINGMANN


----------



## Snoringbear

So, my can of banana blossom arrived. Just have to decide what to do with it now


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Two of our current favourite rice dishes. This one is Nice Spice Rice from Bosh. Below is before the rice is added to the vegetable stir fry



next with the rice added and some coriander over the top



and this one is from Easy Vegan and is called toasted cashew nut fried rice except I don't fry the rice I cook it the normal way in water then add it to the mixture



Its a really easy one just fry some mustard seeds, add the cashew nuts, add some onion, garlic and red chilli until softened then add a whole bunch of chopped rainbow chard - you can just about see some red and yellow stalks but it wilts down so much you can't fathom where the whole bunch went to, when the chard is wilted add the rice and finally grate in some lemon zest which really really makes a big difference to the flavour.

ETA sorry for the huge photos - photobucket is playing up


----------



## catz4m8z

Hmmm, Ive havent had rice for a while. Those pictures are making me think maybe I should!

Made idiotproof pasta sauce the other day, literally just a tin of tomatoes, an onion and quarter of a tub of hummus!:Shy Tasted lovely though and I had half with wholewheat pasta and veggies and the other half tonight, some mixed in with lentils and a bulghar wheat/freekah/quinoa mix from sainsbury and the rest slathered on cauli and courgette and roasted. Made a lovely creamy sauce and tasted amazingly good roasted on cauliflower.
(honestly i feel abit daft posting things when everyone else is talking about proper 'recipes' that look really tasty but as I live alone I mainly just chuck stuff together so recipes dont come into it....still, I suppose it proves that its easy to eat WFPB without any effort at all!LOL).


----------



## Matrod

catz4m8z said:


> Hmmm, Ive havent had rice for a while. Those pictures are making me think maybe I should!
> 
> Made idiotproof pasta sauce the other day, literally just a tin of tomatoes, an onion and quarter of a tub of hummus!:Shy Tasted lovely though and I had half with wholewheat pasta and veggies and the other half tonight, some mixed in with lentils and a bulghar wheat/freekah/quinoa mix from sainsbury and the rest slathered on cauli and courgette and roasted. Made a lovely creamy sauce and tasted amazingly good roasted on cauliflower.
> (honestly i feel abit daft posting things when everyone else is talking about proper 'recipes' that look really tasty but as I live alone I mainly just chuck stuff together so recipes dont come into it....still, I suppose it proves that its easy to eat WFPB without any effort at all!LOL).


So much of what I eat in the week is a random selection of whatever I happen to have about the place, they often make the best meals, trouble is I can never recreate them as I've forgotten what I put in what!


----------



## Snoringbear

I get my veg from a Community Agriculture Scheme, so it’s entirely seasonal unless I top up with something imported. By and large, I find it’s largely a case of substitution in most recipes. Outside of that there is some predictability on what’s available, so I generally find it’s easier to plan once you’ve got the ingredients for the week by and large.


----------



## Snoringbear

Food for thought, pun intended.

https://m.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entr...nVrLw&guce_referrer_cs=1RVt4j-neWBPElSLtYtQ-w


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Great interview with Dr Klaper, well worth a listen.


----------



## catz4m8z

That was a good interview and he really hits the nail on the head from 27.40min....scary to think that we really are on the edge between living healthy happy lives and committing mass suicide as a species. just because we really just dont want to think about it.


----------



## Magyarmum

There's hope for us yet!

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/wor...derful-after-switching-her-diet-a3942611.html

*Vegan woman who switched her diet at 96 tells how she feels 'wonderful'*


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Go Dr Garth


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Go Dr Garth


Ha ha! I was just listening to him on FB - this video LOL

I do love him


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> Ha ha! I was just listening to him on FB - this video LOL
> 
> I do love him


Me too, he is so sensible. I'm fed up with hearing all these stories of high profile vegan YouTubers who have given up when they clearly don't know what they are doing or have other problems. If you only eat fruit or only juice or only eat raw or keep going on fasts then expect not to thrive. Just eat wholefoods with a diversity of fruit and vegetables and you will be just fine.


----------



## catz4m8z

Very sensible sounding bloke! (and sounds like we ate the same breakfast and lunch today! oats and berries, and soup and a baked potato!LOL).
I think I must def be vegan then coz I am still struggling to lose any weight at all on WFPB but the answer isnt going to be torturing animals even if I can never be a normal size.


----------



## catz4m8z

ok...now I just stuffed myself for tea.:Shy Had a whole bag of spring greens with mixed grains, tofu and a nutbutter/soy sauce/garlicky concoction then baked cinnamon apple wedges. Sooo tasty.
I dont know why Ive never bothered to bake apples before, they make an excellent winter desert!


----------



## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> ok...now I just stuffed myself for tea.:Shy Had a whole bag of spring greens with mixed grains, tofu and a nutbutter/soy sauce/garlicky concoction then baked cinnamon apple wedges. Sooo tasty.
> I dont know why Ive never bothered to bake apples before, they make an excellent winter desert!


I had a celery, mushroom, red pepper and mixed bean risotto with a side dish of green beans and cannellini beans cooked in a spicy tomato sauce. I'm now off to find some vegan ice cream for dessert!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

We're having the beetroot, sweet potato and cauliflower curry which is cooked in a big pot with rice and green lentils, onions, mushrooms and a sauce made from coconut milk, green chilli, garlic, ginger and spices. It smells lovely cooking. Unfortunately I caught the front of two fingers with the peeler when I was peeling the beetroot and cut myself which was a pain as I'm still typing reports and can't move my fingers as quickly with stupid plasters on.


----------



## O2.0

You know, I think I'll go ahead and have my own little rant.
If one more person looks at me and says "I would be as big as a house if I ate all those ____" (insert the food of your choice - fruit, potatoes, pasta, bread... you know, the dreaded *carbs*)

I just smile and grunt noncommittally because I don't want to get in to the debate, but good grief! Since when did a banana lose it's status as a healthy nutritious food?! Do we not hear how ridiculous it sounds when your current diet fat says bananas are bad but lard is good?

Keto is all the rage here. It's so hard to watch people who are really suffering with chronic disease, who could really benefit from *healthy* food choices getting sucked in to the ketosis myth


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Well if we are having a free rant mine is I'm so fed up with being told by family that most people want to enjoy their lives and not spend it worrying about what they eat, they want to eat the foods they enjoy and not think about the consequences and that I am extreme for putting my health before my taste buds. So my response these days is that what I eat doesn't determine how much I enjoy my life, food is for nourishing the body and at the very least should not do it harm. My idea of enjoying my life is not spending it in and out of hospital as I age nor visiting my GP and collecting medicines or having to live with the side effects of medicines or having to take more medicines to counteract the side effects of the first medicine. It really really pees me off :Hilarious:Hilarious 

(disclaimer) I am aware that not every illness is caused by or cured by what you eat and I am aware that despite following the healthiest lifestyle I can I might still end up being sick/in hospital or on medications, I just find it odd that people view trying to avoid those things if you possibly can extreme.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Another tasty looking rice dish


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> most people want to enjoy their lives and not spend it worrying about what they eat,


But but but..... I enjoy my life more because of how I eat!!


----------



## Cleo38

Snoringbear said:


> So, my can of banana blossom arrived. Just have to decide what to do with it now


So, what did you do with it @Snoringbear ? Am intrigued as I'd never heard of this but just been reading about people raving about it (as with jackfruit) on a vegan FB group.

I need to start experimenting again but I've been so busy that I've stuck to my old favourites for dinners. Last Saturday I had a friend round & I made three Ethiopian dishes (red lentil stew, chick pea curry, split pea stew). They went down very well & I was supposed to put the left overs in the freezer but ended up eating them for dinner for 3 days in a row .... again .... never, ever get tired of eating these dishes! Definitely think you have gotten me addicted to the berbere spice mix @Magyarmum


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> But but but..... I enjoy my life more because of how I eat!!


:Woot:Woot Exactly.


----------



## noushka05

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Go Dr Garth


Brilliant!


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I'm so fed up with being told by family that most people want to enjoy their lives and not spend it worrying about what they eat, they want to eat the foods they enjoy and not think about the consequences and that I am extreme for putting my health before my taste buds.


Poor sad people who dont realiese that if they re-educate their taste buds by taking the meat, dairy, and unhealthy fats and sugars out of their diets they will actually really enjoy eating whole plant foods!:Hilarious


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Just wanted to give a big shout out for this book. Its one I will be gifting to many people I'm sure as it sums this way of life up so wonderfully. I'm only on chapter 2 and can't stop cheering and reading bits out loud to my OH :Hilarious:Hilarious

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgur...hUKEwiGiYT7p53gAhVQShUIHRHUBtYQ_B0wGXoECAQQEQ

The basic message is similar to Dr Chatterjee's 4 Pillar Plan but it focuses on a wholefood plant based diet, movement, stress management and loving more (social support,intimacy). These are some of the stand out bits for me so far

He talks about how doctors are reluctant to recommend these changes to patients because they don't believe they will stick with it. 94% of people who enroll on his 9 week programme (funded by Medicare and many health insurance companies in the US) complete it and of those 85-90% are still following it a year later. He maintains this is because they start to feel better very quickly. On the other hand of patients prescribed statins and high blood pressure tablets only about half are still taking them 6 months later and as many as a third never fill the prescription in the first place. He thinks this is because they don't really make people feel better and can have side effects.

He explains how for lifestyle changes to be sustainable they need to be pleasurable and meaningful so fun, making you feel good/better which motivates people whereas fear of dying or of having a long term chronic illness doesn't motivate long term. People need to feel the benefit of making changes not just be told they will prevent something bad happening.

I also love his explanation that preventing chronic diseases allows for more wriggle room, you can have some indulgences then get back on track the next day (overall way of eating) but actually reversing disease once it has occurred needs a bigger commitment to make bigger changes and maintain them. He says he would love to say that moderate lifestyle changes can reverse chronic diseases but that wouldn't be true. Moderate lifestyle changes don't allow you to eat and do everything you want to but the changes you make are not big enough to feel that much better or for clinical measures/markers to improve so you get demotivated and stop.

He talks a fair bit about how the same disease pathways cause the same chronic diseases rather than each disease having a different cause which is why making these lifestyle changes impacts positively on so many chronic diseases (including some cancers). Then he talks a fair bit about erections and how erectile dysfunction affects about 18 million men and about 50% of male type 2 diabetics and how much difference a plant based diet can make in this respect thus belying the claim that following this lifestyle means you miss out on all the fun :Joyful

A case study he gives is very striking. A 61 year old doctor from New York who was very fit/went skiing regularly and never felt out of breath. Had a massive heart attack in 2015, severe blockages in coronary arteries - one was 100 % blocked, his ejection factor (the percentage of blood the heart pumps with each beat) which should be around 50% was only 11%. He had a stent inserted but 2 weeks later that was completely occluded. He could not walk a few steps without chest pain and later had a full cardiac arrest. His wife & children were told he would not survive but he did and was then told his only hope long term was a heart transplant. He couldn't do the cardiac rehab programme because his BP would drop and he would pass out, he was depressed and miserable as his life had changed beyond recognition. He then came across Dean Ornish's programme, after 9 weeks of following it his ejection factor was up to 30%, is now 35% and he no longer needs a heart transplant. He is back working 4 days per week as a doctor, goes on long walks and believes he survived to help other people learn about this way of life. I found this sentence so striking

"I whined about the food, it seemed like the end of the world that I couldn't eat everything. It wasn't. After only a few weeks my palate changed and I began enjoying the meals. The paradox is that what seems to be the hardest path turns out to be the easiest one, the path of least resistance. Once you've made that commitment then you start to feel better so rapidly, you experience that it's clearly worth doing."

His wife said the difference between this programme and others is "18 inches. The distance from your brain to your heart. Once your brain decides to change your behaviour, your heart follows"


----------



## O2.0

Rich Roll had them on his podcast, it was a great interview. Both are really charismatic speakers


----------



## Snoringbear

Cleo38 said:


> So, what did you do with it @Snoringbear ? Am intrigued as I'd never heard of this but just been reading about people raving about it (as with jackfruit) on a vegan FB group.
> 
> I need to start experimenting again but I've been so busy that I've stuck to my old favourites for dinners. Last Saturday I had a friend round & I made three Ethiopian dishes (red lentil stew, chick pea curry, split pea stew). They went down very well & I was supposed to put the left overs in the freezer but ended up eating them for dinner for 3 days in a row .... again .... never, ever get tired of eating these dishes! Definitely think you have gotten me addicted to the berbere spice mix @Magyarmum


To be perfectly honest it was because I'd never heard of it before. While I was putting my grocery order together it just popped up and I thought why not. I think my interest was peaked by it not being a well known product and also a side product of a well known industry, I guess a bit like coffee flour. I haven't done anything with it yet, I'll post the results.


----------



## Magyarmum

Snoringbear said:


> To be perfectly honest it was because I'd never heard of it before. While I was putting my grocery order together it just popped up and I thought why not. I think my interest was peaked by it not being a well known product and also a side product of a well known industry, I guess a bit like coffee flour. I haven't done anything with it yet, I'll post the results.


I used to be able to buy fresh Jackfruit when I lived in Durban South Africa. It's a great favourite with the Indian population. Fresh Jackfruit smells absolutely disgusting but if you can overcome the smell tastes quite delicious and is used a lot in Indian cooking.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackfruit


----------



## Snoringbear

It’s not the greatest smell. I first encountered it when I was in Thailand many years ago. My favourite fruit there was the rambutan, don’t think I’ve seen one since in the UK.


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> So, what did yinsteadraving about it (as with jackfruit) on a vegan FB group.
> 
> I need to start experimenting again but I've been so busy that I've stuck to my old favourites for dinners. Last Saturday I had a friend round & I made three Ethiopian dishes (red lentil stew, chick pea curry, split pea stew). They went down very well & I was supposed to put the left overs in the freezer but ended up eating them for dinner for 3 days in a row .... again .... never, ever get tired of eating these dishes! Definitely think you have gotten me addicted to the berbere spice mix @Magyarmum


Oh dear I'm terribly sorry to have led you astray ...... can you ever forgive me?

I've run out of Berbere spice and haven't been able to get out to buy the ingredients to make more. At the moment I'm using either Baharat, Harrissa or Advieh instead. All slightly different flavours to Berbere but still extremely nice. Tonight I'm having celery, carrot, mushrooms, tomatoes, pinto beans and cabbage braised in a Harissa sauce with a side dish of baby potato boiled in their skins.

If you haven't already, you should try them! If I'm going to lead you astray I might as well do it properly!


----------



## Cleo38

Magyarmum said:


> Oh dear I'm terribly sorry to have led you astray ...... can you ever forgive me?
> 
> I've run out of Berbere spice and haven't been able to get out to buy the ingredients to make more. At the moment I'm using either Baharat, Harrissa or Advieh instead. All slightly different flavours to Berbere but still extremely nice. Tonight I'm having celery, carrot, mushrooms and cabbage braised in a Harissa sauce with a side dish of baby potato boiled in their skins.
> 
> If you haven't already, you should try them! If I'm going to lead you astray I might as well do it properly!


Hahaha, yes, those are already in my cupboard as well as the Panch Phoran which I love. Particularly nice with fried onion & celery then added to a wrap with hummus & spinach.

Tonight is vegan pizza, not particularly exciting but still nice & an easy meal after a busy day.


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> Hahaha, yes, those are already in my cupboard as well as the Panch Phoran which I love. Particularly nice with fried onion & celery then added to a wrap with hummus & spinach.
> 
> Tonight is vegan pizza, not particularly exciting but still nice & an easy meal after a busy day.


I must try your Panch Phoran dish which sounds yummy. So far I've only used it on roasted vegetables!


----------



## Snoringbear

Thought this might be of interest. It's a high protein plant based ketchup. It tastes a bit more sophisticated than a run of the mill ketchup, which makes it far more usable as a condiment imo.

https://www.in-the-buff.uk/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

These two always manage to cheer me up when I'm feeling a loss of faith in humanity. Such a simple recipe for what looks like a great cauliflower/lentil/grape salad - a mix I would never have thought of putting together. Going to try it though.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

If you know any diabetics please share this guy's story. He is a Type 1 insulin controlled diabetic. I follow him on Instagram (he has a very cute dog who he is devoted to) and think his story about developing insulin resistance on a Keto diet is really important.

https://www.forksoverknives.com/why-i-quit-keto-diet-diabetes/#gs.FA1j6p5E


----------



## Rafa

catz4m8z said:


> Poor sad people who dont realiese that if they re-educate their taste buds by taking the meat, dairy, and unhealthy fats and sugars out of their diets they will actually really enjoy eating whole plant foods!:Hilarious


This attitude is what puts most peoples' backs up.

Everyone who eats either meat, dairy, fat or sugar is a "poor sad person"?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Rafa said:


> This attitude is what puts most peoples' backs up.
> 
> Everyone who eats either meat, dairy, fat or sugar is a "poor sad person"?


I will re-post my response to you on the other thread where you have misquoted @catz4m8z

"As for the statement made in the other thread I think you are purposefully twisting her words. What she actually said was

"Poor sad people who dont realiese that if they re-educate their taste buds by taking the meat, dairy, and unhealthy fats and sugars out of their diets they will actually really enjoy eating whole plant foods!"

So she quite clearly was not describing people who include meat/dairy/fat or sugars in their diet as poor, sad human beings because they eat those foods. She was answering a post I made about my own family thinking that by me eating a plant based diet I am not enjoying my life like they are. The poster said "poor sad people who don't realise if they re-educate their taste buds they would actually enjoy eating whole plant foods which is not the same thing at all and I think you know that only too well and are trying to stir up trouble for her. Not cool."


----------



## catz4m8z

Thanks @rottiepointerhouse, I really did only mean to say that I feel sorry for people who arent even willing to give it a go as they are missing out on so much....def no offense intended! I think we all can get abit evangelical about WFPB, I mean if its making you feel great then its natural to want to share that with family and friends!

Decided today that I really need to shop for a bigger salad bowl, couldnt fit my dinner in mine today and had to resort to a big mixing bowl!LOL:Hilarious It was green cabbage, carrot, red onion, sweetcorn, celery, tomatoes and cucumber tossed in some balsamic vinegar then a layer of bulghar wheat, quinoa and freekah with crumbled falafels and pumpkin seeds on top! I havent eaten much today so it was time for a Godzilla sized salad!:Woot


----------



## Elles

So far everyone who has said to me that they’re not changing, they’re happy how they are, aren’t. Not just diet, other things too. When I say, but you aren’t happy, they say they’ll be even worse if they stopped smoking/drinking/took up exercise/changed their diet/lost weight etc. They’re miserable and stressed out. I’m not about to add even more guilt to it. *sigh*


----------



## Cleo38

Elles said:


> So far everyone who has said to me that they're not changing, they're happy how they are, aren't. Not just diet, other things too. When I say, but you aren't happy, they say they'll be even worse if they stopped smoking/drinking/took up exercise/changed their diet/lost weight etc. They're miserable and stressed out. I'm not about to add even more guilt to it. *sigh*


This! I think we can all fall in to this mindset at times, I remember years ago when I was thinking about giving up smoking (again!) & the thought of not being able to smoke scared me & worried me .... although actually smoking made me scared & worried about the effects it was having on my body even more so. Giving up smoking was the best thing I ever did .... although starting in the first place one of the most stupid!

Change is difficult & people will always focus on what they are giving up as opposed to what they are gaining. we were discussing this at my dog training club the other week as someone asked me (about my diet) & commented that I actually seemed to eat a wider range of foods than most people they knew as I always had something different for lunch.

Often we don't think we have choices but we do, we can all make changes & try to find out what works for us but I think this is easier for some people than others.


----------



## O2.0

Cleo38 said:


> Change is difficult


This. In a nutshell. 
Even when it is positive change we humans resist change. It's hard!



Cleo38 said:


> commented that I actually seemed to eat a wider range of foods than most people they knew as I always had something different for lunch.


I got annoyed listening to a podcast the other day, they had some trainer talking about diet, and first he mentioned the carnivore diet and how people feel better simply because it's an elimination diet. So it's not so much that eating all meat is making them feel better but removing whatever they were eating before. Then he said "it's just like a vegan diet" and went on to talk about how when you restrict your diet to only vegetables much blah blah blah... It really annoyed me. 
Like you, I eat a wider variety of foods than most people I know who eat an 'omnivore' diet. And since when does being vegan mean eating only vegetables? No wonder people are confused!!


----------



## catz4m8z

O2.0 said:


> Like you, I eat a wider variety of foods than most people I know who eat an 'omnivore' diet. And since when does being vegan mean eating only vegetables?


Me too. It feels much easier to make healthier choices as well for some reason. I mean before if I couldnt be bothered cooking usually I just chucked a load of processed food in the oven, squirt of ketchup and done! Now if I cant be bothered I just chuck a load of veggies, grains and beans in a bowl, sprinkle of spices and done! Much better for you.

Sometimes you just cant change people though. My diet buddy at work is one of these (shes doing keto). She is a total meat lover and has it every meal, also from a culture where they use all of the animal so eats offal, tongue, etc and just loves it. I know Im not going to change her so whilst I mention the odd vegan fact or POV if it comes up I dont preach to her, we just support each others weight loss efforts!
I get more frustrated with the people who agree with what you are saying then do absolutely nothing about it!:Banghead


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I am ridiculously excited that OH has managed to sort out podcasts so we can listen in the car. I have these lined up for him to hear as he doesn't get chance to listen at home like I do. I've been banging on about these two since I listened to them so can't wait to hear what he thinks and listen to them again myself











@noushka05 do you know Zach Bush? If you haven't seen these I would highly recommend them - particularly the second one although they are both great.


----------



## O2.0

Both those podcasts are life changing. I don't know why Zach Bush isn't more of a household name!


In other news, I give up. I just don't like kale. I have tried and tried, but no matter how I prepare it, it tastes bitter with an unpleasant aftertaste to me. I like spinach, I like collards, I like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage.... Brussels sprouts are hit or miss, sometimes they taste bitter too, but no weird aftertaste. Kale just blergh. 
My daughter loves it and puts it in her smoothies. So I tried blending some baby kale leaves with onion and enough garlic to kill a family of vampires, threw that on some rice and cooked the snot out of it. Even added nutritional yeast. It's edible, but not my favorite. Oh well, I did try  
Good thing there is such a wide variety of plant foods that I don't have to eat kale


----------



## Matrod

O2.0 said:


> Both those podcasts are life changing. I don't know why Zach Bush isn't more of a household name!
> 
> In other news, I give up. I just don't like kale. I have tried and tried, but no matter how I prepare it, it tastes bitter with an unpleasant aftertaste to me. I like spinach, I like collards, I like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage.... Brussels sprouts are hit or miss, sometimes they taste bitter too, but no weird aftertaste. Kale just blergh.
> My daughter loves it and puts it in her smoothies. So I tried blending some baby kale leaves with onion and enough garlic to kill a family of vampires, threw that on some rice and cooked the snot out of it. Even added nutritional yeast. It's edible, but not my favorite. Oh well, I did try
> Good thing there is such a wide variety of plant foods that I don't have to eat kale


What's wrong with you! :Jawdrop I'm with your daughter, I love kale, Red Russian is my fave but I can't get it very often. Have you tried just steaming brussels? They taste amazing cooked that way, roasted sprouts are pretty delicious too.


----------



## O2.0

Matrod said:


> What's wrong with you! :Jawdrop I'm with your daughter, I love kale, Red Russian is my fave but I can't get it very often. Have you tried just steaming brussels? They taste amazing cooked that way, roasted sprouts are pretty delicious too.


I know! I'm such a sham of a vegan if I can't like kale :Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious
I'm sorry but it's just bitter! And the aftertaste!

Brussels I actually really like the taste of, however they're cooked, it's just sometimes they come out bitter, sometimes they don't. I have the worst luck with frozen brussels sprouts tasting bitter, so I generally only get them fresh.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Have you tried raw brussels, shredded with some chilli and garlic? Yum Yum. My OH isn't made on Kale but he does like it crispy/roasted.


----------



## O2.0

Oh yeah, I'll eat raw brussels too, same thing though, sometimes they taste bitter. I still like them though, the taste is nice to me. But kale... not so much! Always bitter AND doesn't taste good anyway so not worth it. I'll risk a bitter brussel sprout 'cause I like the taste LOL


----------



## LinznMilly

I'm catching up with this thread once again, but I think I've officially turned the corner for the better. Not in terms of ditching the junk food entirely, :Shy (peer pressure, I think) but certainly choosing healthier options.

Today, for example, I was half tempted to just get a takeaway decided to take Milly for a walk before ordering, and during that walk, listened to my body - which chose pasta in a tomato and herb sauce instead with extra . . . veg. 



O2.0 said:


> This. In a nutshell.
> Even when it is positive change we humans resist change. It's hard!
> 
> I got annoyed listening to a podcast the other day, they had some trainer talking about diet, and first he mentioned the carnivore diet and how people feel better simply because it's an elimination diet. So it's not so much that eating all meat is making them feel better but removing whatever they were eating before. Then he said "it's just like a vegan diet" and went on to talk about how when you restrict your diet to only vegetables much blah blah blah... It really annoyed me.
> Like you, I eat a wider variety of foods than most people I know who eat an 'omnivore' diet. And since when does being vegan mean eating only vegetables? No wonder people are confused!!


This reminds me of 2 things simultaneously.

1) My mum cooked my lunch for me one Sunday. The next day, she asked me for my opinion on the potatoes. Well, I'd ate them, so they couldn't have been that bad. She revealed that she'd used mixed herbs instead of the parsley she'd used last time she cooked for me.

I think I must have unintentionally disappointed her when I pointed out that I've often used mixed herbs with a variety of dishes, not just potatoes, because she said, "that'd be right! You would have to try something before me." :Bag

The second thing that your post reminded me of, was a couple of years ago, just before I became vegan (at least, full time). My SIL and I went to a vegan festival that was being held reasonably locally.

Anyway, we were just leaving, when her stepdad rang, asking where we were, and when my bro would be arriving to pick my nephew up. SIL (who isn't even vegetarian - and certainly wasn't at the time, but had gone for moral support for me) told him that we were on our way back from the vegan festival.

He replied, "You're not going vegan, are you? What'd you eat? _Peas_?"  enguin


----------



## O2.0

There really is so much misinformation out there 
I love watching the BOSH videos, not only for inspiration (most of those dishes I would never make, far too much work :Hilarious but the simpler ones are indeed delicious), but because it's such a good example of how rich and varied a vegan diet can be. 
I tend to be boring and am happy eating the same sorts of meals all the time, but even with my boring cooking, my family and I eat a wider variety of foods than most other families like ours who are repeating the same cycle of some sort of chicken with a token vegetable added as a side.


----------



## Elles

Need suggestions for a different salady type of thing, not Caesar salad, but like that. Something a bit different. What do you put in your salads?


----------



## O2.0

Elles said:


> Need suggestions for a different salady type of thing, not Caesar salad, but like that. Something a bit different. What do you put in your salads?


One of my favorite salads is chopped up red onion, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, apple, and garbanzo beans. I season it with lemon juice and a little salt, maybe a drizzle of good vinegar if I have it. It's yummy


----------



## catz4m8z

Ive been having lots of crunchy salads lately. So red and white cabbage, red onion, celery, carrots, sweetcorn (kinda like coleslaw but with balsamic vinegar instead of mayo).
I cant get onboard the kale train either though, it just seems really tough and more effort then its worth. Although weirdly enough I remember I used to sit in my parents garden when I was little and eat tons of the stuff straight off the plant!


----------



## Jonescat

Grow your own kale and pick it when the leaves are small and juicy. Flat leaves and black kale are sweetest. Never buy the bags of shredded kale which is a way of disguising how big and tough the leaves were to start with and enhances the problem by giving them more cut surface to dry them out.
Sprouts change flavour when they are frozen - old timers won't touch them until they have been frosted in the fields. It's due to the starches breaking down to sugars and may be the reason for the variance. I think freezers can do this too but the best effect is if they are frosted a few times before you eat them. They are really a seasonal food. 

Salads - sort of waldorf - water cress, walnuts, raisins celery, apple in vegan mayo or the dressing of your choice.
Fennel and orange in orange juice


----------



## Snoringbear

Beetroot. Either red or golden. Spanish Radish is similar too. Easy to prep if steamed, just peel the skin off with the back of a knife once softened and still warm. Once steamed it can go straight in a salad, also quicker and easier to cook in the oven. No need to pickle it or anything, will easily last a week in the fridge.


----------



## O2.0

I currently have a banana oatmeal bread experiment in the oven. I didn't follow a recipe, just sort of threw stuff in there that I thought would be good. 
OH wants banana bread, but he really needs to lay off the processed flour and sugar - it definitely affects him and he's not feeling great ATM because of indulging more than usual lately. So I'm experimenting with rolled oats, sprouted wheat flour, flaxseed meal and maple syrup LOL! We shall see.....


----------



## Snoringbear

These germinators are also great for growing sprouts at home. Can easily be added to salads, soups etc. Reminds me of when you used to grow cress in an egg with a face on as a kid except it's for adults 

https://www.avogel.co.uk/sprouts-biosnacky/seed-sprouter/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

My favourite salad is shredded white or red cabbage, chopped red and yellow peppers, spring onions, baby gem lettuce mixed and served on rocket and watercress leaves. I make a yummy salad dressing with walnuts/garlic/raisins/balsamic/mustard which tastes like honey mustard dressing. Chuck some roasted chickpeas on top and you have a lovely meal.


----------



## noushka05

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I am ridiculously excited that OH has managed to sort out podcasts so we can listen in the car. I have these lined up for him to hear as he doesn't get chance to listen at home like I do. I've been banging on about these two since I listened to them so can't wait to hear what he thinks and listen to them again myself
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> @noushka05 do you know Zach Bush? If you haven't seen these I would highly recommend them - particularly the second one although they are both great.


No, I'd never heard of him before RPH yet having only watched the first 10 minutes or so of each video I can already say - like him A LOT! I'll finish the videos later, thank you.
We desperately need governments to regulate industry. Unfortunately many politicians have vested interests in these planet destroying corporations. And the agri lobby is very very powerful.

Miles King & George Monbiot have both done quite a few really informative articles on glyphosate & soil too.. I know you're not particularly a fan of George's lol, but I thought you might be interested to have read at this x

*We're treating soil like dirt. It's a fatal mistake, as our lives depend on it*
https://www.theguardian.com/comment...ating-soil-like-dirt-fatal-mistake-human-life


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

noushka05 said:


> No, I'd never heard of him before RPH yet having only watched the first 10 minutes or so of each video I can already say - like him A LOT! I'll finish the videos later, thank you.
> We desperately need governments to regulate industry. Unfortunately many politicians have vested interests in these planet destroying corporations. And the agri lobby is very very powerful.
> 
> Miles King & George Monbiot have both done quite a few really informative articles on glyphosate & soil too.. I know you're not particularly a fan of George's lol, but I thought you might be interested to have read at this x
> 
> *We're treating soil like dirt. It's a fatal mistake, as our lives depend on it*
> https://www.theguardian.com/comment...ating-soil-like-dirt-fatal-mistake-human-life


I think you will love him even more when you get chance to finish them - the end of the 2nd one is so powerful. He pretty much says as do a lot of the vegan activists that we should ignore the politicians and just go directly to the people who can make the changes so the farmers or the consumers. The huge shift towards plant based products is because consumers are changing their buying habits and hitting the big food producers in their profits which soon has them launching alternative products. I saw a photo of a supermarket in Canada which had 50% dairy milk and 50% plant milks on the shelves. Who would have thought that could happen even a couple of years ago 

I'm coming round to George Monbiot since he took on Piers Morgan in that famous debate where Morgan prattled on about his watch strap and ignored the serious issues. Will have a read.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@noushka05 Rich Roll does some really interesting podcasts - quite a lot are with athletes which I'm not really into but some are with amazing people. You might also like this one


----------



## noushka05

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I think you will love him even more when you get chance to finish them - the end of the 2nd one is so powerful. He pretty much says as do a lot of the vegan activists that we should ignore the politicians and just go directly to the people who can make the changes so the farmers or the consumers. The huge shift towards plant based products is because consumers are changing their buying habits and hitting the big food producers in their profits which soon has them launching alternative products. I saw a photo of a supermarket in Canada which had 50% dairy milk and 50% plant milks on the shelves. Who would have thought that could happen even a couple of years ago
> 
> I'm coming round to George Monbiot since he took on Piers Morgan in that famous debate where Morgan prattled on about his watch strap and ignored the serious issues. Will have a read.


I have to go out soon, but didn't want to go without responding. I'm going to sit down tonight & watch those videos RPH! Will get back to you with my feedback xx

I'm predicting the more work of Georges you read, the more he'll grow on you


----------



## O2.0

Maybe I don't get out much, but I just googled Piers Morgan George Monbiot and wow... No wonder some of these vegan threads get so heated. It seems like there is a lot more talk of veganism, 'militant' vegans, and of course Piers Morgan hating on all of them in the UK news.
In the US we get Dr. Greger talking about the health benefits of berries :Hilarious:Hilarious

It does seem more contentious over there, and I find myself wondering if this is because veganism is more mainstreamed in the UK and so more 'out' than here? I think in the US most vegans are still pretty quiet about it simply because the backlash would be too great and the support too small 

Oh and as for Rich Roll though, I've yet to hear a podcast of his that I did not find inspiring in some way or another. He's a wonderful human being


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> Maybe I don't get out much, but I just googled Piers Morgan George Monbiot and wow... No wonder some of these vegan threads get so heated. It seems like there is a lot more talk of veganism, 'militant' vegans, and of course Piers Morgan hating on all of them in the UK news.
> In the US we get Dr. Greger talking about the health benefits of berries :Hilarious:Hilarious
> 
> It does seem more contentious over there, and I find myself wondering if this is because veganism is more mainstreamed in the UK and so more 'out' than here? I think in the US most vegans are still pretty quiet about it simply because the backlash would be too great and the support too small
> 
> Oh and as for Rich Roll though, I've yet to hear a podcast of his that I did not find inspiring in some way or another. He's a wonderful human being


Yes I definitely think veganism is more mainstream over here perhaps we have a lot of activists producing good content and getting conversations started although you have some great activists in the US too but perhaps they are not getting mainstream coverage. Some activists of course do things that people don't like or don't see the point of such as Direct Action Everywhere who did the two demonstrations that attracted a lot of debate in our mainstream media - one in a steak house and one in the meat isle of a supermarket before Christmas. They are designed to get people talking about the issues rather than stop those diners eating their steak. Piers Morgan piled in on both of those and of course more recently the Greggs vegan sausage rolls. I would say our media cover the ethical vegan side far more than the plant based/health/environmental side so far. As a result I think a lot of non vegans are feeling their ways are under threat and so come on the attack when there is "too much" of it being discussed.

I agree about Rich Roll, even when I have listened to bits of his podcast that I'm not really into in I do take away something inspiring, the problem is I have so many podcasts I like to listen to and the list is growing so I try to stick with the things I'm mainly interested in.


----------



## noushka05

rottiepointerhouse said:


> @noushka05 Rich Roll does some really interesting podcasts - quite a lot are with athletes which I'm not really into but some are with amazing people. You might also like this one


Added to my 'to watch' list! Thank you x


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...1ab7d7dd6b-[LIST_EMAIL_ID]&ct=t(Weekly+News!)

8 March - vegan sausage roll will be available in all branches of Greggs due to demand - its the fastest selling new product in the last 6 years and given its been sold out pretty much all the time in the branches that have been carrying it the actual demand is probably even higher.


----------



## Sandysmum

The Greggs vegan sausage rolls are really good, much tastier than the ordinary meat ones. I wonder if they're going to expand their range now they know people do want alternitives to meat in their snacks?


----------



## noushka05

rottiepointerhouse said:


> @noushka05 do you know Zach Bush? If you haven't seen these I would highly recommend them - particularly the second one although they are both great.


Finally finished watching the 2nd video! Although I could question a couple of things he mentioned, overall I thought it was excellent! And the parallels between the subjects he & George Monbiot speak about are extraordinary. From the soil, Monsanto, glyphosate through to the need to reconnect with each other & the natural world. And importantly the need a completely transform the way we live if we are to 'escape the death moment' (as Zach says) &' light a path to better future' (as George puts it). I like that Zach looks at the bigger picture.

My lovely Mum survived a cardiac arrest, I had no idea so few were saved (sadly said she remembered nothing about it). Something else Zach has given me to think about is tilling the soil. I dont use any chemicals on my soil & although my allotments are some of the weediest - I do till the soil. Something I'm going to have to rethink now. Also, thanks to Zach I'm fasting today! Big influence already lol


----------



## noushka05

Jonescat said:


> Grow your own kale and pick it when the leaves are small and juicy. Flat leaves and black kale are sweetest. Never buy the bags of shredded kale which is a way of disguising how big and tough the leaves were to start with and enhances the problem by giving them more cut surface to dry them out.
> Sprouts change flavour when they are frozen - old timers won't touch them until they have been frosted in the fields. It's due to the starches breaking down to sugars and may be the reason for the variance. I think freezers can do this too but the best effect is if they are frosted a few times before you eat them. They are really a seasonal food.
> 
> Salads - sort of waldorf - water cress, walnuts, raisins celery, apple in vegan mayo or the dressing of your choice.
> Fennel and orange in orange juice


I grow black kale on my allotments. It was infested with white fly, which are really hard to wash off!. My friend told me she didn't want anymore as it was like a bush tucker trial Since the frosts the white fly have pretty much gone now though.

This is my kale & spinach/ swiss chard below. I've been picking them for months now.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

noushka05 said:


> Finally finished watching the 2nd video! Although I could question a couple of things he mentioned, overall I thought it was excellent! And the parallels between the subjects he & George Monbiot speak about are extraordinary. From the soil, Monsanto, glyphosate through to the need to reconnect with each other & the natural world. And importantly the need a completely transform the way we live if we are to 'escape the death moment' (as Zach says) &' light a path to better future' (as George puts it). I like that Zach looks at the bigger picture.
> 
> My lovely Mum survived a cardiac arrest, I had no idea so few were saved (sadly said she remembered nothing about it). Something else Zach has given me to think about is tilling the soil. I dont use any chemicals on my soil & although my allotments are some of the weediest - I do till the soil. Something I'm going to have to rethink now. Also, thanks to Zach I'm fasting today! Big influence already lol


So glad you enjoyed them, I'm playing them to my OH as podcasts in the car to and from our dog walks and while we have our coffee post walk. I agree the article you linked from George Monbiot was pretty much singing from the same hymn sheet. Its funny how when you start down this road of questioning everything you once believed which for us started with plant based nutrition (which as a qualified nurse meant I had to abandon a lot of my previously held beliefs about chronic illness and medical interventions/drugs) you end up questioning all sorts of things and following leads where all sorts of cogs fall into place. I was watching a really interested video about fish farms and particularly how unhealthy farmed salmon is and other oily fishes because they are fattier than wild fish and the fat holds the toxins. Scientists were basically saying they would not touch farmed fish yet we still hear the dietary guidelines recommending oily fish for everyone. The video was shocking and of course Monsanto/glyphosate came up again. No wonder we are discovering more and more how linked the microbiome is to health both physical and mental.

The first documentary in the series he has made called Farmer's Footprint is now available to watch (free) from his website

https://farmersfootprint.us/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Your allotment looks amazing @noushka05 do you do all that work yourself?

I'd love to grow vegetables one day but not until we retire and live somewhere different. I got a lovely book yesterday called The Super Organic Gardener. Everything you need to know about a vegan garden by Matthew Appleby so I'm looking forward to having a read of that.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Does anyone do fermenting their own veggies? I'm interested in giving it a go as I'm hearing so much about the benefits for our microbiomes but not sure where to start. A good book recommendation maybe?


----------



## noushka05

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Your allotment looks amazing @noushka05 do you do all that work yourself?
> 
> I'd love to grow vegetables one day but not until we retire and live somewhere different. I got a lovely book yesterday called The Super Organic Gardener. Everything you need to know about a vegan garden by Matthew Appleby so I'm looking forward to having a read of that.


Thank you! I'm sure you would love growing your own, they seem to taste so much better than what you buy. If you lived near me you'd be welcome to some of my produce RPH  Myself & two of my closest friends actually have 3 allotments between us (one friend is more a sleeping partner now however! we do the graft - she gets the goods). Those pics are of two different allotments, they are side by side. The third is directly below them - and that one is mostly tended by my friend Janette. The weedy two in the photos are the ones I concentrate on. We just share everything though. Its great, so therapeutic & its teeming with biodiversity up there. I have a few organic gardening & allotmenteering books - will look out for that one though.

I've got all my seeds ready to plant. All organic of course


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

For now I have to make do with Riverford for my organic veggies. I've started changing over to organic bread flour, pasta and rice too. 

Who would have thought it just a couple of years ago - Waitrose are doing a Valentines meal for 2 - a main, 2 sides, a dessert and a bottle for fizz for £20.


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Does anyone do fermenting their own veggies? I'm interested in giving it a go as I'm hearing so much about the benefits for our microbiomes but not sure where to start. A good book recommendation maybe?


Check out Holland and Barretts magazine this month. Lots of articles about gut health and microbiomes, also a good beginners guide to making fermented food.
I might have a go as it all sounds really tasty!


----------



## noushka05

rottiepointerhouse said:


> So glad you enjoyed them, I'm playing them to my OH as podcasts in the car to and from our dog walks and while we have our coffee post walk. I agree the article you linked from George Monbiot was pretty much singing from the same hymn sheet. Its funny how when you start down this road of questioning everything you once believed which for us started with plant based nutrition (which as a qualified nurse meant I had to abandon a lot of my previously held beliefs about chronic illness and medical interventions/drugs) you end up questioning all sorts of things and following leads where all sorts of cogs fall into place. I was watching a really interested video about fish farms and particularly how unhealthy farmed salmon is and other oily fishes because they are fattier than wild fish and the fat holds the toxins. Scientists were basically saying they would not touch farmed fish yet we still hear the dietary guidelines recommending oily fish for everyone. The video was shocking and of course Monsanto/glyphosate came up again. No wonder we are discovering more and more how linked the microbiome is to health both physical and mental.
> 
> The first documentary in the series he has made called Farmer's Footprint is now available to watch (free) from his website
> 
> https://farmersfootprint.us/


 Sorry, I almost overlooked this RPH. I've only watched the second video, I have the other 2 to go, so looking forward to those! So true about the cogs falling into place. I came in from a wildlife/environmentalism angle which then progressed to climate change & spread out & keeps spreading. I'm learning from your posts, particularly about our food and nutrition & other people who share the same concerns. Farmed fish is awful. And Monsanto/Bayer are literally drenching our planet in poison! What we put into our bodies is so important. Its worrying that glyphosate is so hard to avoid no matter how hard we try. At the Peoples Walk for Wildlife in London last year, Professor Dave Goulson said that a study in Germany found a massive 95% (I believe that was the percentage, though it could have been even higher) of the people tested had glyphosate in their urine

Just look at these George wrote on Monsanto from way back in 1997 - 2003 respectively.
https://www.monbiot.com/1997/12/15/the-monsanto-monster/
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2003/jun/10/greenpolitics.science

Will check out Farmer's Footprint too. Thank you


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> Check out Holland and Barretts magazine this month. Lots of articles about gut health and microbiomes, also a good beginners guide to making fermented food.
> I might have a go as it all sounds really tasty!


Thank you. I never go to Holland and Barretts but will have a look and see if I can get the magazine online.



noushka05 said:


> Sorry, I almost overlooked this RPH. I've only watched the second video, I have the other 2 to go, so looking forward to those! So true about the cogs falling into place. I came in from a wildlife/environmentalism angle which then progressed to climate change & spread out & keeps spreading. I'm learning from your posts, particularly about our food and nutrition & other people who share the same concerns. Farmed fish is awful. And Monsanto/Bayer are literally drenching our planet in poison! What we put into our bodies is so important. Its worrying that glyphosate is so hard to avoid no matter how hard we try. At the Peoples Walk for Wildlife in London last year, Professor Dave Goulson said that a study in Germany found a massive 95% (I believe that was the percentage, though it could have been even higher) of the people tested had glyphosate in their urine
> 
> Just look at these George wrote on Monsanto from way back in 1997 - 2003 respectively.
> https://www.monbiot.com/1997/12/15/the-monsanto-monster/
> https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2003/jun/10/greenpolitics.science
> 
> Will check out Farmer's Footprint too. Thank you


I meant to say earlier sorry to hear about your Mum.

The good news is I read a study this morning (although now I can't find it) showing that in just one week of eating organic foods the levels of pesticides in our urine fall dramatically. I've downloaded the lists of the best and the worst foods for pesticide residues in the UK and have made sure we are sticking to organic on those as much as possible. I will never eat a strawberry again without thinking of what he said :Jawdrop

I've found I question far more now than I did years ago, finding out how little difference to survival rates some surgeries make and the harmful effects of many drugs especially in the elderly but also things like statins and some antibiotics not only on the microbiome but on things like tendon/ligament injuries and even on aortic aneurysms is shocking.

Thanks I will have a read of those articles later on.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@catz4m8z is it this one?

https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/healthy-magazine-148-march-2019-60010229?skuid=010229


----------



## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Does anyone do fermenting their own veggies? I'm interested in giving it a go as I'm hearing so much about the benefits for our microbiomes but not sure where to start. A good book recommendation maybe?


We're lucky in Hungary because you can buy fermented vegetables in every supermarket. I suggest before you decide on a book to buy you google some Hungarian recipes for the various fermented veggies.

http://www.rusa.hu/en/

One of the 8 butternut squash I grew in my veggie patch.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Thanks I will have a look. We can buy stuff like pickled cabbage but I understand a lot of the mass produced/commercial stuff doesn't contain the beneficial stuff.

I didn't know Butternut squashes were green :Jawdrop


----------



## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Thanks I will have a look. We can buy stuff like pickled cabbage but I understand a lot of the mass produced/commercial stuff doesn't contain the beneficial stuff.
> 
> I didn't know Butternut squashes were green :Jawdrop


They aren't! I took the photo when they were ripening


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> @catz4m8z is it this one?
> 
> https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/healthy-magazine-148-march-2019-60010229?skuid=010229


yup, thats it. It doesnt sound too difficult TBH. I might try making kimchi (I already really love cabbage and anything pickled so Im def keen to give that a go too!).


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> yup, thats it. It doesnt sound too difficult TBH. I might try making kimchi (I already really love cabbage and anything pickled so Im def keen to give that a go too!).


Thank you - I've ordered the magazine so hopefully that will help get me started. Am I going to have to buy lots of special jars and things though?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Magyarmum said:


> They aren't! I took the photo when they were ripening


----------



## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


>


No problem! I was just so proud of having not one but 8 ginormous butternuts, I couldn't wait for them to turn orange before I could brag about them!:Happy


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Thank you - I've ordered the magazine so hopefully that will help get me started. Am I going to have to buy lots of special jars and things though?


Looks like you do need air tight jars, like kilner jars....but those things are quite trendy and everywhere!LOL

Had to buy a gigantic mixing bowl today for salad purposes. I really didnt have anything big enough for my monster salads (and I like to make up several portions at once).
Always remember one of those plant based Drs discussing his salads and saying that if non WFPB people arent shocked at how big your salad is then you are making it wrong!:Hilarious
Todays masterpiece was spinach, red and white cabbage, red onion, sweetcorn, broccoli, carrots, tomato, cucumber, beetroot, chickpeas, bulgur wheat, freekah, and pumpkin seeds.:Woot


----------



## Magyarmum

*NEWS THUMP

Thursday 14 February 2019 by Davywavy*

*Yorkshire on high alert after man spotted buying Quinoa in Doncaster*









*People in Yorkshire are warned to be on the lookout after a man was spotted buying Quinoa in Doncaster yesterday.*

The man, described as tall, in his early thirties and probably soft as shite, is understood to have made the purchase in broad daylight in a grocers just outside the town centre.

Locals have been urged to steer clear of the area until the man is found and specialist decontamination teams have made the area safe of any lingering Southern influence.

"It was so fast, I barely knew what was happening before it was over," said visibly distraught shopkeeper Daz Williams.

"When he came in he had a beard and tattoos so I thought he must be on day release from the local prison and looking to nick **** like most of my customers.

"I should have known something was wrong when he asked if I had any Kale for a smoothie, but I just didn't think. You don't expect that sort of thing round here.

"I don't even know how I came to have that Quinoer stuff in my shop anyway - I don't hold with that foreign muck - I must have slipped it in with the bags of sawdust for kids hamster cages I got in last month.

"He was on it like a flash and before I knew it he was gone and I had an extra two pound fifty in my till."

CCTV shows the man getting in a car and driving off towards Barnsley where it is expected his reign of terror will continue.

Police have told locals to remain calm but to remain in their own homes for safety until the chip shop opens.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@noushka05 - here is the study I mentioned

https://sustainablepulse.com/2019/0...ans-after-one-week-organic-diet/#.XGXekVz7SUk


----------



## noushka05

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I meant to say earlier sorry to hear about your Mum.
> 
> The good news is I read a study this morning (although now I can't find it) showing that in just one week of eating organic foods the levels of pesticides in our urine fall dramatically. I've downloaded the lists of the best and the worst foods for pesticide residues in the UK and have made sure we are sticking to organic on those as much as possible. I will never eat a strawberry again without thinking of what he said :Jawdrop
> 
> I've found I question far more now than I did years ago, finding out how little difference to survival rates some surgeries make and the harmful effects of many drugs especially in the elderly but also things like statins and some antibiotics not only on the microbiome but on things like tendon/ligament injuries and even on aortic aneurysms is shocking.
> 
> Thanks I will have a read of those articles later on.


Thank you RPH, I didn't think anything though. xx But speaking of my my Mum, she had an aortic aneurysm. She had to have major open heart surgery to repair it with a sleeve, at the same time she had her mitral & aortic valves replaced as they were leaking. It was a few days after the operation that she had the cardiac arrest. 6 years later she suffered aortic dissection & died. The worst time of my life. I'm telling you this, not for sympathy RPH, but for years my Mum had been on statins. She'd also suffered from a condition called polymyalgia rheumatica & had been prescribed powerful drugs for that including methotrexate & steroids. She'd been taking a cocktail of drugs for years. Makes you think doesnt it?

I try to source as much organic produce as I can, this is the beauty of growing your own, we have two big strawberry patches on our allotments so ours are totally organic. Its quite a short season for them though, but we have raspberries & blackberries & had so many last year that we froze loads. I'm still eating mine. Last year I also planted some black & red current bushes a pear tree & a victoria plum. I have a really productive apple tree in my back garden & theres 3 little apple trees on one of the allotments. So we should have a lot more fruit once they start fruiting . ETA we also have a few gooseberry bushes.

I made these organic vegan corn flake buns yesterday for Valantines day for my hubby The chocolate is from Aldi










excuse the bubbles I'd been washing the pots lol




















rottiepointerhouse said:


> @noushka05 - here is the study I mentioned
> 
> https://sustainablepulse.com/2019/0...ans-after-one-week-organic-diet/#.XGXekVz7SUk


Very interesting, thank you x


----------



## Magyarmum

Jonescat said:


> Grow your own kale and pick it when the leaves are small and juicy. Flat leaves and black kale are sweetest. Never buy the bags of shredded kale which is a way of disguising how big and tough the leaves were to start with and enhances the problem by giving them more cut surface to dry them out.
> Sprouts change flavour when they are frozen - old timers won't touch them until they have been frosted in the fields. It's due to the starches breaking down to sugars and may be the reason for the variance. I think freezers can do this too but the best effect is if they are frosted a few times before you eat them. They are really a seasonal food.
> 
> Salads - sort of waldorf - water cress, walnuts, raisins celery, apple in vegan mayo or the dressing of your choice.
> Fennel and orange in orange juice


Kale is an absolute no-no to grow over here as the climate's not suitable, so unfortunately I'm reduced to those horrid bags of shredded kale which I can only get from Tesco! Spinach is hit and miss, depending on what the weather's like when you plant the seeds. I've tried several different varieties and found the New Zealand spinach is the best but some years you'll have a good crop and others nothing! I've decided this year I'm only growing Chard as that always comes up a winner and I like it more than either Kale or Spinach.

Last year after about 5 years of having no more than half a dozen walnuts, I was overloaded with them! I've got 5 walnut trees on my land as well as cherry, plum and pear trees. My Grandson and I collected two large buckets full of walnuts before giving up and leaving the rest for the squirrels. It'll be interesting to see how my fruit and walnuts do this year!


----------



## catz4m8z

You so lucky having walnut trees @Magyarmum , Id probably nest up in one like a squirrel and pick it clean!LOL:Hilarious

Tried kombucha today for the first time. Just a store bought bottle but I really liked it.....kinda like a wine alternative for people who dont drink, plus health benefits too! Quite expensive but I dont think its the kind of thing you sit and guzzle gallons of anyways.

aaaaand I made biscuits today as I keep getting peckish at bedtime and never have anything in. Just mashed bananas, oats, plant milk and cinnamon (oh, and some mixed seeds just coz). They look tasty.....hope they are!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/vegan-egg-replacement-and-cakes-to-launch-nationwide

The vegan egg replacement is made with aquafaba - another nail in the coffin of the animal abuse industry.


----------



## Snoringbear

That’s interesting. I remember watching Sunday Brunch a while back and somebody made mayonnaise using chickpeas. From what I remember it was pretty much indistinguishable. I’ve not tried making it, though.


----------



## catz4m8z

Those cakes do look nice.

Just found an interview with a really inspirational guy on Youtube (From Meds to Marathons:Eric O'Grays plant based story)...sorry, I dont know how to link stuff!:Shy Must look up his book, its not only a plant based story but dog friendly too!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> Those cakes do look nice.
> 
> Just found an interview with a really inspirational guy on Youtube (From Meds to Marathons:Eric O'Grays plant based story)...sorry, I dont know how to link stuff!:Shy Must look up his book, its not only a plant based story but dog friendly too!


Is it this one?


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Is it this one?


Thats the one! I just love the fact that his doctor prescribed a whole food plant based diet and a shelter dog!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Good to see such a variety of vegan Easter Eggs on offer - pretty much all the supermarkets have options

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/sainsburys-vegan-white-chocolate-strawberry-easter-egg-uk


----------



## Jonescat

Check these out - they are fab 
https://www.piccantino.co.uk/search?keyword=zotter+vegan


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/herbal-essences-cruelty-free-accreditation-peta

Just putting this here in case anyone missed it on the other thread.


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/herbal-essences-cruelty-free-accreditation-peta
> 
> Just putting this here in case anyone missed it on the other thread.


thanks for that @rottiepointerhouse , I used to love the Herbal Essence range! Also wasnt aware of the peta bunny either, Im used to just looking for the leaping bunny.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> thanks for that @rottiepointerhouse , I used to love the Herbal Essence range! Also wasnt aware of the peta bunny either, Im used to just looking for the leaping bunny.


This might help too

https://www.boots.com/skincare-beauty-advice/beauty-edits/vegan-beauty-edit


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Hotel chocolat doing a good range of vegan Easter eggs

https://www.hotelchocolat.com/uk/shop/easter-eggs/vegan/


----------



## Magyarmum

I need help!

Last weekend I bought a cassava root, and I'm looking for a really nice recipe. Has anyone got any ideas?

I know how to prepare it because years ago when we were dependent on food arriving from SA by tramp steamer, one of the few local vegetables available was cassava which we used instead of potatoes to make chips!

I also bought a tub of Dr Oeteker vega creme. It's the first time I've seen it in Hungary and I'm not sure whether it's available in the UK. It's very thick and tastes more like the sour cream (tejfol) we buy in Hungary rather the UK's double cream.

Very nice though on my strawberries!

https://www.oetker.hu/hu-hu/termekeink/creme-vega/termekeink/creme-vega.html


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Sorry @Magyarmum I've never come across cassava root let along tried to cook with it.

Thought this might come in useful - list of vegan products available from Superdrug which is pretty extensive

https://veganwomble.co.uk/our-unofficial-superdrug-vegan-list/


----------



## O2.0

Oh @Magyarmum please tell me how the cassava comes out. Not something I've ever used, but have always been interested  I'd love to know the flavor too


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

If you have seen the claim from cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra ( a well know paleo advocate) regarding the death of his mother at 68 being due to her vegetarian diet you may find this response interesting/helpful when dealing with people who throw his claim about as evidence that a plant based diet is unhealthy.

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/50-doctors-inaccurate-claim-vegetarian-diet-killed-woman


----------



## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


> If you have seen the claim from cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra ( a well know paleo advocate) regarding the death of his mother at 68 being due to her vegetarian diet you may find this response interesting/helpful when dealing with people who throw his claim about as evidence that a plant based diet is unhealthy.
> 
> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/50-doctors-inaccurate-claim-vegetarian-diet-killed-woman


I actually read his article a few days ago and was totally aghast!

How can a qualified doctor not know that eating large quantities of highly processed foods such as biscuits, crisps and sugar are bad for one's health irrespective of whether one is vegetarian or not?

I lived in Durban which has the largest Indian population of any city in the world outside of India and diabetes was the main cause of illness and death. I had many Indian friends and love Indian food, but have to admit they tended to use a lot oil in cooking and did have a very sweet tooth!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Magyarmum said:


> I actually read his article a few days ago and was totally aghast!
> 
> How can a qualified doctor not know that eating large quantities of highly processed foods such as biscuits, crisps and sugar are bad for one's health irrespective of whether one is vegetarian or not?
> 
> I lived in Durban which has the largest Indian population of any city in the world outside of India and diabetes was the main cause of illness and death. I had many Indian friends and love Indian food, but have to admit they tended to use a lot oil in cooking and did have a very sweet tooth!


Unfortunately he is a bit of a loose cannon and has previously been accused of endangering life with his advice to eat saturated fat by scientists at Oxford University. To my horror Dr Chatterjee had him on one of his first podcasts. The only sense I've heard him talk is about statins and stents not being what they are cracked up to be.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

His original article if anyone is interested

https://inews.co.uk/opinion/comment...-her-early-death-we-should-all-learn-from-it/


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> If you have seen the claim from cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra ( a well know paleo advocate) regarding the death of his mother at 68 being due to her vegetarian diet you may find this response interesting/helpful when dealing with people who throw his claim about as evidence that a plant based diet is unhealthy.
> 
> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/50-doctors-inaccurate-claim-vegetarian-diet-killed-woman


Dr. Davis brought talked about this on FB also.
I think part of the problem is the nomenclature. Vegetarian can mean anything as long as there is no meat. I ate a lot of crap as a vegetarian.

Whole food plant based or whole plant foods is much more descriptive of what is meant by a *healthy* vegan/vegetarian diet.
FWIW, I think 'paleo' can be pretty healthy too as long as it focuses on whole foods as close to their original state as possible, some of the paleo versions avoid all dairy, and focus on a lot of plants, but some of the keto stuff I have seen is frighteningly bad  Apparently you can do 'vegan' keto, but frankly it just seems like a whole lot of work measuring, counting, and fussing around. And it's restrictive. I don't find WFPB restrictive at all. My diet is more varied than many omnivores. And I get to enjoy my food without having to think about carbs, protein, calories etc. Just eat!

I'm finding it hard to laud the benefits of a whole plant diet without sounding smug, but the benefits I see for me personally are impossible to ignore. 
I'm SO over people trying to tell me this diet is incomplete, dangerous, a fad, whatever. The evidence is overwhelming. More plants, fewer animal products = healthier outcomes for ALL populations. I'm not talking everyone going vegan, but everyone can reduce their animal product intake and increase their whole plant intake. 
This is where I sound smug, so apologies, I don't mean it that way, but it's invariably people who are themselves unhealthy, overweight, suffering with chronic conditions who try to tell me the way I'm eating is lacking.

I guess sometimes the best education we can be is just be ourselves, enjoying life eating this way


----------



## catz4m8z

huh.....:Bored just realiesed.
Its my 2 year veganversary!!:Woot
Best decision ever!!:Smug


Just had a massive bowl of soup for tea, although can you call it soup if you can create a mound out of it? TBF its to keep me going for a 12hr nightshift. Started with a blended homemade curried vegetable soup, added peas, sweetcorn, spinach, mixed grains, aduki beans and coz I felt like it needed abit of fat a spoonful of crunchy nut butter (turns out little bits of peanut in your soup is really nice!).
The aduki beans were a substitution with my online shopping that Ive not tried before.....really tasty tho, will def buy them again!


----------



## O2.0

catz4m8z said:


> turns out little bits of peanut in your soup is really nice!)


Yup! 
Blended peanuts or cashews are my favorite in soups. I made a butternut squash soup the other day with cashews blended in, oh! Lovely!


----------



## Lurcherlad

Just and ate 3 vegan pancakes, made using the juice from a can of chickpeas (aquafaba).

Surprisingly yum! :Hungry

Recipe here if anyone interested

https://avirtualvegan.com/vegan-english-pancakes/

I used rapeseed oil, self raising flour, baking powder and rice milk but it still worked well.


----------



## O2.0

Good article on heart disease and low carb diets. If you have loved ones following a low carb diet, may be worth sharing this information with them.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-03/acoc-ldt030519.php


----------



## catz4m8z

ugh...low carb *shudder*:Nailbiting
Ive always been a carb fan, although now its healthy carbs and not donuts and entire loaves of white bread!LOL
I do know a few people who are doing low carb/high fat diets at the moment, always surprises me when they think they will put on weight with basic stuff like potatoes or brown rice.


----------



## O2.0

I do wish we could distinguish more clearly between 'carbs' and 'carbs'  
A bowl of sugary, processed cereal vs. a bowl of rolled oats with berries and flaxseed meal are both "carbs" but there is a huge difference.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/tv-host-steve-harvey-vegan-diet-changed-health

Brilliant video in the link if you have 5 minutes to watch.

@O2.0 would Steve Harvey's show be mainstream or is it tucked away on some obscure channel?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

First plant based doctors conference being held in Ireland this weekend - its sold out with every attendee being a GP. How encouraging is that for the future :Woot:Woot


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/tv-host-steve-harvey-vegan-diet-changed-health
> 
> Brilliant video in the link if you have 5 minutes to watch.
> 
> @O2.0 would Steve Harvey's show be mainstream or is it tucked away on some obscure channel?


Steve Harvey is very mainstream! Great that he has embraced WFPB eating 

I can tell the plant based movement is gathering steam by how those opposed to it are ramping up their comments  
Lots of post on FB these days trying to discredit plant based eating. And they do sound as ridiculous as they are.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> Steve Harvey is very mainstream! Great that he has embraced WFPB eating
> 
> I can tell the plant based movement is gathering steam by how those opposed to it are ramping up their comments
> Lots of post on FB these days trying to discredit plant based eating. And they do sound as ridiculous as they are.


Wow, I'm really impressed that he has come out so openly in support of WFPB :Happy

Yes I'm noticing a huge amount of kick back from people but that is to be expected, I read somewhere the beef industry are going to do a huge promotion to try and regain some of the ground lost.


----------



## Lurcherlad

My vegan pancakes made with Aquafaba .....










I had to laugh when I realised what plate I used


----------



## O2.0

From the NYT wow!

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/14/...z6fzV0XovfpifQ2iaVKs6Y57Px8nH3aoYa1RQnIW2Uqnc


----------



## ukcatdaddy

I have been on a complete plant based diet for 21 days now and I am loving it.

I have tried a lot of vegan/vegetarian plant based foods over the last 21 days and found the taste experience great.

My favourite milks are the Alpro Hazelnut Original Milk and Alpro Oat Original Milk.
My favourite dairy free cheese is Creamy Sheese 100% Dairy Free Garlic & Herb and I use Avocado Oil Spread.
The only food I found I disliked so far was the Moo, Moo Easter Egg, I couldn't get used to the taste of it.
​I have lost 8lbs in the last 21 days as well and found personally I have had a lot more energy and doing a lot more exercising as in walking.

I haven't slipped up once over the last 21 days and stuck to eating a total plant based diet. I have even changed the deodorant I use and now use Man Cave, Shower Gel is Man Cave and Bull Dog and Man Cave and Ecodenta Toothpaste all plant based. I am enjoying the experience and plan to carry on using plant based products as well.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

ukcatdaddy said:


> I have been on a complete plant based diet for 21 days now and I am loving it.
> 
> I have tried a lot of vegan/vegetarian plant based foods over the last 21 days and found the taste experience great.
> 
> My favourite milks are the Alpro Hazelnut Original Milk and Alpro Oat Original Milk.
> My favourite dairy free cheese is Creamy Sheese 100% Dairy Free Garlic & Herb and I use Avocado Oil Spread.
> The only food I found I disliked so far was the Moo, Moo Easter Egg, I couldn't get used to the taste of it.
> ​I have lost 8lbs in the last 21 days as well and found personally I have had a lot more energy and doing a lot more exercising as in walking.
> 
> I haven't slipped up once over the last 21 days and stuck to eating a total plant based diet. I have even changed the deodorant I use and now use Man Cave, Shower Gel is Man Cave and Bull Dog and Man Cave and Ecodenta Toothpaste all plant based. I am enjoying the experience and plan to carry on using plant based products as well.


Well done. Hope you continue to enjoy the food and feeling the benefits. Shout if you need any help.


----------



## O2.0

Lazy lentil soup last night










I call it lazy because I used canned lentils, they cook so easily you don't really need canned, but I had some on hand and it made for a very fast meal. 
2 cans of lentils
2 cans of diced tomatoes
2 bell peppers chopped
2 large handfulls (maybe 3?) of chopped button mushrooms
1 onion chopped
several handfuls of spinach chopped.

I cooked the onion, bell peppers and mushrooms until they were tender, dumped in the lentils and tomatoes, heated it all back up, added the spinach, done.

Oh and spices were cumin, garlic, turmeric, and a touch of smoked paprika.


----------



## karenmc

I love chunky vegie soups. I'll definitely be trying this one.


----------



## O2.0

O2.0 said:


> I can tell the plant based movement is gathering steam by how those opposed to it are ramping up their comments


This is just one example, showed up in my newsfeed this morning:

Is it just me or do memes like this hint at some desperation by the meat and dairy industry?
This is how we know plant based eating is taking off


----------



## Matrod

I ate out at a plant based all organic restaurant today, it was really nice & there’s quite a few dishes I want to try, I even tried a vegan cheese that I actually like! There’s a few all vegan restaurants in my area now which is great for me as most places only have one or two options & they generally aren’t the most inspiring.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

For you Ethiopian spice lovers - Dr Rupy isn't plant based but he does do lots of plant based recipes. I'm going to give this one a try but without the coconut oil.


----------



## Jonescat

I haven't made this yet but apparently it's a totally compliant cake - whole food plant based no oil
https://www.theorganiccakery.co.uk/...ogyz4SxJEKgm73BKjoYSSLdFXsRy064kuu1AcNULNMdZM

It looks amazing.


----------



## catz4m8z

ugh...just spent 2 days binge eating every type of vegan junk food you could possibly think of. Anybody else get that hormonal urge once a month to stuff your face with chocolate or starchy carbs??:Shifty
I outdid myself this month though as according to my scales I weigh a stone more then last week and my fingers swelled up like sausages with all the water retention!:Wideyed
nm...today i feel 'normal' (as I ever am!LOL) so Ive been to the gym and now Im tucking into a huge bowl of salad for lunch. Doing a big veggie stir fry for tea too as I really missed proper food.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> ugh...just spent 2 days binge eating every type of vegan junk food you could possibly think of. Anybody else get that hormonal urge once a month to stuff your face with chocolate or starchy carbs??:Shifty
> I outdid myself this month though as according to my scales I weigh a stone more then last week and my fingers swelled up like sausages with all the water retention!:Wideyed
> nm...today i feel 'normal' (as I ever am!LOL) so Ive been to the gym and now Im tucking into a huge bowl of salad for lunch. Doing a big veggie stir fry for tea too as I really missed proper food.


I can't say as I've ever binged relating to hormones but I have recently gone a bit off WFPB for research purposes and tried some Ben & Jerry's vegan ice cream, vegan magnums and the beyond meat burgers as well as some hot cross buns from Tesco which are vegan. All because I have non vegan visitors at the end of this month and want to be able to offer them something they recognise especially as my Mum is not very happy with beans in her meals. I hated the burgers, they made me feel sick, the hot cross buns were OK but not worth the sugar or the calories so the rest went in the freezer and the ice cream - well the magnums were delicious and the Ben & Jerry's was OK but again not worth the fat/sugar/calories and I missed having my fruit. The result of all this experimenting is an extra 3 pounds in weight although I also recently changed my bread to an organic wholemeal and have just realised the slices are bigger than my old bread and are so yummy toasted that I've been having an extra slice here and there. I am back on track now and although I will get some vegan magnums in for the visitors and they can eat up the hot cross buns I won't be sampling any more of it and feel cross with myself for not just giving them the food I always eat and setting a good example. Don't forget the weight loss summit starts today


----------



## Cleo38

Oh B&J's ice cream is lovely!! I only eat that occasionally as it's so expensive. I really like the Beyond Meat burgers, I'm having one with potato wedges for dinner tonight. 

Am lucky in that I have a cast iron stomach so switches in diet never really has much of an effect. I've pigged out lately but that's because I've been running more so have been extra hungry but I've tended to eat more toast with peanut butter, nuts & bananas than binge on unhealthy stuff …. although the amount I've eaten you'd think I'd run a marathon which I was no where near!!


----------



## O2.0

Cleo38 said:


> I've been running more so have been extra hungry but I've tended to eat more toast with peanut butter, nuts & bananas than binge on unhealthy stuff


That's more how I tend to go too.
I generally don't really think to eat peanut butter, but about 2 days after a long run I'll have a day where I want to eat all the carbs and healthy fats I can find.

I've had enough times of falling off the WFBP wagon to know how much better I feel when I follow it that I'm no longer tempted by the unhealthy stuff. I'll eat it if that's all there is, like if we're out at a restaurant, or out of town, but I'm always happier to get back to eating "my" food.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@catz4m8z Dr Fuhrman talking on the weight loss summit about toxic hunger/cravings mentioned that when people eat crap/junk food they hold on to water to dilute the toxicity so its not as damaging to the tissues. When you start eating healthily again you can drop a lot of weight fairly quickly most of which will be water, if you then go back to eating junk you can regain as much as 5 pounds in a day but that is the body holding on to water to try and dilute the toxins. May be that explains your 14 pound weight gain and water retention.


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> May be that explains your 14 pound weight gain and water retention.


Nearly all of it is gone already!
Although TBH I find it quite reassuring how quickly I bounce back from a hormone induced bingefest these days! No wasted guilt or future cravings for fat and sugar....just the urge to get back to eating decent whole foods. Seems like once you rid yourself of all the rubbish your body just naturally prefers the healthiest options!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Did anyone see Masterchef tonight? It was for a place in the semi final and they did a plant based cooking challenge. Episode is here - its only about 25 mins long.

Judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace are joined by renowned chef Alexis Gauthier, whose London restaurant now offers a completely plant-based menu.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0003fb8/masterchef-series-15-episode-18

I was so excited to hear the chef say at the end "this is the future of food" :Woot:Woot

Does anyone know what the plum sauce they were talking about to replace Parmesan cheese was?


----------



## Magyarmum

Last night decided to make something different and ended up with this .....










Mexican Black Bean Tamale with a cornbread topping! I really enjoyed it and the topping is so easy to make!

I didn't have black beans so used Pinto and Borlotti instead plus some sweet corn.

https://www.delishknowledge.com/black-bean-tamale-pie/


----------



## O2.0

Magyarmum said:


> Last night decided to make something different and ended up with this .....
> 
> View attachment 397523
> 
> 
> Mexican Black Bean Tamale with a cornbread topping! I really enjoyed it and the topping is so easy to make!
> 
> I didn't have black beans so used Pinto and Borlotti instead plus some sweet corn.
> 
> https://www.delishknowledge.com/black-bean-tamale-pie/


Oh I love cornbread, haven't made some in a while, may have to do some tinkering and see what I can do with reduced or no oil


----------



## Magyarmum

O2.0 said:


> Oh I love cornbread, haven't made some in a while, may have to do some tinkering and see what I can do with reduced or no oil


Here you go ..... no excuses not to make some!

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/fluffy-cornbread/

*8-Ingredient Fluffy Cornbread [Vegan, Oil-Free]*


----------



## O2.0

Magyarmum said:


> Here you go ..... no excuses not to make some!
> 
> https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/fluffy-cornbread/
> 
> *8-Ingredient Fluffy Cornbread [Vegan, Oil-Free]*


Thank you!!


----------



## catz4m8z

wow...this thread has gone awfully quiet....:Shifty

Has the shine worn off of plant based eating?? or is it like me, not tried anything new and exciting recently and have become obsessed with making bigger and better salads instead!


----------



## O2.0

catz4m8z said:


> wow...this thread has gone awfully quiet....:Shifty
> 
> Has the shine worn off of plant based eating?? or is it like me, not tried anything new and exciting recently and have become obsessed with making bigger and better salads instead!


I'm still WFPB, just plugging away at life though. 
There is only so much "I feel great, I love the food I eat, I just ran a 25K in the mountains" I can post though without it sounding obnoxiously smug


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

No the shine hasn't worn off. I've just had my non vegan visitors for a couple of days and they seemed to really enjoy the food. It wasn't strictly whole foods but was all vegan and reasonably healthy. The first meal I offered a choice between chickpea burgers, strong roots vegetable fries (which aren't fried but oven baked and have very little fat), salad and my homemade walnut vinaigrette dressing or a mushroom pasta dish which has a sauce made with blended cashew nuts & almond milk. They all went for the first choice. For dessert they were offered vegan magnums or a chocolate torte thing on a nut/oat/date base which I didn't like at all but others did. The second night I made the mushroom wellington from Bosh with roast potatoes, roast onions and carrots/spouts/broccoli, same options for desert although my niece had a Ben & Jerry's ice cream. My Mum has a very funny tummy and doesn't cope well with beans or too much greens or anything spicy so it was a challenge to strike a balance between something she could tolerate and getting the usual flavour. Hopefully I managed it as there were clean plates both nights.


----------



## Jonescat

I haven't abandoned it either, just life got a bit tricky at the start of the year. This year's resolution was to "make it myself" though and I starded with bread. I have sourdough starter in the fridge, have sourced a local organic flour mill, with flour grown in the same county as my house, and can now make fat free bread if I wish, and sourdough pancakes  

Blood oranges are in season right now, so am indulging in them - my favourite fennel and orange salad is now red and green istead of orange and green - and I also have to get the allotment started up again with next season's food. I have just made some barley, ginger and blueberry muffins though - for a picnic I am about to take my Mum o  .

I will 'fess up though - I am not fat free and not aiming at it. Reduced significantly but am not beating myself up over not following a diet 100%. I am in it principally because of the animals I dn't want to eat and the gorgeous food I do want to eat.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Jonescat said:


> I haven't abandoned it either, just life got a bit tricky at the start of the year. This year's resolution was to "make it myself" though and I starded with bread. I have sourdough starter in the fridge, have sourced a local organic flour mill, with flour grown in the same county as my house, and can now make fat free bread if I wish, and sourdough pancakes
> 
> Blood oranges are in season right now, so am indulging in them - my favourite fennel and orange salad is now red and green istead of orange and green - and I also have to get the allotment started up again with next season's food. I have just made some barley, ginger and blueberry muffins though - for a picnic I am about to take my Mum o  .
> 
> I will 'fess up though - I am not fat free and not aiming at it. Reduced significantly but am not beating myself up over not following a diet 100%. I am in it principally because of the animals I dn't want to eat and the gorgeous food I do want to eat.


I don't think any of us are fat free or trying to be, just reducing unnecessary fats and getting rid of the unhealthy ones as far as possible, especially those of us still trying to shift a few pounds. I'm not planning on getting rid of nuts and seeds from my diet, nor occasional nut butters and I do use a bit of oil now and then if I think it will enhance a recipe rather than just "fry in oil" when I know the results will be just as good if I use water. Hope you and your Mum have a lovely picnic and the weather is kind to you.


----------



## catz4m8z

Jonescat said:


> barley, ginger and blueberry muffins


That sounds really nice!

As for fat free, I didnt realiese that was a thing you had to aim for! Even though Im trying to lose weight (1/2st this month, woo hoo!:Woot) I always try and include a tbsp of fat in every meal, seeds or nutbutter in a sauce usually. Besides which I think having a healthy diet 90% of the time is good enough....a treat every now and then is good for the soul!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

In 2013 Paul Chatlin was diagnosed with heart disease. He was told by his doctor that, instead of undergoing surgery, he could cure his condition with a nutrition change. His change to a whole food, plant-based diet was incredibly successful and impacted his life far beyond his health. Watch the inspiring Plant Power Story of Paul Chatlin


----------



## O2.0

I'm definitely not fat free but I aim for my fats to be from whole food sources, not refined or processed. 
I do think it's worthwhile to look at fat consumption though if you're aiming to lose weight. Chef AJ talks about that, it can make a big difference.


----------



## catz4m8z

Chef AJ is abit too extreme for me, Im not a fan of completely cutting out macro nutrients like carbs or fat. I much prefer to monitor my fat intake carefully instead.
She does have some good recipe ideas though.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Dr Kahn having some fun about the recent spate of YouTube "why I'm no longer vegan" videos which have apparently been unsettling some people






I've just ordered The Penis Book from Amazon


----------



## O2.0

catz4m8z said:


> Chef AJ is abit too extreme for me, Im not a fan of completely cutting out macro nutrients like carbs or fat. I much prefer to monitor my fat intake carefully instead.
> She does have some good recipe ideas though.


I don't follow her that closely but I didn't think she advocated no fats, just very careful portions. And she definitely doesn't advocate cutting out carbs.


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Dr Kahn having some fun about the recent spate of YouTube "why I'm no longer vegan" videos which have apparently been unsettling some people


bwa haa haa!:Hilarious Poor guy.
I think we are all working out now that the 'why Im no longer vegan' Youtubers are actually a group of self obsessed, orthorexic, water fasting, wee drinking, morons who need serious therapy!:Meh


----------



## catz4m8z

O2.0 said:


> I don't follow her that closely but I didn't think she advocated no fats, just very careful portions. And she definitely doesn't advocate cutting out carbs.


I think she has recently bent abit to allow very small amounts of chia seeds but generally her weight loss plan is zero fats at all, not sure that too healthy really esp for young women. Although I get why she advocates it as somebody with a history of binge eating and she has stated many times that she still has those addictive tendencies towards food.
TBH I dont like any of those sweeping generalisations you hear about WFPB diets, I dont think its one size fits all. Some people thrive on higher fat, others high fruit, etc. Personally I like lots of carbs!:Smug


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> bwa haa haa!:Hilarious Poor guy.
> I think we are all working out now that the 'why Im no longer vegan' Youtubers are actually a group of self obsessed, orthorexic, water fasting, wee drinking, morons who need serious therapy!:Meh


Don't forget flat earthers


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> I think she has recently bent abit to allow very small amounts of chia seeds but generally her weight loss plan is zero fats at all, not sure that too healthy really esp for young women. Although I get why she advocates it as somebody with a history of binge eating and she has stated many times that she still has those addictive tendencies towards food.
> TBH I dont like any of those sweeping generalisations you hear about WFPB diets, I dont think its one size fits all. Some people thrive on higher fat, others high fruit, etc. Personally I like lots of carbs!:Smug


Most of the WFPB "experts" /doctors are basing their information and advice on the science/evidence though and although there is a little bit of disagreement about nuts they pretty much all agree on cutting out processed oils, fats in processed foods and eating healthy wholegrains/beans/fruits & veggies in abundance. The epidemiology studies, the randomised control trials, the modality etc etc along with the actual trials that show reversal of disease have all been on the lower side of fat intake.


----------



## O2.0

G-BOMBS today for the win!
Breakfast:
Oatmeal with flaxmeal, rasberries, blackberries, and wild blueberries. Cinnamon and cloves too. 
Lunch today:
Stew with Lentils, spinach, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic, turmeric, cumin, garam masala,

I guess for dinner I can gorge on Ben&Jerry's now? 

In other news I'm torturing myself with a Joe Rogan podcast where he has Dr. Joel Kahn debate a paleo guy. I haven't made it far, it's very frustrating.... I doubt I'll make it through 3 hours!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> G-BOMBS today for the win!
> Breakfast:
> Oatmeal with flaxmeal, rasberries, blackberries, and wild blueberries. Cinnamon and cloves too.
> Lunch today:
> Stew with Lentils, spinach, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic, turmeric, cumin, garam masala,
> 
> I guess for dinner I can gorge on Ben&Jerry's now?
> 
> In other news I'm torturing myself with a Joe Rogan podcast where he has Dr. Joel Kahn debate a paleo guy. I haven't made it far, it's very frustrating.... I doubt I'll make it through 3 hours!


G-BOMBS is an easier method to keep track of than Dr Greger's Daily Dozen especially as he doesn't specify a set number of servings of each.

I tried to watch that video but have to admit to giving up. It was very frustrating as Joe Rogan is clearly favouring the Paleo guy so at times it feels like poor Dr Kahn is debating two at once. Did you see Dr Garth Davis debating with the "carnivore diet" guy Bart Kay? I hate to give him any promotion but its quite interesting so here you go.


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> G-BOMBS is an easier method to keep track of than Dr Greger's Daily Dozen especially as he doesn't specify a set number of servings of each.
> 
> I tried to watch that video but have to admit to giving up. It was very frustrating as Joe Rogan is clearly favouring the Paleo guy so at times it feels like poor Dr Kahn is debating two at once. Did you see Dr Garth Davis debating with the "carnivore diet" guy Bart Kay? I hate to give him any promotion but its quite interesting so here you go.


I thought Dr. Davis did such a good job. How on earth can this idiot compare the benefits of eating fiber to the benefits of being in ketosis. So much of what he says is just nonsensical to me. 
Don't read the comments. Don't read the comments. Don't read the comments! :Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious

As for GBOMBS vs. Daily Dozen, I've gotten to where I use the daily dozen app when I'm shopping to make a mental note that I have everything in the pantry/fridge. But day to day I use GBOMBS more than the daily dozen. Works for me


----------



## catz4m8z

O2.0 said:


> G-BOMBS today for the win!
> 
> In other news I'm torturing myself with a Joe Rogan podcast


yup, you'd have to be a masochist to listen to Joe Rogan!LOL:Hilarious Those carnivore people just crack me up, they really belong with fringe lunatics but they actually think they make sense, bless 'em!

Not sure how many G-Bombs I covered during the day.
breakfast-oats, plant milk, apple, mixed seeds, blueberries, cinnamon.
lunch-small salad(cabbage, spinach,celery, cucumber, tomato,carrots, radish, aduki beans, hummus), big bowl of strawberries.
tea- curried spring green and butternut squash soup with added spinach, peas, bulghar wheat and black beans.
snack- 1 slice wholemeal toast with peanut butter.
(that probably covers a few, right!?).


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> I thought Dr. Davis did such a good job. How on earth can this idiot compare the benefits of eating fiber to the benefits of being in ketosis. So much of what he says is just nonsensical to me.
> Don't read the comments. Don't read the comments. Don't read the comments! :Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious
> 
> As for GBOMBS vs. Daily Dozen, I've gotten to where I use the daily dozen app when I'm shopping to make a mental note that I have everything in the pantry/fridge. But day to day I use GBOMBS more than the daily dozen. Works for me


There are worse channels too, not sure if you have heard of this idiot but he goes around eating raw meat in public places - a pigs head at a vegan festival recently and a squirrel this weekend at a vegan market that got him arrested.

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/carnivore-eats-squirrel-vegan-market

He makes lots of videos about how all vegans are unhealthy. I think the squirrel meat has caused him to overlook the evidence :Hilarious:Hilarious



catz4m8z said:


> yup, you'd have to be a masochist to listen to Joe Rogan!LOL:Hilarious Those carnivore people just crack me up, they really belong with fringe lunatics but they actually think they make sense, bless 'em!
> 
> Not sure how many G-Bombs I covered during the day.
> breakfast-oats, plant milk, apple, mixed seeds, blueberries, cinnamon.
> lunch-small salad(cabbage, spinach,celery, cucumber, tomato,carrots, radish, aduki beans, hummus), big bowl of strawberries.
> tea- curried spring green and butternut squash soup with added spinach, peas, bulghar wheat and black beans.
> snack- 1 slice wholemeal toast with peanut butter.
> (that probably covers a few, right!?).


Just need some onion and mushrooms and you've got it covered. Sounds like a good day nonetheless.


----------



## O2.0

catz4m8z said:


> yup, you'd have to be a masochist to listen to Joe Rogan!LOL:Hilarious Those carnivore people just crack me up, they really belong with fringe lunatics but they actually think they make sense, bless 'em!
> 
> Not sure how many G-Bombs I covered during the day.
> breakfast-oats, plant milk, apple, mixed seeds, blueberries, cinnamon.
> lunch-small salad(cabbage, spinach,celery, cucumber, tomato,carrots, radish, aduki beans, hummus), big bowl of strawberries.
> tea- curried spring green and butternut squash soup with added spinach, peas, bulghar wheat and black beans.
> snack- 1 slice wholemeal toast with peanut butter.
> (that probably covers a few, right!?).


GBOMBS are 
Greeens
Beans
Onions (or garlic or leeks etc.)
Mushrooms
Berries
Seeds

You covered everything except Onions and Mushrooms (thought radish may count as an onion, not sure?) @rottiepointerhouse ?


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> He makes lots of videos about how all vegans are unhealthy.


I'm quite fascinated by the fact that every single person who has personally voiced concern to me about my diet is either overweight, has chronic health issues, or both.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> GBOMBS are
> Greeens
> Beans
> Onions (or garlic or leeks etc.)
> Mushrooms
> Berries
> Seeds
> 
> You covered everything except Onions and Mushrooms (thought radish may count as an onion, not sure?) @rottiepointerhouse ?


No I don't think they count as onions - they are more related to the cruciferous family. They contain sulforaphene a phytochemical similar to ones found in broccoli and anthocyanins which are a type of flavonoid with numerous health benefits. Onions are from the allium family which includes garlic, shallots, scallions (spring onions to us), leeks and chives which contain quercetin. Red onions have at least 25 different flavonoid anitoxidants so worth trying to get some red onion in regularly especially raw.

Even for people who don't like mushrooms its well worth chucking a couple into a meal well chopped up to disguise them (unless you have an allergy of course) as a study found women who ate just 10 g of mushrooms a day (about one mushroom) had a 64% decreased risk of breast cancer although I have to admit I haven't read the study so have no idea who sponsored it. To my mind its worth including a few everyday anyway


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Just need some onion and mushrooms and you've got it covered. Sounds like a good day nonetheless.


oh...forgot. There was red onion in my salad and soup!LOL Mushrooms though? bleurgh...:Meh why cant there be a mushroom alternative?, even if you liquidise them you can still taste all that mushroomy foulness.
Sorry, but that G-Bomb is going to remain an F-off-Bomb for me!

As to that loon eating squirrels and pigs heads? Needs help for what appears to be a mental health issue, all his Youtube videos come across as unhinged too. Why he thinks humans only evolved because they ate raw meat is mystifying....Im pretty sure we wouldnt have even tried eating animals if we didnt discover fire and could then cook the s*** out of them to make it halfway edible!:Hilarious


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> oh...forgot. There was red onion in my salad and soup!LOL Mushrooms though? bleurgh...:Meh why cant there be a mushroom alternative?, even if you liquidise them you can still taste all that mushroomy foulness.
> Sorry, but that G-Bomb is going to remain an F-off-Bomb for me!
> 
> As to that loon eating squirrels and pigs heads? Needs help for what appears to be a mental health issue, all his Youtube videos come across as unhinged too. Why he thinks humans only evolved because they ate raw meat is mystifying....Im pretty sure we wouldnt have even tried eating animals if we didnt discover fire and could then cook the s*** out of them to make it halfway edible!:Hilarious


I love them and think I must eat about 3 tubs (the 300g ones) a week. I bet you could manage just one mushroom a day in a stew or especially a curry if you diced it up.


----------



## O2.0

Does nutritional yeast count as mushrooms? I eat that stuff like crazy


----------



## catz4m8z

O2.0 said:


> Does nutritional yeast count as mushrooms? I eat that stuff like crazy


Love abit of nooch!

Shame you cant get a supplement for 'shrooms though....I happily take them for other things!

Another trial of WFPB eating today. My bowls need replacing (one is chipped and other is cracked), now I have to try and find bowls big enough to fit my portions in. Love this way of eating but the shear amounts of food mean I often end up with food overflowing off of plates and out of bowls!LOL
(its actually kind of weird to stuff my face on a daily basis and still have lost 9.5kg this year!)
:Smug


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I keep meaning to buy some Buddha bowls - quite like some of these

https://www.etsy.com/uk/market/buddha_bowl

Amazon have some nice coconut shell ones too.


----------



## O2.0

catz4m8z said:


> Shame you cant get a supplement for 'shrooms though....I happily take them for other things!


This company is apparently very good (I've never bought anything from them, but have been tempted). 
https://us.foursigmatic.com/


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I keep meaning to buy some Buddha bowls - quite like some of these
> 
> https://www.etsy.com/uk/market/buddha_bowl
> 
> Amazon have some nice coconut shell ones too.


ooooh, those are cute! Would make nice snack bowls but I think Im need something more fruit/serving bowl sized!LOL:Hilarious Also not really an Esty girl (more a charity shop/Poundland person.:Smuggrin).

Just added some leftover pasta sauce to my salad today, made it nice and tomatoey! Sauces are one of those things Im quite lazy about, just buy a jar rather then make my own. Although TBF its quite easy to get a healthy sauce without any junk in it.


----------



## Jonescat

I had just started to make more salads but because of the weather today, went back to mung bean and potato stew. I also made hummous for tomorrow which has a fair bit of tahini in it as it was the end of the jar, and has a lovely strong flavour. 

I am glad that mushrooms are good for you - I eat quite a few. Raw firm ones sliced are pretty good in sandwiches if people don't like them cooked (I know texture can be tricky for some)


----------



## O2.0

I always forget how stupid easy 'cheese' sauce is, and then I make it, it's delicious!
Today's sauce was a can of white beans, about 1/4 cup of salsa, some lemon juice, onion powder, 3 cloves of garlic, cumin, nutritional yeast, mixed it all up in the vitamix & done! I poured it over pasta, added some frozen veggies (warmed up) and dinner is served!


----------



## catz4m8z

I haven't quite mastered 'cheese' sauce. Tried a few variations but it never seems to taste quite right to me.:Shy
I tend to use hummus quite a lot....its a multipurpose sandwich filling/dip/salad dressing/pasta sauce!

This thread has inspired me though. When I next go shopping Im going to buy some mushrooms and experiment to see if I can make them appetising at all!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Jonescat said:


> I had just started to make more salads but because of the weather today, went back to mung bean and potato stew. I also made hummous for tomorrow which has a fair bit of tahini in it as it was the end of the jar, and has a lovely strong flavour.
> 
> I am glad that mushrooms are good for you - I eat quite a few. Raw firm ones sliced are pretty good in sandwiches if people don't like them cooked (I know texture can be tricky for some)


I'm sure I was taught on the plant based nutrition course that raw mushrooms contain a carcinogen which is destroyed by cooking.

ETA Just looked it up in Dr Fuhrman's book and he says

"Only eat mushrooms cooked. Common mushrooms (lie white and portobello) contain a potentially carcinogenic substance called agaritine, which is significantly reduced when mushrooms are heated."


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I'm sure I was taught on the plant based nutrition course that raw mushrooms contain a carcinogen which is destroyed by cooking.


I think its one of those things were the risk is kinda offset by the health benefits though, like how berries are good for you even if you dont eat organic and have the pesticide sprayed ones. Besides apparently the risk can also be significantly lowered if you pop them in the fridge so thats good!
(you can tell I recently Googled 'can you eat mushrooms raw?' cant you!??LOL:Hilarious).

Also just tried almond butter for the first time today. holy crap! its awesome!!:Woot why didnt I know this?:Wideyed Although this does mean that I currently have 3 nut butters on the go at once (4 if you count the dog nut butter!).


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> I think its one of those things were the risk is kinda offset by the health benefits though, like how berries are good for you even if you dont eat organic and have the pesticide sprayed ones. Besides apparently the risk can also be significantly lowered if you pop them in the fridge so thats good!
> (you can tell I recently Googled 'can you eat mushrooms raw?' cant you!??LOL:Hilarious).
> 
> Also just tried almond butter for the first time today. holy crap! its awesome!!:Woot why didnt I know this?:Wideyed Although this does mean that I currently have 3 nut butters on the go at once (4 if you count the dog nut butter!).


Almond butter is great but the way the oil separates puts me right off as I can't help thinking of all that fat swirling about my arteries.

With regards mushrooms both Dr Greger and Dr Fuhrman say no to raw so I tend to trust what they say, however if you look at the comments section of the link below it would appear plenty of others disagree. Personally I don't see the point in taking the risk. With fruit and berries washing them and then rinsing in running water or if you really want to be thorough giving them a wash in diluted cider vinegar gets rid of a lot of the pesticides although I do go for organic where possible.

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/toxins-in-raw-mushrooms/


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Almond butter is great but the way the oil separates puts me right off as I can't help thinking of all that fat swirling about my arteries.
> 
> With regards mushrooms both Dr Greger and Dr Fuhrman say no to raw
> 
> With fruit and berries washing them and then rinsing in running water
> I do go for organic where possible.


I got the Sainsbury almond butter which doesnt seem to seperate and is perfectly mixed. Besides Ive discovered if I dont add a tbsp of nuts or seeds to each meal I tend to just go forraging in the kitchen for some later on!:Shy

So raw mushrooms are def bad? But what if raw is the only way you can eat them? Is it still better to go without or to eat them anyways??
*ponders dilemma*

With regards to organic berries....one day when I win the lottery all my fruit and veg will be organic!:Smug No more wonky carrots for me!:Smuggrin


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> I got the Sainsbury almond butter which doesnt seem to seperate and is perfectly mixed. Besides Ive discovered if I dont add a tbsp of nuts or seeds to each meal I tend to just go forraging in the kitchen for some later on!:Shy
> 
> So raw mushrooms are def bad? But what if raw is the only way you can eat them? Is it still better to go without or to eat them anyways??
> *ponders dilemma*
> 
> With regards to organic berries....one day when I win the lottery all my fruit and veg will be organic!:Smug No more wonky carrots for me!:Smuggrin


If it were me I would try to incorporate a tiny bit of mushroom into cooked dishes and build up from there, also have a look at the link from Dr Greger as in the comments in talks about how freezing or a few seconds in the microwave reduces the amount of agaritine.

Have you seen the EWG (environmental working group) Dirty Dozen list which gets updated every year I think, I try to make sure I buy organic products from that list and not worry too much about the others. If I can't get organic I just take extra care with washing especially strawberries.

https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php

https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/clean-fifteen.php


----------



## O2.0

I usually mash/blend some mushrooms in to veggie burgers. No one seems to notice them


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

OH finally found a Greggs with some vegan sausage rolls so I've now had my first taste. I don't really enjoy pastry so no risk of me getting addicted to them but must admit it did taste really nice, far better than one made of bits of dead flesh and gristle. 

I am very excited as the new Bosh book "Bish Bash Bosh" is being delivered tomorrow :Woot


----------



## Jonescat

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I'm sure I was taught on the plant based nutrition course that raw mushrooms contain a carcinogen which is destroyed by cooking."


Eek! Didn't know that but have also just googled and seen whats there. It seems they may also protect against breast cancer (presumably in cooked form) and perhaps prostate cancer. How complicated.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Jonescat said:


> Eek! Didn't know that but have also just googled and seen whats there. It seems they may also protect against breast cancer (presumably in cooked form) and perhaps prostate cancer. How complicated.


Yes the protective effects against cancers and the immune boosting properties are from cooked mushrooms.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

My Bish Bash Bosh book has arrived but its upside down/back to front. Wonder if it is on purpose


----------



## O2.0

Well, after recommending four sigmatic mushrooms to @catz4m8z I went and bought some of their hot chocolate mix with chaga mushrooms. Very yummy! I definitely enjoyed it. It's supposed to relax you and help you sleep too. Can't comment there as I fall asleep when my head hits the pillow, but it did taste good. 
May have to try their coffee one now!


----------



## catz4m8z

well, I bought some mushrooms to try! (Im not one of those who decides they hate a food and never goes back, Im always willing to give it another go just in case my tastes have changed!). Was planning on water frying them with some garlic and onions and maybe adding them to something later. 

Annoyingly I just made a bean and lentil loaf for tea tomorrow and totally forgot I bought the mushrooms...would of been the perfect thing to add them to!:Banghead


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Just made some strange bread from The Happy Pear. Quick & easy, no yeast/gluten and no kneading/proving etc. Just mixed together a flax egg (1 tbsp flax to 3 tbsp water), 400g of soya yoghurt, 1 tbs molasses then chucked in 300 g gluten free oats, 4 tbsp mixed seeds (pumpkin, sunflower & linseed), 2 tsps bicarb of soda and half tsp salt. Mixed it up, baked at 180 in a loaf tin for an hour. It smells sort of odd which I think might be the molasses (you can use other sweetner) but it tastes quite nice. OH seemed to like it.


----------



## Dimwit

Can any of you lovely people point me in the direction of WFPB IBS or FODMAP diet advice? My GP has suggested I try this kind of diet but I am really struggling to find things I can eat as my staples (mostly involving lovely spice mixes) are making me ill. At the moment I am living off baked potatoes which is not particularly interesting.
I know I should be able to find this stuff out for myself (particularly as I spent 10 years doing research into gut biology) but I am really struggling at the moment with MH problems, plus my dog has IBS and I am in the middle of trying to do an elimination diet with him and so I just don't have the energy to do the same thing for myself


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Dimwit said:


> Can any of you lovely people point me in the direction of WFPB IBS or FODMAP diet advice? My GP has suggested I try this kind of diet but I am really struggling to find things I can eat as my staples (mostly involving lovely spice mixes) are making me ill. At the moment I am living off baked potatoes which is not particularly interesting.
> I know I should be able to find this stuff out for myself (particularly as I spent 10 years doing research into gut biology) but I am really struggling at the moment with MH problems, plus my dog has IBS and I am in the middle of trying to do an elimination diet with him and so I just don't have the energy to do the same thing for myself


Have a look at The Happy Pear's website and YouTube channel - they do a Happy Gut course with a gastro enterologist called The Devon Gut Doctor.

Look for the Low Fodmap recipies in the link.

https://www.youtube.com/user/happypeargreystones/videos

https://thehappypear.ie/

https://courses.thehappypear.ie/happy-gut/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@Dimwit you might also find this podcast helpful

https://thedoctorskitchen.com/podcasts/episode-18-eat-for-ibd


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> @Dimwit you might also find this podcast helpful
> 
> https://thedoctorskitchen.com/podcasts/episode-18-eat-for-ibd


I knew I had listened to a podcast about this, just couldn't remember which one!


----------



## catz4m8z

Hope you find a diet that works for you @Dimwit. 

Feeling like I totally overate for dinner tonight.:Shy Had my bean & lentil loaf (just beans, lentils, onion, carrots, oats, a tiny bit of wm flour, spices and I chucked some mixed seeds in too which worked out well!), also roasted cauliflower and roast potato (1 medium sized one). Thought it needed something extra so also whipped up a broccoli & coriander sauce in my soup maker. Really tasty and so filling that I had trouble finishing it all!
I keep having to remind myself that Im actually on a diet coz I would never know it from my portion sizes!LOL:Hilarious


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I've been listening/reading an interesting theory from Dr Michael Klaper about why some people struggle to lose weight on a WFPB diet. He says that eating fat and carbs together can be a problem for some people, the carbs get absorbed quicker and are used for energy so the fat gets stored away as fat. He suggested we eat the fats separately or with your salad/vegetables. "Eat whole foods not processed foods and obesity will melt away". I'm guilty of forgetting that flour is processed food and eating far too much bread, stick peanut butter on it and I have a high fat high carb food so I'm going to try not to do that for a while and see if I can shift the last few pounds I want to.


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> eating fat and carbs together can be a problem for some people, the carbs get absorbed quicker and are used for energy so the fat gets stored away as fat.


huh.... hadnt heard that before. Although I am a firm believer in the 'one size doesnt fit all' philosophy (whilst keeping to WFPB of course!).
Im pretty good at not eating alot of bread, generally I just use it for packed lunches at work twice a week and dont eat it the rest of the week. Although I like my fats with meals and tend to get nut butter cravings later on if dont include them! I find Im doing ok with the weight loss by just avoiding the really calorific WFs like dried fruit and nuts and keeping to 1 tbsp of healthy fats for each meal (mainly seeds, coz I just love all seeds!).


----------



## Wild With Roxi

rottiepointerhouse said:


> OH finally found a Greggs with some vegan sausage rolls so I've now had my first taste. I don't really enjoy pastry so no risk of me getting addicted to them but must admit it did taste really nice, far better than one made of bits of dead flesh and gristle.
> 
> I am very excited as the new Bosh book "Bish Bash Bosh" is being delivered tomorrow :Woot


My family and I have been to Northern Ireland and then Wales and England this month and we've been gorging on Greggs vegan sausage rolls while travelling lol! They are really good. Though we don't have Greggs in the republic of Ireland


----------



## Wild With Roxi

Has anyone seen the new "documentary"/video released by Seven's Sunday Night (I think that's what they're called anyway!) in Australia?
Joey Carbstrong done a reaction video, and I have to say some parts of his reaction were hilarious.
It's called "The Big Beef" I believe. Super biased (since the person who owns/is the chairman of sevens sunday night is a cattle and sheep farmer and runs a honey business...) and a load of rubbish tbh, but it's kind of worth a watch cause it'll make you laugh. It's also short enough, so won't waste _too_ much of your time.
I'd recommend watching Joey's reaction if you're only watching one of them.
There's no graphic footage at all (unless you count the meat they show people eating, steaks and burgers etc) and there's veryyy limited footage of animals, I think there's some cows in a pen in the background as a guy talks about how vegans don't use wool and honey and stuff, and like five seconds of a couple of pigs in a truck. That's it though. It's mostly glorifying a 100% meat based diet, like no fruit, veg or anything besides pure meat...yeahh. And painting vegans out to be mental lol.

I'll link Joey's video here:





He has the actual video linked in the description


----------



## O2.0

Wild With Roxi said:


> There's no graphic footage at all


There most definitely is graphic footage of dead animals, shot in the head.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> huh.... hadnt heard that before. Although I am a firm believer in the 'one size doesnt fit all' philosophy (whilst keeping to WFPB of course!).
> Im pretty good at not eating alot of bread, generally I just use it for packed lunches at work twice a week and dont eat it the rest of the week. Although I like my fats with meals and tend to get nut butter cravings later on if dont include them! I find Im doing ok with the weight loss by just avoiding the really calorific WFs like dried fruit and nuts and keeping to 1 tbsp of healthy fats for each meal (mainly seeds, coz I just love all seeds!).


I think he was saying its not a problem for people who are not overweight but for those that are and who are finding they are not losing weight on WFPB eating it could be.



Wild With Roxi said:


> My family and I have been to Northern Ireland and then Wales and England this month and we've been gorging on Greggs vegan sausage rolls while travelling lol! They are really good. Though we don't have Greggs in the republic of Ireland


I think its wonderful that so many vegan options are available now in the main stream outlets but we do need to keep in mind that the vegan sausage roll is still junk food and not a healthy option so I would recommend keeping it as an occasional treat or fall back food if you are caught out. Nice to see you back by the way.



Wild With Roxi said:


> Has anyone seen the new "documentary"/video released by Seven's Sunday Night (I think that's what they're called anyway!) in Australia?
> Joey Carbstrong done a reaction video, and I have to say some parts of his reaction were hilarious.
> It's called "The Big Beef" I believe. Super biased (since the person who owns/is the chairman of sevens sunday night is a cattle and sheep farmer and runs a honey business...) and a load of rubbish tbh, but it's kind of worth a watch cause it'll make you laugh. It's also short enough, so won't waste _too_ much of your time.
> I'd recommend watching Joey's reaction if you're only watching one of them.
> There's no graphic footage at all (unless you count the meat they show people eating, steaks and burgers etc) and there's veryyy limited footage of animals, I think there's some cows in a pen in the background as a guy talks about how vegans don't use wool and honey and stuff, and like five seconds of a couple of pigs in a truck. That's it though. It's mostly glorifying a 100% meat based diet, like no fruit, veg or anything besides pure meat...yeahh. And painting vegans out to be mental lol.
> 
> I'll link Joey's video here:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> He has the actual video linked in the description


I've been following this case since the "meat the victims" event took place (as well as the one at the pig farm in England) and there appears to be a pattern. The activists get live footage of what happens and that goes out on their live feeds on Instagram so we can actually see what happens and how the farmer behaves and the condition of the animals. The media come along, interview the farmer and totally present their case with a sprinkling of the live footage but not the important bits. The farmer in the Australian feed lot was abusive, threatening and in no way intimidated by a group of mainly young female protesters. He had his staff drive at them and circle them and strangely the tyres on some of their vehicles were slashed while they were in the farm. The media seem to think we are fools and have forgotten that with social media live streaming we actually know the true version so their version just doesn't wash anymore. Desperate measures by people with vested interests in keeping a barbaric and outdated industry alive when they know it is coming to an end. Shockingly the programme presented the two meat heads as if they were giving good healthy dietary advice going against what science shows us and against what the World Health Organisation and more recently the EAT-Lancet Report recommend.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> There most definitely is graphic footage of dead animals, shot in the head.


@Wild With Roxi as above, I think you have linked the wrong video. The one where he discovers the owner of the TV channel who did the feature on vegans just so happens to be a billionaire landowner with thousands of cattle and sheep is not the one you have linked. The one above is where Joey watches the feature but he has cut in some of the actual live footage so it does show the dead cows which is pretty graphic if you are not expecting it given the heart breaking condition they are in and the farmer's total lack of any compassion. Part of the bias of the news feature is that it didn't show the dead cows. Why not? Why didn't they ask the farmer about the lack of shelter and water for those cows outside in the extreme heat?


----------



## Wild With Roxi

rottiepointerhouse said:


> @Wild With Roxi as above, I think you have linked the wrong video. The one where he discovers the owner of the TV channel who did the feature on vegans just so happens to be a billionaire landowner with thousands of cattle and sheep is not the one you have linked. The one above is where Joey watches the feature but he has cut in some of the actual live footage so it does show the dead cows which is pretty graphic if you are not expecting it given the heart breaking condition they are in and the farmer's total lack of any compassion. Part of the bias of the news feature is that it didn't show the dead cows. Why not? Why didn't they ask the farmer about the lack of shelter and water for those cows outside in the extreme heat?


Oh! I'm so sorry, I messed that up. Yeah it was awful. Again really sorry about that, I should have linked the other and warned about joey's video have graphic footage in some parts.


----------



## Wild With Roxi

O2.0 said:


> There most definitely is graphic footage of dead animals, shot in the head.


Sorry, I meant in the actual video/documentary "The Big Beef".


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Quite good coverage of the story by Plant Based News

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...inks-chairs-tv-company-anti-vegan-documentary


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

This is part of why they are hitting back so hard - they can sense their profits going down the pan. Can't argue against the triple threat of improved health, the environment and animal abuse.

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/tesco-vegan-foods-meat-aisle-promote-sustainability


----------



## Wild With Roxi

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I think he was saying its not a problem for people who are not overweight but for those that are and who are finding they are not losing weight on WFPB eating it could be.
> 
> Yeah it was really stupid of them to make that diet out to be healthy and ideal, it's an awful diet! Humans absolutely need fruit, veg and other plant based foods to survive and thrive, whereas we don't _need _
> 
> I think its wonderful that so many vegan options are available now in the main stream outlets but we do need to keep in mind that the vegan sausage roll is still junk food and not a healthy option so I would recommend keeping it as an occasional treat or fall back food if you are caught out. Nice to see you back by the way.
> 
> I've been following this case since the "meat the victims" event took place (as well as the one at the pig farm in England) and there appears to be a pattern. The activists get live footage of what happens and that goes out on their live feeds on Instagram so we can actually see what happens and how the farmer behaves and the condition of the animals. The media come along, interview the farmer and totally present their case with a sprinkling of the live footage but not the important bits. The farmer in the Australian feed lot was abusive, threatening and in no way intimidated by a group of mainly young female protesters. He had his staff drive at them and circle them and strangely the tyres on some of their vehicles were slashed while they were in the farm. The media seem to think we are fools and have forgotten that with social media live streaming we actually know the true version so their version just doesn't wash anymore. Desperate measures by people with vested interests in keeping a barbaric and outdated industry alive when they know it is coming to an end. Shockingly the programme presented the two meat heads as if they were giving good healthy dietary advice going against what science shows us and against what the World Health Organisation and more recently the EAT-Lancet Report recommend.


Yeah it was really stupid of them to make that diet out to be healthy and ideal, it's an awful diet! Humans absolutely need fruit and veg and other plant based foods to survive and thrive, whereas we don't _need _animal products to survive/thrive. It wasn't a good move, and most people will see that. Also thank you! It's great to be back x


----------



## Wild With Roxi

rottiepointerhouse said:


> This is part of why they are hitting back so hard - they can sense their profits going down the pan. Can't argue against the triple threat of improved health, the environment and animal abuse.
> 
> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/tesco-vegan-foods-meat-aisle-promote-sustainability


 Yeah. We're in the opposition stage. We've gone through ridicule, and now only acceptance is to come


----------



## Wild With Roxi

[/QUOTE] I think its wonderful that so many vegan options are available now in the main stream outlets but we do need to keep in mind that the vegan sausage roll is still junk food and not a healthy option so I would recommend keeping it as an occasional treat or fall back food if you are caught out. [/QUOTE]

And yeah definitely, I wouldn't be eating those sausage rolls frequently anyway haha. Just like we wouldn't eat the meat one frequently, though I'm sure the plant based one is slightly healthier tbh haha.


----------



## Wild With Roxi

OK that quote messed up lol. whoops.


----------



## catz4m8z

Wild With Roxi said:


> And yeah definitely, I wouldn't be eating those sausage rolls frequently anyway haha. Just like we wouldn't eat the meat one frequently, though I'm sure the plant based one is slightly healthier tbh haha.


I still havent tried one of those Greggs sausage rolls (dont think Ive even been in Greggs at all actually!).
Its going to have to go my list of 'things all vegans should have had....and yet I havent', along with avocados!


----------



## Jonescat

I think the meat industry is terrified
https://www.theguardian.com/food/20...roduct-labels-veggie-burgers-and-vegan-steaks

After the ban on "plant milk" as a name, now they are going for burger, sausage, steak and escalope. I refuse to refer to my yummy bean burger as a bean disc. I could perhaps call it a patty, but anyone got any bright ideas about what to call a veggie sausage? (I do kind of agree about cauliflower steak, but only because it seems a bit daft, not because it misled anyone)


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

What a load of BS. If they are confident in their lumps of dead flesh and secretions then it shouldn't bother them in the least. I do think for clarity of food labelling it should say "no meat burger" or "veggie burger" or "plant based milk" or something similar but since when did burger have to mean ground up flesh? From the Cambridge dictionary

*burger*
noun [ C ] UK /ˈbɜː.ɡər/ US /ˈbɝː.ɡɚ/








meat or other food pressed into a round, flat shape and fried:

a burger and fries
a hamburger
a veggie burger

From the Oxford dictionary

*burger*

*NOUN*

1A flat round cake of minced beef that is fried or grilled and typically served in a bread roll; a hamburger.

1.1 with modifier A similarly shaped food item made of a specified ingredient.
_'a nut burger'_


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

A new Zach Bush podcast if anyone is interested

https://goop.com/the-goop-podcast/how-soil-health-is-reflected-in-the-gut/


----------



## Wild With Roxi

catz4m8z said:


> I still havent tried one of those Greggs sausage rolls (dont think Ive even been in Greggs at all actually!).
> Its going to have to go my list of 'things all vegans should have had....and yet I havent', along with avocados!


Haha  I don't mind avocados, but they're not my absolute favourite.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Really proud of the Australian activists at the moment, they are going great guns bringing awareness of the horrors of animal agriculture into the public domain. As its the one year anniversary of the film Dominion (which I have seen clips of but absolutely cannot watch as it is brutal and barbaric beyond comprehension) they have carried out some big disruptions, including one inside a slaughterhouse where undercover footage was obtained for the film. The strangest thing was to see slaughterhouse workers standing watching the footage of what they do on big screens outside the slaughterhouse. Some of them looked disturbed by it. I guess to do that job you must be able to compartmentalise what you do, given the numbers they have to get though in one day (one of the big pig processors kills 10,000 a day so there is no time or room for the slightest element of care and compassion ) so it must be disturbing to stand back and actually watch the process and how awful it is. Activists have also been carrying out civil disturbances - they blockaded a main intersection in Melbourne with mini vans and erected huge screens showing Dominion which brought the place to a standstill. The Prime Minister of Australia has called them un-Australian and the press are calling them terrorists (even though it is all peaceful) and feral pests. What a f--ked up world it is that calls peaceful protesters trying to save lives terrorists and people who fund torture/abuse/inhumanity are the victims  The maker of the film gave a very interesting speech to the media pointing out that it is time for nations/governments to stop hiding away this abuse and to have honest discussions with people about what has to happen behind closed doors to provide them with these items which they don't even need to survive. I really do believe there is reason for optimism that things will start to change and quickly once they stop censoring the truth. That can only be good news for the planet, for animals and for human health.


----------



## Wild With Roxi

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Really proud of the Australian activists at the moment, they are going great guns bringing awareness of the horrors of animal agriculture into the public domain. As its the one year anniversary of the film Dominion (which I have seen clips of but absolutely cannot watch as it is brutal and barbaric beyond comprehension) they have carried out some big disruptions, including one inside a slaughterhouse where undercover footage was obtained for the film. The strangest thing was to see slaughterhouse workers standing watching the footage of what they do on big screens outside the slaughterhouse. Some of them looked disturbed by it. I guess to do that job you must be able to compartmentalise what you do, given the numbers they have to get though in one day (one of the big pig processors kills 10,000 a day so there is no time or room for the slightest element of care and compassion ) so it must be disturbing to stand back and actually watch the process and how awful it is. Activists have also been carrying out civil disturbances - they blockaded a main intersection in Melbourne with mini vans and erected huge screens showing Dominion which brought the place to a standstill. The Prime Minister of Australia has called them un-Australian and the press are calling them terrorists (even though it is all peaceful) and feral pests. What a f--ked up world it is that calls peaceful protesters trying to save lives terrorists and people who fund torture/abuse/inhumanity are the victims  The maker of the film gave a very interesting speech to the media pointing out that it is time for nations/governments to stop hiding away this abuse and to have honest discussions with people about what has to happen behind closed doors to provide them with these items which they don't even need to survive. I really do believe there is reason for optimism that things will start to change and quickly once they stop censoring the truth. That can only be good news for the planet, for animals and for human health.


Brilliantly put. It really is crazy how people can see these farmers and slaughterhouse workers as victims, when they are far from it. They get another job, the animals can't get another life. The movement has really been getting through to people lately though hasn't it? Veganuary also went really well this year, my dad is now vegan because of it  He has even become and advocate for veganism in his day to day life to friends, family and at work! My cousin recently stayed up with us for a week, and by the end of it she was a vegan in her mind, we watched loads and loads of Joey's videos and we had a good few discussion on the topic too. She's now vegetarian and uses almond milk instead of dairy, and she has watched the whole of dominion. She's hoping to be vegan at some point too, and I'll try help her as much as I can with that 
The world is definitely changing.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Wild With Roxi said:


> Brilliantly put. It really is crazy how people can see these farmers and slaughterhouse workers as victims, when they are far from it. They get another job, the animals can't get another life. The movement has really been getting through to people lately though hasn't it? Veganuary also went really well this year, my dad is now vegan because of it  He has even become and advocate for veganism in his day to day life to friends, family and at work! My cousin recently stayed up with us for a week, and by the end of it she was a vegan in her mind, we watched loads and loads of Joey's videos and we had a good few discussion on the topic too. She's now vegetarian and uses almond milk instead of dairy, and she has watched the whole of dominion. She's hoping to be vegan at some point too, and I'll try help her as much as I can with that
> The world is definitely changing.


I think we must be careful about demonising people though, deep down they are not bad people, consumers have demanded these products and its all got out of control. Do remember that some of the staff in these places are very low paid, have no alternative work possibilities (lets face it if they had they would go as only a tiny minority of sadists can actually enjoy this work) and probably have families depending on them. They often suffer from mental health problems as a result and suicide/domestic violence is higher in areas where there are these big slaughterhouses. We've had quite a few farmers publicly going vegan recently and the Vegan Society offers help to animal farmers to change over to crops. I'm not excusing what they do, its wrong and its barbaric and its unnecessary but they are really doing what the public/consumers demand of them so to bring about change we can forget politicians and need to concentrate on the consumer. Change from the bottom up not the top down seems to be the way to go. If you follow That Vegan Couple on Instagram they have some really good footage of the Melbourne disruption.


----------



## Wild With Roxi

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I think we must be careful about demonising people though, deep down they are not bad people, consumers have demanded these products and its all got out of control. Do remember that some of the staff in these places are very low paid, have no alternative work possibilities (lets face it if they had they would go as only a tiny minority of sadists can actually enjoy this work) and probably have families depending on them. They often suffer from mental health problems as a result and suicide/domestic violence is higher in areas where there are these big slaughterhouses. We've had quite a few farmers publicly going vegan recently and the Vegan Society offers help to animal farmers to change over to crops. I'm not excusing what they do, its wrong and its barbaric and its unnecessary but they are really doing what the public/consumers demand of them so to bring about change we can forget politicians and need to concentrate on the consumer. Change from the bottom up not the top down seems to be the way to go. If you follow That Vegan Couple on Instagram they have some really good footage of the Melbourne disruption.


Yes I definitely agree, for sure it's consumer demand that is responsible for what is happening to animals because without the money from consumers, these places wouldn't exist. I think it's awful that some people are forced into working in slaughterhouses, it really is  I heard about that programme the Vegan Society has - its brilliant and very helpful for people who want to change. Most farmers were just children that were born into farming families and conditioned from a very young age to believe what they do is normal and acceptable, I have seen this happen first hand. I've been friends with a family that happen to be farmers since I was very young, as our parents were friends too, and I've seen how their view of animals has changed, from loving them as I do - to seeing them as commodities and objects almost. It's really sad :/ I remember I was told by my friend that she just pretends her lambs are going to a kind family to be pets.. when they're being put on a truck to go to a "factory" as she put it. I noticed they use the word "factory" rather than slaughterhouse, like a factory where you would make cakes and crisps and other processed foods.. it's strange. 
And another time, her sibling and I were trying to plan a way to save the male chicks from their free range egg business, as lot's of their chicks would hatch as males and be slaughtered at 3 weeks old. This was when we were very young 

I just don't like that the farmers, such as the dairy farmer featured on "The Big Beef" are being victimised while vegans are being painted out to be these violent extremists. But someday people will get it and won't believe this rubbish the media is coming up with, and loads already do.


----------



## catz4m8z

Mentioned to quite a few people lately that Im vegan as they are starting to notice my weight loss and wanting to know how Im doing it! Told a work colleague the other night that having that moral standpoint that eating/exploiting animals is not ethical is actually great for dieting as it instantly removes whole sections of junk food from your potential diet!LOL
Then she said 'but why isnt it ethical?'
*sigh* amazing how people still dont connect that block of cheese or ham sandwich with living breathing animals with a basic right to life.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

More positive news from Australia, 53,000 new views of Dominion since the action on Monday and the trailer for the film is showing on some main stream media websites.


----------



## Magyarmum

Just arrived in my inbox. An interesting read.

https://www.theweek.co.uk/100703/ve...letter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter

*Vegan protests: are anti-meat activists going too far?*


----------



## O2.0

catz4m8z said:


> Mentioned to quite a few people lately that Im vegan as they are starting to notice my weight loss and wanting to know how Im doing it! Told a work colleague the other night that having that moral standpoint that eating/exploiting animals is not ethical is actually great for dieting as it instantly removes whole sections of junk food from your potential diet!LOL
> Then she said 'but why isnt it ethical?'
> *sigh* amazing how people still dont connect that block of cheese or ham sandwich with living breathing animals with a basic right to life.


You know, it's weird, lots of people seem to know that eating vegan is a great way to lose weight, and somehow that gets twisted in to it's not the healthiest way to eat. As in "oh, you're vegan? Well no wonder you're so skinny." (I'm not 'skinny' but I'm not typically overweight either which apparently makes me emaciated.)

I've recently joined a FB group for trail and ultra runners, and a very large proportion are either vegetarian or vegan and the acronym WFPB gets thrown around a lot too. 
Trail runners need a lot of fuel and despite the misconception that eating 'vegan' makes you too thin, none of us seem to struggle to get enough nutrition and calories


----------



## catz4m8z

Magyarmum said:


> Just arrived in my inbox. An interesting read.
> 
> https://www.theweek.co.uk/100703/ve...letter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter
> 
> *Vegan protests: are anti-meat activists going too far?*


I have alot of respect for the activists out there, esp in Australia where they seem to be really stepping up their game. I know I couldnt do it. Just makes me laugh how the farmers and slaughterhouse owners are usually trying to portray themselves as terrified victims...most of the time its just a bunch of young people 'bearing witness' to what is happening and asking them to justify themselves! 



O2.0 said:


> Trail runners need a lot of fuel and despite the misconception that eating 'vegan' makes you too thin, none of us seem to struggle to get enough nutrition and calories


I think the main thing Ive noticed about WFPB eating is that it seems to make you eat intuitively. Probably why vegans are more likely to be normal weight as their bodies just naturally settle at the correct weight after a while.
Although Im having a junk food binge today....been looking forward to eating a ton of bad stuff this month as a special birthday treat and now Ive done it I feel slightly sick and extremely let down that none of it was as nice as I thought it was going to be!LOL:Shy:Hilarious My brain went 'you remember how much you used to love this stuff!?' and my body went 'what were you thinking!!? now I feel like poop!!'.
Back to the fruit and veggies tomorrow!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Magyarmum said:


> Just arrived in my inbox. An interesting read.
> 
> https://www.theweek.co.uk/100703/ve...letter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter
> 
> *Vegan protests: are anti-meat activists going too far?*


I haven't read it all yet but just quickly wanted to say there is a huge difference between the activists who vandalise/do graffiti/abuse people and their families or staff and the recent form of activism whereby undercover footage is obtained, occupation of slaughter houses and/or factory farms to bring public attention to the conditions/practices and civil disobedience which forces the subject into the media and gets people talking about the issues. The owner of the TV station lobbying the Australian government to crack down on peaceful activists is a huge cattle/sheep farmer with a vested interest in keeping this information hidden from the public.


----------



## O2.0

I figured you guys would get a kick out of this  
On the Utrarunner FB page - someone asked about WFPB eating (yes, by name specifically) and what were some of the main benefits related to running. 
Super interesting conversation follows, I'm reading along, lots of comments about how much better recovery is, how much stronger people feel, no animals harmed etc. Then this person posts about how running depletes iron stores from impact through feet - yes, you read that right. Which it turnes out is actually a thing, I googled it. Heel strike hemolysis. 
So... according to this poster, this way of eating will make you anemic, and even more so because of running, so it's no good. 

You will be very proud of me, I read, laughed, and scrolled on by and did not comment


----------



## O2.0

This just showed up in my email. It's a really good read, IMO worth reading all 7 parts. Lots of good information for all of us eating this way, and also good information to share with those who find a vegan diet falls short for them. 
https://nomeatathlete.com/future-is-plant-based-1/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> This just showed up in my email. It's a really good read, IMO worth reading all 7 parts. Lots of good information for all of us eating this way, and also good information to share with those who find a vegan diet falls short for them.
> https://nomeatathlete.com/future-is-plant-based-1/


Will have a good read of that later.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> I figured you guys would get a kick out of this
> On the Utrarunner FB page - someone asked about WFPB eating (yes, by name specifically) and what were some of the main benefits related to running.
> Super interesting conversation follows, I'm reading along, lots of comments about how much better recovery is, how much stronger people feel, no animals harmed etc. Then this person posts about how running depletes iron stores from impact through feet - yes, you read that right. Which it turnes out is actually a thing, I googled it. Heel strike hemolysis.
> So... according to this poster, this way of eating will make you anemic, and even more so because of running, so it's no good.
> 
> You will be very proud of me, I read, laughed, and scrolled on by and did not comment


I hope Rich Roll and Fiona Oakes know WFPB isn't good for runners


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I hope Rich Roll and Fiona Oakes know WFPB isn't good for runners


I know right? :Hilarious


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Oh dear more bad news for the meat/dairy industry

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/farmers-furious-pupils-encouraged-eat-less-meat-dairy


----------



## Wild With Roxi

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Oh dear more bad news for the meat/dairy industry
> 
> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/farmers-furious-pupils-encouraged-eat-less-meat-dairy


----------



## O2.0

And posted yesterday on protein and how we don't need as much as we think we do:
https://nutritionfacts.org/2019/04/...fiwSwktBioGGK_GAyb8A8iX61z6NooXhlliid4cKyipzw


----------



## catz4m8z

O2.0 said:


> This just showed up in my email. It's a really good read, IMO worth reading all 7 parts. Lots of good information for all of us eating this way, and also good information to share with those who find a vegan diet falls short for them.
> https://nomeatathlete.com/future-is-plant-based-1/


I got all the way to the end before I realiesed it was an advert!LOL
Although that doesnt invalidate the content....I agree with it completely. I currently take supplements (vit D, B12, DHA/EPA and iodine). Frankly I CBA the effort it would take to have a diet that was 100% nutritionally complete every day!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

You know veganism has really gone mainstream when Butlins start providing vegan meals :Hilarious:Hilarious

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/holiday-resort-butlins-launches-vegan-options


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@Dimwit I saw this and thought it might be useful for you

https://thehappypear.ie/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/THE-HAPPY-GUT-GUIDE.pdf

Hope you are getting on OK.


----------



## Dimwit

That's really helpful, thank @rottiepointerhouse 
I am doing OK, though am in Barcelona at the moment for work so finding it a bit difficult (mainly during the day as conference food isn't great) but I am surviving!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Nothing to do with WFPB eating but thought this might be of interest especially for @O2.0 as it is American cities. Dr Kahn posted it on Instagram.

https://havenlife.com/blog/most-sleep-deprived-cities/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

This looks nice, might give it a try.

https://www.theguardian.com/food/20...ce-burnt-peppers-jambalaya-recipe-meera-sodha

and this

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/mar/23/meera-sodhas-recipe-for-store-cupboard-lentil-salad


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

*Demand for meat and dairy is down, expect a response*
*Dr. Garth Davis*


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

If anyone buys protein fruit water from M & S beware :Jawdrop

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/...s-react-horror-M-S-use-BEEF-fruit-drinks.html


----------



## Magyarmum

How ridiculous!

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/eu-intention-ban-meat-names-vegan-food-irrational-damaging

*EU Intention To Ban 'Meat' Names For Vegan Food Is 'Irrational And Damaging' Says Food Organization*


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Amazing results being achieved on this trial in Slovakia

https://www.plantbasednews.org/nfi/meal-plan


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Podcast interview with Dr Greger about why dairy is not good for you. Can be downloaded as a podcast but I think its only on Apple.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Magyarmum said:


> How ridiculous!
> 
> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/eu-intention-ban-meat-names-vegan-food-irrational-damaging
> 
> *EU Intention To Ban 'Meat' Names For Vegan Food Is 'Irrational And Damaging' Says Food Organization*


Ridiculous!

I've been asked how I can eat a veggie burger when it looks like a meat burger.

BECAUSE it's a burger made of vegetables and not meat 

The meat industry don't own the rights to the word "burger"


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Podcast interview with Dr Greger about why dairy is not good for you. Can be downloaded as a podcast but I think its only on Apple.


Thank you, I have my listening for my run this morning


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> Thank you, I have my listening for my run this morning


Look forward to hearing what you think as it could be a while before I get around to this one, I'm stacked up with podcasts to listen to.


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Look forward to hearing what you think as it could be a while before I get around to this one, I'm stacked up with podcasts to listen to.


Just finished. Great summary but for you probably nothing you haven't already read. Touches on cancer, IGF1, MTaur, caseomorphine (I know I'm spelling all these wrong )
But I scrolled down after that podcast and am listening to her and Dr. Kahn talk about fad diets


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> Just finished. Great summary but for you probably nothing you haven't already read. Touches on cancer, IGF1, MTaur, caseomorphine (I know I'm spelling all these wrong )
> But I scrolled down after that podcast and am listening to her and Dr. Kahn talk about fad diets


Still on my list of hers to listen to are episode 2 with Dr Angie Sadeghi plant based gastroenterologist and episode 7 with Dean and Ayesha Sherzai neurologists on dementia etc.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Dr Ostfeld is one of my favourite plant based doctors


----------



## KittenEevee26

I've been vegetarian for a week and a half. It's been great trying new foods and I'm feeling so much better. I've reduced my dairy intake, stopped drinking cows milk in my tea and replaced it with almond milk. I am not missing meat. I'm just feeling amazing, know it's only been a week and a half but I'm feeling happier that I'm making positive changes. I ate quorn balls the other day and they were delicious.


----------



## Jonescat

Welcome to the light side  :Cat:Cat:Cat:Cat


----------



## O2.0

KittenEevee26 said:


> I've been vegetarian for a week and a half. It's been great trying new foods and I'm feeling so much better. I've reduced my dairy intake, stopped drinking cows milk in my tea and replaced it with almond milk. I am not missing meat. I'm just feeling amazing, know it's only been a week and a half but I'm feeling happier that I'm making positive changes. I ate quorn balls the other day and they were delicious.


Lovely! Welcome


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

KittenEevee26 said:


> I've been vegetarian for a week and a half. It's been great trying new foods and I'm feeling so much better. I've reduced my dairy intake, stopped drinking cows milk in my tea and replaced it with almond milk. I am not missing meat. I'm just feeling amazing, know it's only been a week and a half but I'm feeling happier that I'm making positive changes. I ate quorn balls the other day and they were delicious.


Well done for making the changes. Hope you find this thread useful.


----------



## KittenEevee26

Tried the vegan peanut butter and cookie Ben and Jerry's tonight. It was delicious!


----------



## Magyarmum

An interesting chart! (Hungary's right at the bottom of the list):Arghh


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

*5 Tips For Best Gut Health on a Vegan Diet*






and yet more studies about the benefits of a high fibre diet

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2731599


----------



## Elles

Ooh, I just realised, I can buy a vegan Easter egg and fill it with a vegan ice cream/vegan bailey’s smoothie. 

Not even close to whole plant food, or healthy, but it does say ‘or just after some new ideas’ in the title lol.


----------



## Elles

Lurcherlad said:


> Ridiculous!
> 
> I've been asked how I can eat a veggie burger when it looks like a meat burger.
> 
> BECAUSE it's a burger made of vegetables and not meat
> 
> The meat industry don't own the rights to the word "burger"


They can get around the labelling like they do on Almond milk. They don't say it's milk, they just put '50% more protein than milk' on the bottle. So unless they ban the products from mentioning anything at all, they could put something like that. Nowhere on the bottle does it say almond milk.

Tbh I kind of agree with the new ideas on labelling. When I go abroad I will be looking for different words and symbols and hopefully it will make it easier to find vegan products in Europe. Plus you won't be buying a veggie burger to be criticised over, if it has a totally different name. I think we'll get used to it.


----------



## Cleo38

Elles said:


> Ooh, I just realised, I can buy a vegan Easter egg and fill it with a vegan ice cream/vegan bailey's smoothie.
> 
> Not even close to whole plant food, or healthy, but it does say 'or just after some new ideas' in the title lol.


Oh my … sounds lovely!! I haven't tried the vegan Bailey's yet. It's so expensive (all the other ones were on offer over Christmas but not the Almande) & I am such a pig with Bailey's that I could probably drink the whole bottle in one evening!


----------



## MaggieDemi

KittenEevee26 said:


> I ate quorn balls the other day and they were delicious.


I love the Quorn products, but the store I always bought them at went out of business. I'll have to check Walmart.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Channel 4 8 pm tonight

Food Unwrapped Goes Vegan

Meat-loving Jimmy Doherty attempts to go vegan for a week in the US.


----------



## Jonescat

Just back from a family weekend. Both sides managed to provide vegan food from a mainstream supermarket in one case or a local veggie grocers in the other. They even went to the trouble of finding vegan champagne! We do take and contribute food and have emphasized so many times that we have come to see them not judge them, but it was lovely how easy they seem to be finding it with all the trendy food that has appeared in the last year. So perhaps, one day soon, one of them will take the plunge and join us 

I am going to try this soon - pomegranite and walnut stew
http://plantworthyfood.com/plant-ba...hm6HsRPVFRsosTUOZTvZXaza2zplXDeStxKDFW2MiWxKQ


----------



## MaggieDemi

Jonescat said:


> vegan champagne


What's in regular champagne that's not vegan?


----------



## Jonescat

MaggieDemi said:


> What's in regular champagne that's not vegan?


WIne is "fined" or clarified using in the main albumen (egg), gelatine (cow or pig), casein (milk) or isinglass (fish). However more and more wines are labelling so that you know, and it seems clay and carbon are often used instead.

https://veganwines.com/vegan-wine-fining-how-it-works/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://bigvegancount.com/

This brand new initiative in 2019 has 2 simple aims; to capture the number of vegans there are in the world using our Big Vegan Counter and to be the go-to demographics and statistics resource for you and the rest of your vegan community.

We all know that veganism has now gone mainstream, with 2018 being a pivotal year for the movement and 2019 set to be the biggest year yet. The media give us ballpark figures on the vegan population, based off small scale surveys which we know to be far from the truth. We are therefore determined to show the world just how big the plant-based lifestyle is growing!

There's power in numbers, so come and join us, be part of the Big Vegan Count and get yourself added to the ever-growing total!


----------



## Elles

rottiepointerhouse said:


> https://bigvegancount.com/
> 
> This brand new initiative in 2019 has 2 simple aims; to capture the number of vegans there are in the world using our Big Vegan Counter and to be the go-to demographics and statistics resource for you and the rest of your vegan community.
> 
> We all know that veganism has now gone mainstream, with 2018 being a pivotal year for the movement and 2019 set to be the biggest year yet. The media give us ballpark figures on the vegan population, based off small scale surveys which we know to be far from the truth. We are therefore determined to show the world just how big the plant-based lifestyle is growing!
> 
> There's power in numbers, so come and join us, be part of the Big Vegan Count and get yourself added to the ever-growing total!


It's pretty amazing and really nice. People are starting to think it's normal to not eat meat, or dairy and ask, rather than just assume that everyone eats meat. It's changed a huge amount in the past 2 years. I'm so pleased.


----------



## O2.0

It's definitely nice!
I'm seeing more and more vegan options on menus, even in restaurants where you wouldn't think there would be. 
My daughter and I went to Charleston last week, and ate at 3 different places - one had a vegan banana nut muffin (delicious), another had lovely, big, hearty salads - vegan, and the last one had vegan Ben&Jerry's! We didn't even use any apps to find the places, just checked out the menus and popped in. 
Even 5 years ago I don't think it was this easy!


----------



## Dimwit

@rottiepointerhouse thanks to your links I have now signed up for the Happy Pear happy gut course, which starts in a couple of weeks. So happy that I might be able to sort out my IBS issues while eating a plant-based diet (all resources my GP pointed me to were meat based).


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Dimwit said:


> @rottiepointerhouse thanks to your links I have now signed up for the Happy Pear happy gut course, which starts in a couple of weeks. So happy that I might be able to sort out my IBS issues while eating a plant-based diet (all resources my GP pointed me to were meat based).


I'm so pleased to hear that. Do let us know how you get on with the course, I've seen quite a lot about it and some video testimonials on their instagram but don't actually "know" anyone who has done it so will be very interested in how you get on.


----------



## Dimwit

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I'm so pleased to hear that. Do let us know how you get on with the course, I've seen quite a lot about it and some video testimonials on their instagram but don't actually "know" anyone who has done it so will be very interested in how you get on.


I will, and my sister has said she will do it alongside me (I think mainly because I do most of the cooking during the week) so it will be interesting to see how she finds it (though it is tempting to do our own 'twin study' and make her stick to eating a rubbish diet and see who ends up healthier :Hilarious)


----------



## Lurcherlad

I’m off to a vegan restaurant that I’ve just located, for lunch with a friend on Thursday.

Really looking forward to having a full and expansive menu to choose from for a change, where I can eat everything - including desserts! 

Hoping my non-veggie friend enjoys it too. She was totally up for it when I suggested it so it will be interesting to see her response.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Nut wars continues. For anyone who doesn't know there has been an ongoing disagreement (very heated at times) between the plant based doctors who recommend regular consumption of nuts for health (Greger/Fuhrman) and those who don't (Esselstyn/Ornish/McDougall) although the recommendations for no nuts at all tends to be aimed at people who have heart disease or who are trying to lose weight. This guy is in the McDougall camp and he doesn't have any real science/research to back up his claims other than the one doctor who has done tests on himself.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/vegan-pizzeria-top-prize-world-pizza-championships


----------



## Elles

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Nut wars continues. For anyone who doesn't know there has been an ongoing disagreement (very heated at times) between the plant based doctors who recommend regular consumption of nuts for health (Greger/Fuhrman) and those who don't (Esselstyn/Ornish/McDougall) although the recommendations for no nuts at all tends to be aimed at people who have heart disease or who are trying to lose weight. This guy is in the McDougall camp and he doesn't have any real science/research to back up his claims other than the one doctor who has done tests on himself.


I watched the whole thing and there was one interesting part. The experimenters deliberately didn't exercise. So nuts may have huge benefits in nutrition, but if you don't exercise and especially if you already have heart disease, anything high calorie/fat is still bad for you.

Well who'd have thunk it. 

Nuts.

I think we need rather more evidence than that to take nuts out of our diets.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Elles said:


> I watched the whole thing and there was one interesting part. The experimenters deliberately didn't exercise. So nuts may have huge benefits in nutrition, but if you don't exercise and especially if you already have heart disease, anything high calorie/fat is still bad for you.
> 
> Well who'd have thunk it.
> 
> Nuts.
> 
> I think we need rather more evidence than that to take nuts out of our diets.


Agree, I'm going to continue using them although I am careful with the amount because I'd still like to lose a bit more weight, probably would cut them out if I had heart disease too but we do need some "good" fats so I'm going to carry on unless there is far more robust evidence they are a problem.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.pcrm.org/news/news-rele...ing-concerns-over-fecal-contamination-chicken

Nice. :Vomit:Vomit

"The lawsuit and petition quote a federal inspector who said, "We often see birds going down the line with intestines still attached, which are full of fecal contamination. If there is no fecal contamination on the bird's skin, however, we can do nothing to stop that bird from going down that line. It is more than reasonable to assume that once the bird gets into the chill tank (a large vat of cold water), that contamination will enter the water and contaminate all of the other carcasses in the chiller. That's why it is sometimes called 'fecal soup.'"

"Poultry Slaughter Procedures," a USDA training video obtained by the Physicians Committee through a Freedom of Information Act request made in 2013, revealed that the chicken slaughtering process ends with carcasses soaking in cold water for up to one hour before being packaged for consumers."


----------



## AlexPed2393

No meat until wedding day, still allowing dairy and eggs in the house. For me having no meat is big deal, never totally eliminated it from my diet for more than 5 days, since feeding myself of course.

(Went into a stress eating phase past 2 weeks and shoved on a ton of weight)


----------



## O2.0

I'm not at all au-fait with the nut wars, wasn't aware that any of the plant based doctors advocated eliminating them 
Dr. Greger's daily dozen includes them, as does Dr. Furhman's GBOMBS. I tend to follow Dr. Greger, Dr. Davis, and that's about it... So this is all news to me. 

I haven't read the research, but I have a hard time seeing nuts as damaging to the heart. Haven't we been told for years how heart healthy they are? And the fat in nuts, in the whole food form is not the same as refined fats - at least that's my understanding. 

Personally I won't be doing anything differently. I have cashew milk every day, and on long runs, I rely on a handful of mixed nuts, raisins, and apple slices at regular intervals to keep me going.
Last bloodwork I had done showed me at 47 to be in the *zero* risk category for heart disease, so I think I'll survive


----------



## Lurcherlad

Just back from the vegan restaurant.

Very impressed with the food - yum!









Starter - Japanese veg dumplings & dip









Carbonara, salad & garlic bread









Saitan Teriyaki with rice









Caramel, Appel & pecan crunch with cream

All were delicious and my non veggie friend enjoyed it all too 

The Oak Tree in Leigh on Sea if anyone is interested.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

AlexPed2393 said:


> No meat until wedding day, still allowing dairy and eggs in the house. For me having no meat is big deal, never totally eliminated it from my diet for more than 5 days, since feeding myself of course.
> 
> (Went into a stress eating phase past 2 weeks and shoved on a ton of weight)


Well done, how are you getting on with meat free meals?



O2.0 said:


> I'm not at all au-fait with the nut wars, wasn't aware that any of the plant based doctors advocated eliminating them
> Dr. Greger's daily dozen includes them, as does Dr. Furhman's GBOMBS. I tend to follow Dr. Greger, Dr. Davis, and that's about it... So this is all news to me.
> 
> I haven't read the research, but I have a hard time seeing nuts as damaging to the heart. Haven't we been told for years how heart healthy they are? And the fat in nuts, in the whole food form is not the same as refined fats - at least that's my understanding.
> 
> Personally I won't be doing anything differently. I have cashew milk every day, and on long runs, I rely on a handful of mixed nuts, raisins, and apple slices at regular intervals to keep me going.
> Last bloodwork I had done showed me at 47 to be in the *zero* risk category for heart disease, so I think I'll survive


It isn't really research as such just a doctor who commented on a YouTube video during one of the "nut wars" responses saying he had access to a machine for arterial scanning and that by experimenting/testing himself he found that arterial elasticity decreased by 20-30% 3 hrs after eating nuts. Jeff Nelson who made the video is a long term friend/supporter of Dr McDougall and he takes several swipes at both Dr Fuhrman and Dr Greger which is a shame. Dr Esselstyn who is also opposed to nuts in heart disease patients has expressed interest in doing a proper study with this doctor to explore further.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@Lurcherlad that looks delicious, glad you and your friend enjoyed it.


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> It isn't really research as such just a doctor who commented on a YouTube video during one of the "nut wars" responses saying he had access to a machine for arterial scanning and that by experimenting/testing himself he found that arterial elasticity decreased by 20-30% 3 hrs after eating nuts. Jeff Nelson who made the video is a long term friend/supporter of Dr McDougall and he takes several swipes at both Dr Fuhrman and Dr Greger which is a shame. Dr Esselstyn who is also opposed to nuts in heart disease patients has expressed interest in doing a proper study with this doctor to explore further.


I listened to the youtube, only halfway paying attention though if I'm totally honest  
It sounds like a lot more research needs to be done.

Decreased arterial elasticity after 3 hours can mean anything really. What about after 3 days? 3 weeks? And what kind of nuts were they eating? A lot of nuts are roasted in refined oils, if they were eating those nuts, how do you know the arterial elasticity was due to the nuts or the refined oils they were roasted in?

I'm sure I remember some studies out there showing that after a marathon there is some sort of damage to the heart tissue. But long term, runners have better heart health outcomes than non runners. So looking at what a marathon does to you right afterwards doesn't look good, but if you look at the long term, it is good. 
Something else with running and antioxidants too. But again, the short term 'damage' is far outweighed by the long term benefits.

I would like to see more information before I start limiting or eliminating such a good source of nutrients and healthy fats.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> I listened to the youtube, only halfway paying attention though if I'm totally honest
> It sounds like a lot more research needs to be done.
> 
> Decreased arterial elasticity after 3 hours can mean anything really. What about after 3 days? 3 weeks? And what kind of nuts were they eating? A lot of nuts are roasted in refined oils, if they were eating those nuts, how do you know the arterial elasticity was due to the nuts or the refined oils they were roasted in?
> 
> I'm sure I remember some studies out there showing that after a marathon there is some sort of damage to the heart tissue. But long term, runners have better heart health outcomes than non runners. So looking at what a marathon does to you right afterwards doesn't look good, but if you look at the long term, it is good.
> Something else with running and antioxidants too. But again, the short term 'damage' is far outweighed by the long term benefits.
> 
> I would like to see more information before I start limiting or eliminating such a good source of nutrients and healthy fats.


He said they were plain nuts, no oil or salt and a mixture of almonds, walnuts, cashews and possibly another. Also what does it mean? What effect on arterial elasticity do other foods have? Does it make a difference if you eat the nuts with other foods? If they are saying the effect is short term and then the arteries recover does it even matter if you have good heart health?


----------



## AlexPed2393

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Well done, how are you getting on with meat free meals?


Pretty good, I like a lot of stuff, especially when roasting it as a naughty treat (sweet potato wedges are so good). I have to eat a lot more leafy greens and increase variety to be somewhat content. It's definitely making me try out different recipes and combinations.

Trying to do it without using foods that are imitations of meat.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Two new high profile plant based recruits  Simon Cowell & Gemma Collins - might influence some of their fans to make the change I suppose although remain to be convinced that Gemma in particular will stick with it.

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/towie-star-gemma-collins-loses-35lb-vegan-diet


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Everyone has their own reasons for ditching dairy. Hear from Switch4Good's core group of elite athletes and doctors about why they made the switch. Get inspired by 6-time Olympic medalist Rebecca Soni, pro soccer player Kara Lang Romero, triathlete Brendan Brazier, and other top athletes who excel on a dairy-free diet.

https://nutritionstudies.org/dairy-talks-season-1-why-olympic-athletes-are-ditching-dairy/

Seba Johnson didn't need dairy to make history as the first black female Olympic skier at the young age of 14. Vegan since birth, she is living proof that kids don't need cow's milk to grow up big and strong.


----------



## O2.0

AlexPed2393 said:


> Trying to do it without using foods that are imitations of meat.


Good plan 

Often those are not very good for you anyway, definitely a step up, but still processed, preserved, packaged... all the stuff we want to avoid. 
However, as a stepping stone from meat eating to non-meat eating, there is nothing wrong with using fake meat products as a temporary crutch. Don't beat yourself up if you have to add some veggie crumbles to a dish  
That's my view at least for whatever it's worth


----------



## AlexPed2393

O2.0 said:


> Good plan
> 
> Often those are not very good for you anyway, definitely a step up, but still processed, preserved, packaged... all the stuff we want to avoid.
> However, as a stepping stone from meat eating to non-meat eating, there is nothing wrong with using fake meat products as a temporary crutch. Don't beat yourself up if you have to add some veggie crumbles to a dish
> That's my view at least for whatever it's worth


What are veggie crumbles? It might be totally irrelevant but I'm making a veggie apple crumble (no dairy in the crumble) as a big treat for the weekend.


----------



## O2.0

AlexPed2393 said:


> What are veggie crumbles? It might be totally irrelevant but I'm making a veggie apple crumble (no dairy in the crumble) as a big treat for the weekend.


Oh don't put veggie crumbles in your apple crumble :Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious

Veggie crumbles are any sort of textured vegetable protein that can stand in for ground beef (mince I think it's called there?)


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Everyone has their own reasons for ditching dairy. Hear from Switch4Good's core group of elite athletes and doctors about why they made the switch. Get inspired by 6-time Olympic medalist Rebecca Soni, pro soccer player Kara Lang Romero, triathlete Brendan Brazier, and other top athletes who excel on a dairy-free diet.
> 
> https://nutritionstudies.org/dairy-talks-season-1-why-olympic-athletes-are-ditching-dairy/
> 
> Seba Johnson didn't need dairy to make history as the first black female Olympic skier at the young age of 14. Vegan since birth, she is living proof that kids don't need cow's milk to grow up big and strong.


Quoting myself  some of the short interviews with athletes are so interesting - much better recovery time, the skier who has been vegan since 14 and never fractured a bone despite a dangerous sport and no dairy intake, the sprinter mentioning how you never see athletes before/during or immediately after an event drinking milk and the weight lifter talking about being able to breath properly when he is asleep.


----------



## AlexPed2393

O2.0 said:


> Oh don't put veggie crumbles in your apple crumble :Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious
> 
> Veggie crumbles are any sort of textured vegetable protein that can stand in for ground beef (mince I think it's called there?)


OOooooh, I don't think i'd like that anyway, I will replace mince meat with other chunky veg pieces if I need to


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

If anyone follows the environmental working group's annual Dirty Dozen (those with the highest concentration of pesticides) and Clean 15 (the fewest pesticides) here are the lists - I try to buy as much as possible organic from the dirty dozen although giving a good wash and even a soak in cider vinegar followed by a rinse helps.

Dirty Dozen

https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php

Clean 15

https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/clean-fifteen.php


----------



## Magyarmum

AlexPed2393 said:


> OOooooh, I don't think i'd like that anyway, I will replace mince meat with other chunky veg pieces if I need to


I've found if you want to make a really tasty vegan shepherd's pie or a bolognese sauce a good substitute for meat is a combination of chopped cremini mushrooms and cauliflower chopped into crumbs.


----------



## O2.0

Magyarmum said:


> I've found if you want to make a really tasty vegan shepherd's pie or a bolognese sauce a good substitute for meat is a combination of chopped cremini mushrooms and cauliflower chopped into crumbs.


Lentils and mushrooms go really nicely together too


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

This is well worth a watch as it addresses the recent batch of fairly "high profile " vegans giving up and going back to animal products. I love how healthy and vibrant all the plant based doctors look. Dr Alan Desmond's blue eyes are a bit freaky though


----------



## O2.0

I don't follow social media enough to know who's vegan and who is no longer vegan, but just in my every day life I do hear a fair bit of "I'd love to be vegan, but..." and insert some issue that crops up when this person goes for periods of not eating meat or dairy or both. 

While I totally agree with the plant based doctors that there is nothing in meat that humans can't get from other sources, I've found in my personal life it's just easier to support people with being as meat free as they can. If 6 our of 7 days a week that person is vegan, to me that's a win. 
Sure, I could go in to recommendations to look at their diet, contact some plant-based doctors and see what they think, but really, most people don't want to do that much work and will just use it as an excuse to go back to eating meat all the time. 

For me, being vegan has been a really easy transition, even stopping dairy wasn't hard. I just happened. And I feel amazing eating this way, so honestly, I'm not the best person to preach to another about how they should eat since I don't identify with a lot of the very real struggles people have transitioning and staying on a WFPB diet.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Some of the "no longer vegan" high profile social media people have a huge following so as a result of them citing health issues for stopping being vegan there appeared to be a bit of hysteria about whether it was healthy, fuelled by the very active "carnivore dieters". This prompted Dr Garth Davis to make a few video responses which ultimately lead to his debate with the carnivore guy I linked a couple of weeks ago. Tim Shieff was a particularly big blow in the UK as he was pretty well known outside of the vegan community for this Ninja Warrior appearances/wins whilst promoting how a vegan diet helped him to train/recover. He is the rather odd/bloated looking guy at the beginning of the video being interviewed on one of our main stream media morning programmes about how veganism made him ill (rather than a period of raw only, followed by juice only followed by water fasting for prolonged periods, drinking his own and other people's urine etc etc). Fiona Oakes responded really well asking why none of the TV/news programmes ever interview her about being a vegan whilst achieving her amazing record of world records for marathon running. 

I made the transition seamlessly too, I thought milk was going to be a stumbling block for me because I was a real tea drinker - somewhere between 6 - 8 mugs per day and I just couldn't find a plant milk that worked with tea but then I discovered oat milk in coffee and haven't looked back. I can honestly say there is nothing I miss, I've never felt better and I eat a much wider variety of meals than I ever did before going vegan. There are so many resources available now to help people make the transition and whether they do that straight away or bit by bit it doesn't matter as long as they get there in the end.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

The very inspirational Fiona Oakes filmed at the recent plant based health professionals UK conference


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Another interesting talk from plant based health professionals UK's recent conference - this one on non-coeliac gluten sensitivity


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

One of the best talks I have ever seen on non alcoholic fatty liver disease - beware vegan junk food eaters!!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

No prizes for guessing what I've been watching between working today 

Brilliant talk from a plant based orthopaedic surgeon at the UK conference on Osteoporosis. Tempted to put this in a thread of its own in General Chat but doubt anyone will bother to watch it.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

CEO of Greggs says the vegan sausage roll is the fastest selling new product they have launched in 6 years. I notice Tesco have just launched one too

https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/tesco-has-launched-a-vegan-sausage-roll-to-compete-with-greggs/

and Waitrose have some in their new summer range - I'm really not a fan of pastry but if I had to I would give the creamy onion & chive ones a taste.

https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/...nd-sausage-rolls-as-part-of-its-summer-range/


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Some of the "no longer vegan" high profile social media people have a huge following so as a result of them citing health issues for stopping being vegan there appeared to be a bit of hysteria about whether it was healthy, fuelled by the very active "carnivore dieters".


I think the backlash has actually been quite positive though in the end. All these people share common characteristics of extreme faddy dieting, no real interest in ethics and tend to come across as a few sandwiches short of a vegan picnic! Its made them all seem much less credible to their audiences.

Have to admit my diet isnt the greatest at the moment. Sadly going WFPB doesnt erase a lifetime of binge eating and food addiction so my liver is probably hating me right about now for my diet!LOL:Shy Im trying to get back on track but still include some processed foods just so I dont feel I have to go on another crazy binge. Although for all my lack of self control I never go back to non vegan foods....if you make that moral connection I think it pretty much trumps everything else.
I dont think anybody is perfect though and we should all strive to be as healthy as we can be, even if we dont always succeed....we can keep trying!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> I think the backlash has actually been quite positive though in the end. All these people share common characteristics of extreme faddy dieting, no real interest in ethics and tend to come across as a few sandwiches short of a vegan picnic! Its made them all seem much less credible to their audiences.
> 
> Have to admit my diet isnt the greatest at the moment. Sadly going WFPB doesnt erase a lifetime of binge eating and food addiction so my liver is probably hating me right about now for my diet!LOL:Shy Im trying to get back on track but still include some processed foods just so I dont feel I have to go on another crazy binge. Although for all my lack of self control I never go back to non vegan foods....if you make that moral connection I think it pretty much trumps everything else.
> I dont think anybody is perfect though and we should all strive to be as healthy as we can be, even if we dont always succeed....we can keep trying!


WFPB eating certainly helps with food addictions but I guess at the end of the day it all depends on why someone binge eats and if the reason for that hasn't been addressed then its going to keep on rearing its head. I also think there are processed foods and really processed foods so bread for instance is processed, anything with flour in is processed but there is a world of difference between eating some wholegrain bread and eating cookies or doughnuts although even cookies and doughnuts as an occasional treat are OK if you know you can have them and not then go on a binge of eating them everyday. I like Dr Doug Lisle's explanation in this video about running a few days together of good food choices/sleep/exercise which gradually shifts your inner voice/internal audience - starts at 43.15 on this for a few minutes


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> No prizes for guessing what I've been watching between working today
> 
> Brilliant talk from a plant based orthopaedic surgeon at the UK conference on Osteoporosis. Tempted to put this in a thread of its own in General Chat but doubt anyone will bother to watch it.


Finally watched part of this. 
Really loving how he addresses the movement part of osteoporosis. I think it's Dr. Barnard who talks about osteoporosis being a disease of atrophy, more than a lack of calcium. Which makes perfect sense if you sit down and think about it. We don't think that all you need to do to build muscle is eat protein - we understand that there has to be an exercise component too. Yet when it comes to bones we think just eat calcium and you'll get stronger bones. Uh... nope, you have to stimulate that bone growth through activity.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> Finally watched part of this.
> Really loving how he addresses the movement part of osteoporosis. I think it's Dr. Barnard who talks about osteoporosis being a disease of atrophy, more than a lack of calcium. Which makes perfect sense if you sit down and think about it. We don't think that all you need to do to build muscle is eat protein - we understand that there has to be an exercise component too. Yet when it comes to bones we think just eat calcium and you'll get stronger bones. Uh... nope, you have to stimulate that bone growth through activity.


I know - he really made me think about the amount of time I spend on my backside :Hilarious:Hilarious I loved the diagrams explaining about osteoblasts and osteoclasts. I've got an orthopaedic nursing certificate which took me 18 months to get and I learnt more about bones from that video than I think I did in 18 months although to be fair I was young and spent far too much time boozing and partying so perhaps I just forgot :Shamefullyembarrased


----------



## catz4m8z

O2.0 said:


> Which makes perfect sense if you sit down and think about it. .


LOL...that really hit my funny bone!!:Hilarious


----------



## O2.0

catz4m8z said:


> LOL...that really hit my funny bone!!:Hilarious


LOL I should have said 'get up and run to think about it'


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I'm so pleased that Plant Based Health Professionals UK are really coming to the fore now, their most recent conference had some brilliant talks and I'm sure we are going to be seeing more and more of these doctors/nurses/dietitians.

They are about to launch their first campaign to get processed meats out of our hospitals - this lovely nurse gives the details and the advert they will be running as part of the campaign in this 15 min video


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Give bacon the boot campaign website - not much on it as yet but will be launching petition/write to MP and write to local NHS trusts.

http://givebacontheboot.pbwf.info/wp/campaigns/


----------



## Dimwit

Eek, my happy gut course starts next week and this week we got some recipes/shopping lists/meal plans etc. I am quite excited about starting it, though the first few weeks will be tough as the low FODMAP diet is pretty restrictive but if it helps me to feel better it will be worth it!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Dimwit said:


> Eek, my happy gut course starts next week and this week we got some recipes/shopping lists/meal plans etc. I am quite excited about starting it, though the first few weeks will be tough as the low FODMAP diet is pretty restrictive but if it helps me to feel better it will be worth it!


Not sure if you noticed the link I did over the weekend to a lecture at Plant Based Health Professionals UK about non coeliac gluten sensitivity - she talked a bit about FODMAPs in that.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Yesterday we (OH and me) were reminiscing about sweets/foods we used to eat when we were kids, he mentioned how much he used to enjoy tins of baked beans with those little sausages in (I've never liked sausages so they were not on my menu growing up) especially when camping. Low and behold this appeared today

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/canned-vegan-sausages-beans-co-op-stores


----------



## AlexPed2393

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Yesterday we (OH and me) were reminiscing about sweets/foods we used to eat when we were kids, he mentioned how much he used to enjoy tins of baked beans with those little sausages in (I've never liked sausages so they were not on my menu growing up) especially when camping. Low and behold this appeared today
> 
> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/canned-vegan-sausages-beans-co-op-stores


I'm all over this as a lazy dinner one night


----------



## O2.0

I love that there are vegan alternatives now, but I can honestly say there really isn't anything I particularly miss. Except maybe ice cream and now I actually like the vegan versions better anyway. Dairy ice cream has a weird texture to it that I don't like anymore, it's almost like it coats my tongue somehow. It's weird. 
But it's a rare treat and I don't really crave it or anything. 

Rich Roll was talking about being vegan with someone, can't remember who, and he said something like how people think people like him are martyrs for a cause and are depriving themselves of food joys if you will, yet it's not like that at all. I don't feel deprived or that I have to force myself to not eat certain things, it's just natural to me.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> I love that there are vegan alternatives now, but I can honestly say there really isn't anything I particularly miss. Except maybe ice cream and now I actually like the vegan versions better anyway. Dairy ice cream has a weird texture to it that I don't like anymore, it's almost like it coats my tongue somehow. It's weird.
> But it's a rare treat and I don't really crave it or anything.
> 
> Rich Roll was talking about being vegan with someone, can't remember who, and he said something like how people think people like him are martyrs for a cause and are depriving themselves of food joys if you will, yet it's not like that at all. I don't feel deprived or that I have to force myself to not eat certain things, it's just natural to me.


Same here, doing my shopping online earlier and a vegan pizza kept being suggested, I had a look but just couldn't be bothered. I like that there are far more options now than there ever were and they are great for a back up in an emergency although I think during the hot summer months I might be tempted by the occasional vegan Magnum.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Great new podcast just starting out from Rip Esselstyn

*This project is personal.*
When I was a firefighter at Engine 2 in Austin, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine my lifestyle would become a pipeline for people to join in a quest to take back their health. A lot has changed since those sleepless nights and adrenaline-powered shifts in the fire house, but I still care deeply about the everyday heroes. These men and women often sacrifice their fundamental right to thrive and to be healthy while serving others - eating foods that harm while forever chasing a good night's sleep.

Starting a podcast, I wanted to return to my roots and give back to America's bravest who serve at-the-ready each day. So season one of Plant-Strong will follow my journey with Joe - a young firefighter from the Bronx who knows what to do but just has a hard time making it stick. He represents so many of the stories in my inbox and he's going to be my personal project for the next few months. We'll check in on Joe's progress and call in some favors from my friends in the movement.

I know you have a lot of choices in who you invite into your earbuds. Please know I would be honored if you'd give this a listen. My hope is you'll feel empowered and excited to start or stay plant-strong, and we'll have some serious fun along the way.

It's not rocket science. It's just plants.

We'll release one episode a week, around 30 minutes long. Consider taking us on your next workout! And speaking of workouts, Joe is going to train for something big. So big, I'm going to pace him. Will you join us?

https://engine2diet.com/blog/the-plant-strong-podcast/

I've listened to the first couple and they are interesting/different as he switches back and forth between Joe the firefighter and his guest, 1st week he had his Dad the famous Dr Caldwell Esselstyn talking about his research and programme to prevent and reverse heart disease and the 2nd week his Mum Ann giving tips on how to food/cooking. The next one will feature the Sherzais both neurologists who specialist in Alzheimers Disease talking about sleep.


----------



## Jonescat

Shun the Vegan Magnum - and go for the Swedish Glace strawberry version instead


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Dr Rupy isn't vegan/plant based but his book does have a lot of plant based meals - he is a bit heavy with oil too so might need tweaking.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

This is one of his that I'm planning to try soon

https://thedoctorskitchen.com/recipes/nutty-singaporean-style-broccoli


----------



## Dimwit

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Not sure if you noticed the link I did over the weekend to a lecture at Plant Based Health Professionals UK about non coeliac gluten sensitivity - she talked a bit about FODMAPs in that.


I did see that - very interesting!
I know that I am not coeliac but I definitely have some food sensitivities which is why I think that this course will be good at identifying these.
They also make the point that a lot of people struggle when they first switch to a plant-based diet as they are suddenly eating a lot more high FODMAP foods than they did before, which is a bit of a shock to the gut, and so many people give up because they start to feel unwell.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

*Associations of Dietary Cholesterol or Egg Consumption With Incident Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality*

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/ja...8dazZBmIU12zXbRfaU2lr4CmLLvRCt50_mzFlUcBBpMYY


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Beyond Meat, the company that makes meatless alternatives to beef, pork and poultry, began trading at $46 a share on Thursday, an 84% increase over its IPO price of $25.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

:Jawdrop:Jawdrop

*Dairy Industry Tries to Block Oregon Bill Allowing Patients to Choose Healthy Plant-Based Meals*

https://www.pcrm.org/news/news-rele...n-bill-allowing-patients-choose-healthy-plant


----------



## Guest

Veggie proteins to use:


Legumes - beans, kidney beans, chick peas, black beans (my favourite) lentils
Bulgar wheat, quinoa, Spelt etc
Nutritional yeast
chia seeds, pumkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds etc
walnuts, cashews, pistachios, etc
If veggie then you have your cheeses
obviously milk, but then you have oat milk, soy milk, almond, hazelnut,hemp and coconut milks (my favourite is oat milk)
Then when you feel like a meat substitute we all know quorn but Sainsbury's have an extensive range of vegan/veggie options now.
Tofu, tempeh, Seitin and edame beans


----------



## O2.0

I wouldn't list cheese as a good source of protein. Honestly I haven't looked at the nutritional info for cheese in a while, but I'm pretty sure cheese is more fat than anything. 
Actually, I don't look at the nutritional info for much of anything. I definitely don't worry about protein  
Eat a good variety of whole plant foods and the rest takes care of itself


----------



## Matrod

I think it’s worth noting than beans or lentils on their own aren’t a complete source of protein.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Cheese should really be classified as a fat food not a protein food given that it is up to 70% fat most of which is saturated.

https://www.pcrm.org/news/blog/cheese-and-obesity

We really don't need to worry at all about protein, all food contains protein so if you are getting enough calories you are getting enough protein. Most people in the western world eat far too much protein, particularly animal protein which puts a huge strain on our kidneys not to mention all the other nasties that come with it.


----------



## O2.0

Okay, just for fun I looked up a couple cheeses:
I cup of feta cheese gives you 21g protein and a whopping 32g fat 22g of which is saturated which is already over the recommended daily allowance. 
I cup of cheddar is 28g protein, 27g fat, 24 of which is saturated. 
And that's not even getting in to the salt content of cheese.

1 cup of lentils is 18g protein, and less than 1g of fat. Add just one cup of sweet potato and that bumps the protein up to equal that of cheese, still fewer calories, and still less than 1 gram of fat. No salt, no cholesterol....
I think I'll be sticking with my plant foods 



Matrod said:


> I think it's worth noting than beans or lentils on their own aren't a complete source of protein.


The idea of 'complete' protein has been debunked for a while now. 
All the amino acids that humans can't create on our own - the essential amino acids, are all available in the plant kingdom. You don't have to eat all 9 essential amino acids in one sitting. But just eating a decent variety of plant foods even throughout the week will give you all the protein you need.

Really, the protein thing is debunked, done, not a worry. 
I have trained for and completed a 50K ultramarathon (and other long runs) without worrying one bit about protein. It's a total non-issue.

Most of us eating the standard western diet are eating far more protein than is healthy for us, but we're starved for other nutrients like fiber, antioxidants, phytonutrients...


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> Okay, just for fun I looked up a couple cheeses:
> I cup of feta cheese gives you 21g protein and a whopping 32g fat 22g of which is saturated which is already over the recommended daily allowance.
> I cup of cheddar is 28g protein, 27g fat, 24 of which is saturated.
> And that's not even getting in to the salt content of cheese.
> 
> 1 cup of lentils is 18g protein, and less than 1g of fat. Add just one cup of sweet potato and that bumps the protein up to equal that of cheese, still fewer calories, and still less than 1 gram of fat. No salt, no cholesterol....
> I think I'll be sticking with my plant foods
> 
> The idea of 'complete' protein has been debunked for a while now.
> All the amino acids that humans can't create on our own - the essential amino acids, are all available in the plant kingdom. You don't have to eat all 9 essential amino acids in one sitting. But just eating a decent variety of plant foods even throughout the week will give you all the protein you need.
> 
> Really, the protein thing is debunked, done, not a worry.
> I have trained for and completed a 50K ultramarathon (and other long runs) without worrying one bit about protein. It's a total non-issue.
> 
> Most of us eating the standard western diet are eating far more protein than is healthy for us, but we're starved for other nutrients like fiber, antioxidants, phytonutrients...


I was just going to reply about the "complete protein" thing, sorry @Matrod not meaning to be picky but that whole idea came about by accident many years ago and as @O2.0 says has been debunked. I think the lady responsible for it was mortified that it was taken so literally by vegetarians/vegans.

This is from Dr Fuhrman's website

"Although plant protein is often described as "incomplete," it has been known for many years that all plant foods contain all of the amino acids. Different plant foods may be low in a certain essential amino acid, but as long you are eating a variety of plant foods, you will get adequate amounts-but not too much-of all the essential amino acids."

This is an interesting article from by Marco Borges from his book Greenprint regarding plants and protein particularly relevant to athletes

https://nutritionstudies.org/plants-have-all-the-power-we-need/

Athletes and exercisers do need to ensure that they're getting a balanced amount of the nine essential amino acids that the body uses to build and repair muscle, among other things, but can't produce on its own (meaning you have to get them from the foods you eat). Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and they're abundant in plant foods. The nine essential amino acids are:


Isoleucine: watercress, chard, sunflower seeds, spinach, kidney beans
Leucine: alfalfa seeds, kidney beans, watercress, sunflower seeds
Lysine: watercress, walnuts, peas, lentils, brewer's yeast, almonds, chickpeas
Methionine and Cysteine: sesame seeds, seaweed, spirulina, Brazil nuts, oats
Phenylalanine and Tyrosine: sesame seeds, kidney beans, spinach, peanuts
Threonine: watercress, spinach, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, kidney beans
Tryptophan: spinach, turnip greens, broccoli rabe, asparagus, oat bran, kidney beans, watercress
Valine: mushrooms, snow peas, kidney beans, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds
Histidine: apples, beets, carrots, celery, cucumber, spinach

As you can see, many of the foods overlap under two or more amino acids, so it's not that difficult to ensure you are getting a good mix of aminos acids each day. You can also easily add some complete (containing all nine essential amino acids) vegan proteins like quinoa, buckwheat, hempseed, and chia seed.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

This one by Dr Goldhamer is really interesting too

https://nutritionstudies.org/get-protein-where/

You learn something new every day and this is my new thing for today

"Amino acids from dietary digestion are not alone, because the ingestion of food-even non-nitrogenous food-stimulates the digestive tract to secrete endogenous protein, derived from the sloughing of intestinal cells and used up digestive enzymes. These recycled proteins are a rich source of essential amino acids.

Studies by Nasset show that regardless of the amino acid mix of the meal, the intestinal tract maintains a remarkably similar ratio of essential amino acids.

This mixing of endogenous and dietary protein is a key concept. Until this was discovered, it was generally believed that in order to absorb and utilize the essential amino acids in the diet, the diet must contain all the amino acids in certain proportions and presented all at the same time.

We now know that the body is quite capable of taking incomplete proteins and making them complete by utilizing this recycling mechanism. It is now clear that more than 200 grams of endogenous protein is added to the 30 to 100 grams of daily dietary protein.

The important fact here is that the majority of amino acids absorbed from the intestinal tract are derived from recycled body protein. We are in a sense all flesh eaters, a form of self-cannibalization.

Once absorbed, this combination of endogenous and dietary protein passes by way of the portal vein to the liver. The liver monitors the absorbed amino acids and adjusts the rate of their metabolism according to bodily needs."

So although I knew we got all the essential amino acids we need from our food I didn't know that we recycled them to such an extent


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Another on the protein combining myth

https://www.plantpurenation.com/blogs/news/the-protein-combining-myth


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

More main stream outlets jumping on board the plant based train 

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/kfc-vegan-chicken-burger

Ikea already do a vegan ice cream apparently

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/ikea-new-plant-based-meatballs

M & S continue to expand their Plant Kitchen range too

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/marks-spencer-vegan-churros-mozzarella-sticks-plant-based-range


----------



## Cleo38

In between training sessions & walks with the dogs I made a lovely red lentil dahl for tonight's dinner.
Now time to have a much needed sit down & have a look through my new Bosh book that arrived today.


----------



## Matrod

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Cheese should really be classified as a fat food not a protein food given that it is up to 70% fat most of which is saturated.
> 
> https://www.pcrm.org/news/blog/cheese-and-obesity
> 
> We really don't need to worry at all about protein, all food contains protein so if you are getting enough calories you are getting enough protein. Most people in the western world eat far too much protein, particularly animal protein which puts a huge strain on our kidneys not to mention all the other nasties that come with it.





O2.0 said:


> Okay, just for fun I looked up a couple cheeses:
> I cup of feta cheese gives you 21g protein and a whopping 32g fat 22g of which is saturated which is already over the recommended daily allowance.
> I cup of cheddar is 28g protein, 27g fat, 24 of which is saturated.
> And that's not even getting in to the salt content of cheese.
> 
> 1 cup of lentils is 18g protein, and less than 1g of fat. Add just one cup of sweet potato and that bumps the protein up to equal that of cheese, still fewer calories, and still less than 1 gram of fat. No salt, no cholesterol....
> I think I'll be sticking with my plant foods
> 
> The idea of 'complete' protein has been debunked for a while now.
> All the amino acids that humans can't create on our own - the essential amino acids, are all available in the plant kingdom. You don't have to eat all 9 essential amino acids in one sitting. But just eating a decent variety of plant foods even throughout the week will give you all the protein you need.
> 
> Really, the protein thing is debunked, done, not a worry.
> I have trained for and completed a 50K ultramarathon (and other long runs) without worrying one bit about protein. It's a total non-issue.
> 
> Most of us eating the standard western diet are eating far more protein than is healthy for us, but we're starved for other nutrients like fiber, antioxidants, phytonutrients...


I didn't realise this had been debunked. Theories on what is right & what isn't seem to change on a daily basis! It's not something I've ever worried about as my diet is varied enough.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> In between training sessions & walks with the dogs I made a lovely red lentil dahl for tonight's dinner.
> Now time to have a much needed sit down & have a look through my new Bosh book that arrived today.
> 
> View attachment 402682


Is your copy the right way up inside the cover? Mine is upside down


----------



## Cleo38

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Is your copy the right way up inside the cover? Mine is upside down


Yes, just checked. Maybe yours is unique


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> Yes, just checked. Maybe yours is unique


More like a dud batch from Amazon


----------



## Cleo38

rottiepointerhouse said:


> More like a dud batch from Amazon


If you complain they will probably just refund your money & let you keep it … I've moaned to Amazon quite a bit recently as the quality of their good has been poor


----------



## 3dogs2cats

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Is your copy the right way up inside the cover? Mine is upside down


Must be your copy, mine is normal. I`m not overly impressed with it though to be honest!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

3dogs2cats said:


> Must be your copy, mine is normal. I`m not overly impressed with it though to be honest!


I know what you mean. I haven't made anything from it yet whereas I make quite a few from their first book. I must have another good look through it though and see if anything tempts me.


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Athletes and exercisers do need to ensure that they're getting a balanced amount of the nine essential amino acids that the body uses to build and repair muscle, among other things, but can't produce on its own (meaning you have to get them from the foods you eat). Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and they're abundant in plant foods. The nine essential amino acids are:
> 
> 
> Isoleucine: watercress, chard, sunflower seeds, spinach, kidney beans
> Leucine: alfalfa seeds, kidney beans, watercress, sunflower seeds
> Lysine: watercress, walnuts, peas, lentils, brewer's yeast, almonds, chickpeas
> Methionine and Cysteine: sesame seeds, seaweed, spirulina, Brazil nuts, oats
> Phenylalanine and Tyrosine: sesame seeds, kidney beans, spinach, peanuts
> Threonine: watercress, spinach, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, kidney beans
> Tryptophan: spinach, turnip greens, broccoli rabe, asparagus, oat bran, kidney beans, watercress
> Valine: mushrooms, snow peas, kidney beans, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds
> Histidine: apples, beets, carrots, celery, cucumber, spinach


Good old spinach LOL! 
It's also worth mentioning that animals get all their amino acids from plants too. They don't produce them, they're just left over in animal flesh from what the animal has eaten. We can get the same amino acids without the middleman if you will 

Speaking of building and repairing muscle, one of the huge benefits of going plant based that a lot of athletes report is much quicker recovery times. For sure this is something I've noticed in myself.

Spent the day with my teenage son competing in a physically demanding sport where he's competing against adults. He's not 100% plant based, he is a teenager after all, but at home he eats no meat, yet he has still managed to get strong enough to compete in Open, 2 years before he's technically old enough to do so. Lack of animal protein sure hasn't hindered him at all.


----------



## Jonescat

It's a bank holiday so we are not at work at lunchtime - have just had sourdough pancakes and bananas  I didn't know sourdough pancakes existed until recently but they were fluffy, turn--over-able and tasted great. 

And - no fat or sugar


----------



## MaggieDemi

Jonescat said:


> sourdough pancakes and bananas


Do you have a recipe please? Did you put the bananas on the pancakes?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Drum roll.

The continuation of "Nut Wars".

Dr Fuhrman's response to the last vegsource video

https://www.drfuhrman.com/get-start...ource-jeff-nelson-anti-nut-videos--april-2019

This bit answers some of the questions we were talking about on here

"And now, he claims he has "proof" that nuts are bad, from a person he interviewed who used a pulse wave velocity machine after eating nuts, that demonstrated a reduced pulse-wave velocity after eating nuts. He never even mentioned that a transient decrease in pulse-wave velocity occurs after every large meal, regardless of its macronutrient composition (a meal of carbohydrate would have this effect also), and that the instructions from the manufacturer for this equipment instructs it is only accurate in the post-absorptive or non-digestive stage. This finding means nothing. He is so jubilant about the negative finding here, which clearly shows his distorted bias, or he would have tempered his enthusiasm with the reality that a temporary decrease in arterial elasticity after a meal, when blood is shunted from peripheral vessels to the digestive tract, is not indicative of long-term vessel damage or loss of elasticity. In fact, studies with large numbers of people (not just one) show nuts benefit vessel elasticity. For example, Dr. Greger did review all the studies to date on nuts and artery function and concluded: "Therefore, eight studies to date have investigated the effect of nuts on brachial artery function; seven out of eight showed a significant improvement in arterial function, one showed a negligible effect, and none found nuts made things worse." https://nutritionfacts.org/2015/08/13/how-walnuts-can-improve-artery-function/"

Unfortunately it looks like Jeff Nelson is not going to let it lie and is releasing another video later today


----------



## O2.0

Great news! (As I sip my coffee with cashew milk and eat my oatmeal with flax seeds  )


----------



## Jonescat

MaggieDemi said:


> Do you have a recipe please? Did you put the bananas on the pancakes?


I used this recipe
https://hearthealthyveganrecipes.com/vegan-sourdough-pancakes/

And yes, sliced bananas on the pancake, a dust of cocoa or cinnamon and roll it up


----------



## rottiepointerhouse




----------



## MaggieDemi

Jonescat said:


> I used this recipe


Thanks for the recipe. :Cat


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Frankie & Benny's launched their vegan menu in January this year, in response to the increasing consumer demand for fairly prices plant-based options. Now, due to the roaring success of their vegan menu, the chain restaurant is set to increase their vegan offerings. In a statement to Vegan Food & Living, Frankie & Benny's Head of Food Development, Holly Davies, explained the new menu:

https://www.viva.org.uk/blog/frankie-bennys-new-vegan-menu


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Dr Garth Davis has announced on Instagram that his dog is going vegan showing a bag of V dog. Hope he has got his tin hat ready as he is likely to get a lot of abuse.


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Dr Garth Davis has announced on Instagram that his dog is going vegan showing a bag of V dog. Hope he has got his tin hat ready as he is likely to get a lot of abuse.


I love Dr. Davis and definitely won't be giving him any abuse, but I don't agree with him on this one. 
Better IMO to encourage raw or home cooked with meat sourced from ethical sources and maybe a discussion on how to do so. Plenty of small holding farmers in his area who could provide him with goat and rabbit meat for his dogs.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> I love Dr. Davis and definitely won't be giving him any abuse, but I don't agree with him on this one.
> Better IMO to encourage raw or home cooked with meat sourced from ethical sources and maybe a discussion on how to do so. Plenty of small holding farmers in his area who could provide him with goat and rabbit meat for his dogs.


I will be interested to see what he says in reply to some of the negative comments he is already getting, if he bothers which he might not. I would imagine he will give environmental reasons but will report back if he responds.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/vegan-bacon-fool-carnivores-launching-uk


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/sainsburysfirst-uk-supermarket-launch-vegan-bbq-ribs

Made from tempeh apparently which I must admit I have not tried.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

And some news from the US

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/vegan-ground-beef-meat-aisle-north-america

and (although this is from last summer)

https://plantbasedfoods.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/PBFA-Release-on-Nielsen-Data-7.30.18.pdf

Today, the Plant Based Foods Association, a trade association representing 114 of the nation's leading plant-based food companies, released new data showing robust sales in the plant-based foods industry with dollar sales growth of 20% over the last year and sales topping $3.3 billion.

The data shows that "other" plant-based dairy alternatives, which excludes milks, are experiencing explosive growth, up 50%. Other plant-based dairy alternatives include plantbased cheeses, creamers, butter, yogurts and ice creams. Additional data shows: • The plant-based milk category is up 9% (compared to 3% the previous year), and comprise about half the total dollar volume, at $1.6 billion. • Cow's milk dollar sales are down 6%. Plant-based milk comprises 15% of total milk sales. • Plant-based meats growing at an exciting 24% (compared to 6% the previous year) topping $670 million in sales.

The growth in plant-based creamers has been particularly impressive, with a 131% increase, with $109 million in sales. • Plant-based cheeses are growing at 43%, at $124 million. • Plant-based yogurts are growing at 55%, at $162 million in sales.


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Made from tempeh apparently which I must admit I have not tried.


I absolutely love tempeh, it has a nutty flavor, holds marinades beautifully, good stuff. I used to get it back in the early 90's in Colorado at an Asian market. Now most supermarkets carry it.

I don't need it flavored like ribs or bacon though :Wtf


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious although I did pick out the cherry tomatoes and will leave those out next time. It was really quick & easy to make.

https://thedoctorskitchen.com/recipes/nutty-singaporean-style-broccoli


----------



## Dimwit

Week one update from happy gut course (don't worry, there are only 5 weeks so you won't be spammed forevermore): I am really enjoying it so far, and I do feel better (IBS symptoms have reduced so I very rarely need to take medication). Some of the recipes are lovely: raspberry and almond muffins, vietnamese coconut curry and a really nice broccoli, parsnip and ginger soup. Even though this week is low FODMAP it really doesn't feel restrictive at all. I am having to adapt some of the recipes a bit as they use a lot of coconut oil and I am still trying to lose weight, but it is easy enough to cut back. The same with nuts - much as I love them, they are pretty calorific and so I am limiting how many I eat.
The only thing I really can't deal with at the moment is tofu: I bought some, took it out of the packet and gagged on the smell (is is supposed to smell so rancid?) so couldn't bring myself to add it to the meal.
Although, on Tuesday I totally fell off the wagon and ate cr*p, but it was the first anniversary of my Dad's death so I am not going to beat myself up over a bit of comfort eating...


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Dimwit said:


> Week one update from happy gut course (don't worry, there are only 5 weeks so you won't be spammed forevermore): I am really enjoying it so far, and I do feel better (IBS symptoms have reduced so I very rarely need to take medication). Some of the recipes are lovely: raspberry and almond muffins, vietnamese coconut curry and a really nice broccoli, parsnip and ginger soup. Even though this week is low FODMAP it really doesn't feel restrictive at all. I am having to adapt some of the recipes a bit as they use a lot of coconut oil and I am still trying to lose weight, but it is easy enough to cut back. The same with nuts - much as I love them, they are pretty calorific and so I am limiting how many I eat.
> The only thing I really can't deal with at the moment is tofu: I bought some, took it out of the packet and gagged on the smell (is is supposed to smell so rancid?) so couldn't bring myself to add it to the meal.
> Although, on Tuesday I totally fell off the wagon and ate cr*p, but it was the first anniversary of my Dad's death so I am not going to beat myself up over a bit of comfort eating...


I don't use Tofu much but I can't say when I have that its ever smelt rancid - sounds like it might have been off. Some of those things sound lovely especially the soup. So pleased to hear you are already feeling better.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Dimwit said:


> Week one update from happy gut course (don't worry, there are only 5 weeks so you won't be spammed forevermore): I am really enjoying it so far, and I do feel better (IBS symptoms have reduced so I very rarely need to take medication). Some of the recipes are lovely: raspberry and almond muffins, vietnamese coconut curry and a really nice broccoli, parsnip and ginger soup. Even though this week is low FODMAP it really doesn't feel restrictive at all. I am having to adapt some of the recipes a bit as they use a lot of coconut oil and I am still trying to lose weight, but it is easy enough to cut back. The same with nuts - much as I love them, they are pretty calorific and so I am limiting how many I eat.
> The only thing I really can't deal with at the moment is tofu: I bought some, took it out of the packet and gagged on the smell (is is supposed to smell so rancid?) so couldn't bring myself to add it to the meal.
> Although, on Tuesday I totally fell off the wagon and ate cr*p, but it was the first anniversary of my Dad's death so I am not going to beat myself up over a bit of comfort eating...


I couldn't hack tofu but tried the smoked version by Cauldron which, when fried off to crisp up, I can handle in stir fries, etc.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Its only 4 minutes long and does make you think about what we put on our bodies as well as in our bodies - especially sun screen.

New data. The chemicals you wear are the chemicals that harm. Beware.


----------



## O2.0

I've been skeptical of sunscreen all my life, though disclaimer, I have enough Mediterranean blood in me that I don't burn and get asked if I'm white or mixed by people who care about that sort of thing.

Anyway, this article is super interesting. Talks about the risk fo skin cancer vs. the risk of being inside and not getting sun exposure. It confirms my own biases about sun so I like it  
https://www.outsideonline.com/23807...lLWTgdLhiU09ntClOWANDOMFe-yjndLFzbAaF--Cqv43s


----------



## Cleo38

I haven't read the report although heard claims in the media regarding this. The man in the clip states 24 participants so not that many for a study really … I will have to read up further. Tbh I am one of those people who slathers on sun block in summer as I can go lobster red in minutes, even in the shade I have to be careful.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/45-vegans-discriminated-against-at-work

45% of vegans polled felt discriminated against at work.
31% of vegans felt harassed/unfairly treated at work because of their veganism.

of 1,000 employers 
48% do nothing to accommodate vegans
3% would not hire someone if they knew they were vegan
24% believed people go vegan to be fashionable or lose weight
30% said catering for vegans would be expensive or difficult

I can't really comment as I'm self employed and work from home  Anyone got any experience of this?


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/45-vegans-discriminated-against-at-work
> 
> 45% of vegans polled felt discriminated against at work.
> 31% of vegans felt harassed/unfairly treated at work because of their veganism.
> 
> of 1,000 employers
> 48% do nothing to accommodate vegans
> 3% would not hire someone if they knew they were vegan
> 24% believed people go vegan to be fashionable or lose weight
> 30% said catering for vegans would be expensive or difficult
> 
> I can't really comment as I'm self employed and work from home  Anyone got any experience of this?


Nothing to accommodate vegans? Meh... I don't expect to be accommodated. As for discriminated? Not sure how one would be discriminated against. IDK... the whole thing seems a bit of a stretch....


----------



## Cleo38

I don't have a problem at all, my employer goes above what I what consider appropriate even to the extent that our Christmas meal was very considered (the venue was picked as they could accommodate dietary requirements) & the vegan options were amazing … shame I'm an unsociable git who wouldn't go!"!! 

To add: we have various plant based milks in the canteen & vegan meal options available … healthy ones as well!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

*The Effects of Vegetarian and Vegan Diets on Gut Microbiota*

*https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2019.00047/full*

The difference in gut microbiota composition between individuals following vegan or vegetarian diets and those following omnivorous diets is well documented. A plant-based diet appears to be beneficial for human health by promoting the development of more diverse and stable microbial systems. Additionally, vegans and vegetarians have significantly higher counts of certain _Bacteroidetes_-related operational taxonomic units compared to omnivores. Fibers (that is, non-digestible carbohydrates, found exclusively in plants) most consistently increase lactic acid bacteria, such as _Ruminococcus, E. rectale_, and _Roseburia_, and reduce _Clostridium_ and _Enterococcus_ species. Polyphenols, also abundant in plant foods, increase _Bifidobacterium_ and _Lactobacillus_, which provide anti-pathogenic and anti-inflammatory effects and cardiovascular protection. High fiber intake also encourages the growth of species that ferment fiber into metabolites as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including acetate, propionate, and butyrate. The positive health effects of SCFAs are myriad, including improved immunity against pathogens, blood-brain barrier integrity, provision of energy substrates, and regulation of critical functions of the intestine. In conclusion, the available literature suggests that a vegetarian/vegan diet is effective in promoting a diverse ecosystem of beneficial bacteria to support both human gut microbiome and overall health. This review will focus on effects of different diets and nutrient contents, particularly plant-based diets, on the gut microbiota composition and production of microbial metabolites affecting the host health.


----------



## Lurcherlad

rottiepointerhouse said:


> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/45-vegans-discriminated-against-at-work
> 
> 45% of vegans polled felt discriminated against at work.
> 31% of vegans felt harassed/unfairly treated at work because of their veganism.
> 
> of 1,000 employers
> 48% do nothing to accommodate vegans
> 3% would not hire someone if they knew they were vegan
> 24% believed people go vegan to be fashionable or lose weight
> 30% said catering for vegans would be expensive or difficult
> 
> I can't really comment as I'm self employed and work from home  Anyone got any experience of this?


I don't work but I've experienced it in family situations where a buffet was ordered for a gathering in a pub and the only thing I could eat were chips! 

And I'm not even vegan.

Do firms provide milk alternatives in the drinks area, etc?


----------



## O2.0

I guess I'm so used to there not being food options in things like work cafeterias, even regular restaurants, it doesn't occur to me to expect them.

I stopped eating meat in the early 80's. There was nothing then. No fake meats, no soy milk or nut milks. Nothing. I got used to simply not eating in situations like social gatherings, on airplanes, at work functions... You can go 8 hours without eating. And most social gatherings are much shorter than that. 

Now when there are vegan options I see it as a bonus, not a necessity.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

This looks quite nice for a simple/easy meal, changing the cheese at the end for Nutritional Yeast of course 

https://www.bluezones.com/recipe/pa...199095005&mc_cid=367d96558f&mc_eid=97f9300fe5


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lurcherlad said:


> I don't work but I've experienced it in family situations where a buffet was ordered for a gathering in a pub and the only thing I could eat were chips!
> 
> And I'm not even vegan.
> 
> Do firms provide milk alternatives in the drinks area, etc?


I guess it would depend on the size of the employer and what they provide for everyone else. Most of the places I've worked in the past (apart from NHS hospitals) we all took our own food/drink in so I would just carry on doing that but replace with my own vegan options. If I worked for a large employer who offered canteen facilities such as the NHS then I would expect plant based options to be available in this day and age, for patients as well as staff. I think if the employer organises team bonding days or meals for instance then they do have a responsibility to cater for all needs so at the very least should make sure there is a vegan option available if they have vegan staff much as they would cater for people of different religions or with food allergies.


----------



## Elles

O2.0 said:


> I guess I'm so used to there not being food options in things like work cafeterias, even regular restaurants, it doesn't occur to me to expect them.
> 
> I stopped eating meat in the early 80's. There was nothing then. No fake meats, no soy milk or nut milks. Nothing. I got used to simply not eating in situations like social gatherings, on airplanes, at work functions... You can go 8 hours without eating. And most social gatherings are much shorter than that.
> 
> Now when there are vegan options I see it as a bonus, not a necessity.


If we're going to save the planet maybe it's time that changed.


----------



## O2.0

Elles said:


> If we're going to save the planet maybe it's time that changed.


Oh definitely, but for me personally, no I don't need anyone to go to any special trouble just so that I can have something to eat at the next work meeting.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> Oh definitely, but for me personally, no I don't need anyone to go to any special trouble just so that I can have something to eat at the next work meeting.


Out of interest is food provided at the work meetings or does everyone bring their own?


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Out of interest is food provided at the work meetings or does everyone bring their own?


This is the rural south of the US, you feed people down here. 
New baby? Bring food.
Death in the family? Bring food.
Someone in the hospital? Bring food.
Moving home? Bring food.
National holiday? Bring food.
Work meeting no one wants to go to? Bring food.

For work meetings they're usually catered (nothing fancy, all about supporting local businesses so it's usually biscuits or donuts for morning meetings, with a good supply of fruit too - again the south, plenty of great gardens with plenty of fruit). 
For more social type gatherings you bring your own dish to share.


----------



## Elles

O2.0 said:


> Oh definitely, but for me personally, no I don't need anyone to go to any special trouble just so that I can have something to eat at the next work meeting.


Again, maybe that needs to change.  It shouldn't be special and the more common and unspecial it is, the more likely others are to take it on board.


----------



## O2.0

Elles said:


> Again, maybe that needs to change.  It shouldn't be special and the more common and unspecial it is, the more likely others are to take it on board.


That is changing though isn't it? 
I'm very pleasantly surprised these days at how accessible and available vegan options are. 
Nothing like back in the 80's or even 10 years ago for that matter. 
Things are changing and that's good


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> This is the rural south of the US, you feed people down here.
> New baby? Bring food.
> Death in the family? Bring food.
> Someone in the hospital? Bring food.
> Moving home? Bring food.
> National holiday? Bring food.
> Work meeting no one wants to go to? Bring food.
> 
> For work meetings they're usually catered (nothing fancy, all about supporting local businesses so it's usually biscuits or donuts for morning meetings, with a good supply of fruit too - again the south, plenty of great gardens with plenty of fruit).
> For more social type gatherings you bring your own dish to share.


That sounds fair enough - as long as there is a healthy/fruit option available which is good for the people trying to avoid the high fat/sugar of biscuits/cakes/donuts let alone the vegans. How do your vegan dishes go down when you take them to social gatherings?


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> That sounds fair enough - as long as there is a healthy/fruit option available which is good for the people trying to avoid the high fat/sugar of biscuits/cakes/donuts let alone the vegans. How do your vegan dishes go down when you take them to social gatherings?


My sweet potato mish-mash dishes are always a hit, though I do get the occasional comment about how that person would add chicken if they were making it. Closer friends have also confided that they get a 'colon cleanse' from that dish. Which doesn't surprise me as most people are so fiber deficient that a normal bowl of oatmeal would probably send them running to the toilet. 
But generally yes, people like my cooking. I don't advertise any of it as vegan though. It's just food LOL.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Colon cleanse :Hilarious:Hilarious


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

8 illnesses improved by a plant based diet

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/diseases-cured-by-a-plant-based-diet

"Some people are drawn to the plant-based lifestyle for the impact it makes on protecting the environment and some to avoid harming animals. Most of us hope that we also may derive some health benefits from skipping animal products, even if it is occasionally hard on holidays and while traveling to find appropriate meals. You are probably aware that plant-based diets have been shown to prevent and reverse heart disease, and new research points to a host of other positive effects of a plant-based diet. Let's dive into the science".


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

And a great article on why high carb foods are proven to reverse insulin resistance - one to share with any diabetics who might be interested

https://www.masteringdiabetes.org/high-carb-foods-reverse-insulin-resistance/

They also do podcasts - some are quite short which look really interesting. Will be listening to a few of those myself.

https://www.masteringdiabetes.org/podcast/


----------



## O2.0

Doctors are STILL encouraging low carb/keto type diets for people with type 2 diabetes. It kills me! 

Got the season's first batch of yellow squash and zucchini yesterday and cooked it up with some onions and some gorgeous bell peppers. Yum!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd4vr7lvrvmo

Deaths from heart and circulatory diseases among people under 75 is on the rise for the first time in 50 years, UK figures show.

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) says increasing rates of diabetes and obesity are partly responsible.

Over the last five years the UK has seen an 18% increase in people diagnosed with diabetes. Circulatory diseases include stroke and diseases of the arteries.

"But we're seeing more people die each year from heart and circulatory diseases in the UK before they reach their 75th, or even 65th, birthday. We are deeply concerned by this reversal.

"Heart and circulatory diseases remain a leading cause of death in the UK, with millions at risk because of conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes.

and just when you think they might actually have finally grasped that a WFPB diet could arrest and reverse heart disease and so they might actually think about promoting it they come out with this

"We need to work in partnership with government, the NHS and medical research community to increase research investment and accelerate innovative approaches to diagnose and support the millions of people at risk of a heart attack or stroke."

My Mum went for a meal with a friend to a chain pub restaurant the other day and made the mistake of telling me what she had to eat :Shifty:Shifty needless to say I looked it up

Starter - Halloumi Fries with a dip - 587 calories per serving, 47.3 g of fat, 15.7g of which is saturated and 3.7g of salt. Main - Beer fish and chips 920 calories per serving, 48g of fat, 5.2 of which is saturated, salt 1.8g. :Jawdrop:Jawdrop Thankfully she didn't have pudding. She is a diabetic with hit and miss control of her blood sugars and has high blood pressure despite 3 medications. One meal exceeded the RDA for saturated fat and is more than half the allowance of salt. I despair sometimes I really do  Who knew they fried cheese and soaked fish in beer before frying it. Oh and where are the vegetables?


----------



## Magyarmum

rottiepointerhouse said:


> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd4vr7lvrvmo
> 
> Deaths from heart and circulatory diseases among people under 75 is on the rise for the first time in 50 years, UK figures show.
> 
> The British Heart Foundation (BHF) says increasing rates of diabetes and obesity are partly responsible.
> 
> Over the last five years the UK has seen an 18% increase in people diagnosed with diabetes. Circulatory diseases include stroke and diseases of the arteries.
> 
> "But we're seeing more people die each year from heart and circulatory diseases in the UK before they reach their 75th, or even 65th, birthday. We are deeply concerned by this reversal.
> 
> "Heart and circulatory diseases remain a leading cause of death in the UK, with millions at risk because of conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes.
> 
> and just when you think they might actually have finally grasped that a WFPB diet could arrest and reverse heart disease and so they might actually think about promoting it they come out with this
> 
> "We need to work in partnership with government, the NHS and medical research community to increase research investment and accelerate innovative approaches to diagnose and support the millions of people at risk of a heart attack or stroke."
> 
> My Mum went for a meal with a friend to a chain pub restaurant the other day and made the mistake of telling me what she had to eat :Shifty:Shifty needless to say I looked it up
> 
> Starter - Halloumi Fries with a dip - 587 calories per serving, 47.3 g of fat, 15.7g of which is saturated and 3.7g of salt. Main - Beer fish and chips 920 calories per serving, 48g of fat, 5.2 of which is saturated, salt 1.8g. :Jawdrop:Jawdrop Thankfully she didn't have pudding. She is a diabetic with hit and miss control of her blood sugars and has high blood pressure despite 3 medications. One meal exceeded the RDA for saturated fat and is more than half the allowance of salt. I despair sometimes I really do  Who knew they fried cheese and soaked fish in beer before frying it. Oh and where are the vegetables?


I know the feeling!

My son is a Type 1 diabetic who is trying to adopt a more plant based diet by cutting down on meat, dairy and oils. The last time he went for a check up and consultation with his healthcare professional (I'm not sure whether she's a nurse or a doctor) he was told as he has his diabetes under good control, not to worry too much about what he eats!

Inwardly screams!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Magyarmum said:


> I know the feeling!
> 
> My son is a Type 1 diabetic who is trying to adopt a more plant based diet by cutting down on meat, dairy and oils. The last time he went for a check up and consultation with his healthcare professional (I'm not sure whether she's a nurse or a doctor) he was told as he has his diabetes under good control, not to worry too much about what he eats!
> 
> Inwardly screams!


:Jawdrop:Jawdrop I hope he ignored them. The diabetic specialist nurse told my Mum it was fine to eat cake - her favourite slice which she often has before bed with a cup of tea contains 2 teaspoons of sugar, I asked her is she would get a bag of sugar out and eat 2 teaspoons of it before bed - she said don't be silly I'm a diabetic :Hilarious:Hilarious


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I'm about half way through this podcast and it has to be one of the most powerful/emotional ones I think I've listened to (must be the first podcast that has made me cry). Highly recommend it.

https://plantproof.com/adam-sud-saved-his-life-with-self-love/

*IN EPISODE 66 I SIT DOWN WITH ADAM SUD, A TREMENDOUSLY BRAVE YOUNG MAN WHO TURNED HIS LIFE AROUND FROM THE LOWEST OF LOWEST BY DISCOVERING OUT HIS TRUE 'WHY' AND MASTERING THE PRACTICE OF SELF LOVE.*
Adam's story is tremendously powerful and one that I feel incredibly privileged to be able to share with you. Today Adam is helping save peoples lives across the world through his work with Whole Foods market, his public speaking and role as a Diabetes & Food Addiction Coach and upcoming clinical trial the 'INFINITE STUDY' exploring the effects of implementing a nutrient-dense diet and nutrition education in early addiction recovery.


Adam's childhood
His diagnosis with ADHD
His disordered eating and subsequent weight gain
How he felt being extremely overweight
When he first heard about plant based nutrition
The rock bottom time of his life
His true 'why'
Rehabilitation
His journey to recovery and learning the art of self love
Addiction versus dependency
How he speaks to himself
and much much more
I have no doubt in my mind that by the end of this conversation you are going to absolutely fall in love with Adam - it's impossible not to. I am incredibly grateful to call him a friend.


----------



## O2.0

Just tried cacao nibs for the first time. Definitely adding to my list of things to put in smoothies and oatmeal. 
I like 'em! 
Texture reminds me of cashews, flavor is definitely chocolate, but very mild, and not sweet. You smell the chocolate more than taste it if that makes sense.


----------



## O2.0

Lunch today 
Yellow squash, bell peppers, onions and quinoa 
Yum!!!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

They are all jumping on board the vegan train - whatever next a Ginsters vegan pasty :Jawdrop

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/pastry-giant-ginsters-vegan-pasty


----------



## Dimwit

Well, I am on week 2 of happy gut diet and this week we get to reintroduce beans 
To be honest, I have struggled a bit with this diet (as have a few other people on our FB group) as the recipes are very heavily curry based which is a trigger for my (and others) acid reflux problems. They also use a LOT of coconut oil/coconut/coconut milk so I am having to adapt most of the recipes as I rarely cook with oil (trying to lose weight) and that much coconut is too much for me. 
That said, it is easy enough to adapt and the people running the course are very approachable and happy to suggest alternatives. Plus, it gets easier as you go along as, when I can use a wider variety of foods I will be able to adapt the recipes even more.

Although, based on the advice below from a well-meaning friend I am going to give up this plant-based fad diet and start chomping on raw steak to cure my depression
*
Have you considered changing your diet? I've been watching a lot of videos and the carnivore diet is supposed to be very good, especially raw carnivore. I can't do that here of course. Apparently, veganism is the least healthy diet ever for humans. Depression, anxiety, rotten teeth, skin issues, digestive issues, and more are all common on a vegetarian or vegan diet. Raw milk and dairy is good though, too.*


----------



## O2.0

Oh my @Dimwit that's uh... wow. I don't even know what to say about that bolded bit LOL!

Glad you're doing well on the happy gut program though


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Dimwit said:


> Well, I am on week 2 of happy gut diet and this week we get to reintroduce beans
> To be honest, I have struggled a bit with this diet (as have a few other people on our FB group) as the recipes are very heavily curry based which is a trigger for my (and others) acid reflux problems. They also use a LOT of coconut oil/coconut/coconut milk so I am having to adapt most of the recipes as I rarely cook with oil (trying to lose weight) and that much coconut is too much for me.
> That said, it is easy enough to adapt and the people running the course are very approachable and happy to suggest alternatives. Plus, it gets easier as you go along as, when I can use a wider variety of foods I will be able to adapt the recipes even more.
> 
> Although, based on the advice below from a well-meaning friend I am going to give up this plant-based fad diet and start chomping on raw steak to cure my depression
> *
> Have you considered changing your diet? I've been watching a lot of videos and the carnivore diet is supposed to be very good, especially raw carnivore. I can't do that here of course. Apparently, veganism is the least healthy diet ever for humans. Depression, anxiety, rotten teeth, skin issues, digestive issues, and more are all common on a vegetarian or vegan diet. Raw milk and dairy is good though, too.*


Yep there is a growing movement of people who only eat animal flesh and some only eat it raw :Jawdrop :Vomit:Vomit They make all sorts of claims but have absolutely no scientific evidence/research to back it up. They pick on a few unhealthy vegans and try to make out everyone eating a WFPB diet is slowly dying. They obviously forgot to read the studies showing reversal of heart disease, prostate cancer, diabetes etc etc. There is a YouTuber called Sv3ridge seen here at a vegan food festival who is a particular nut case


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I'm about half way through this podcast and it has to be one of the most powerful/emotional ones I think I've listened to (must be the first podcast that has made me cry). Highly recommend it.
> 
> https://plantproof.com/adam-sud-saved-his-life-with-self-love/
> 
> *IN EPISODE 66 I SIT DOWN WITH ADAM SUD, A TREMENDOUSLY BRAVE YOUNG MAN WHO TURNED HIS LIFE AROUND FROM THE LOWEST OF LOWEST BY DISCOVERING OUT HIS TRUE 'WHY' AND MASTERING THE PRACTICE OF SELF LOVE.*
> Adam's story is tremendously powerful and one that I feel incredibly privileged to be able to share with you. Today Adam is helping save peoples lives across the world through his work with Whole Foods market, his public speaking and role as a Diabetes & Food Addiction Coach and upcoming clinical trial the 'INFINITE STUDY' exploring the effects of implementing a nutrient-dense diet and nutrition education in early addiction recovery.
> 
> 
> Adam's childhood
> His diagnosis with ADHD
> His disordered eating and subsequent weight gain
> How he felt being extremely overweight
> When he first heard about plant based nutrition
> The rock bottom time of his life
> His true 'why'
> Rehabilitation
> His journey to recovery and learning the art of self love
> Addiction versus dependency
> How he speaks to himself
> and much much more
> I have no doubt in my mind that by the end of this conversation you are going to absolutely fall in love with Adam - it's impossible not to. I am incredibly grateful to call him a friend.


I've finished listening to this podcast, so inspiring and definitely one to share. I've someone in mind I think it would help/interest but am a bit concerned she might be upset about the ADHD stuff as her children have both taken the meds for it. Dilemma


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Lots of plant based news this evening 

Greggs to launch more vegan options after success of the sausage roll

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...ekly+News!)&mc_cid=e283d25c87&mc_eid=[UNIQID]

Bosh win a major publishing award (non fiction lifestyle) for their first cookbook

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...ekly+News!)&mc_cid=e283d25c87&mc_eid=[UNIQID]

Business Insider article states Fast Food giants must add more vegan options or face the consequences

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...ekly+News!)&mc_cid=e283d25c87&mc_eid=[UNIQID]


----------



## Elles

Hubby bought me one of the sausage rolls. I can’t pretend to know what a ‘real’ one tastes like, but I quite liked it. It was easy to eat.


----------



## Elles

If we get too much unhealthy fast food, we’ll get too many unhealthy vegans and what’s the betting they blame veganism and not processing? Which would be healthier? Fast food vegan, or fast food not vegan. I’d guess they’d both be unhealthy, but which would be worse?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Elles said:


> If we get too much unhealthy fast food, we'll get too many unhealthy vegans and what's the betting they blame veganism and not processing? Which would be healthier? Fast food vegan, or fast food not vegan. I'd guess they'd both be unhealthy, but which would be worse?


I've got mixed views about it. From a health point of view junk food is junk food and although I think there are some studies that show junk vegan is slightly healthier than junk animal based it certainly won't be healthier than a more thought out/healthy eating style traditional diet. From an ethical point of view though at least they are not eating/drinking animals and so less animals will suffer which has to be a good thing and the more vegan food is seen and available the easier it will be for people to make changes. For instance some of the teenagers I've seen being talked to on Cubes of Truth say they still want to go places with their friends and not stand out as different so if the main stream junk food outlets have vegan options that will make life easier for them. We just have to try and coach them to eat WFPB as much as possible and keep the junk food for an occasional treat.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Not really sure where to post this but wanted it to go somewhere and can't be bothered to take the flak if I start a new thread on it so sticking it here

https://www.bmj.com/content/360/bmj.k322

*Conclusions* In this large prospective study, a 10% increase in the proportion of ultra-processed foods in the diet was associated with a significant increase of greater than 10% in risks of overall and breast cancer. Further studies are needed to better understand the relative effect of the various dimensions of processing (nutritional composition, food additives, contact materials, and neoformed contaminants) in these associations.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/mr-kipling-launch-vegan-cakes-desserts

Mr Kipling/Bisto bringing out a range of plant based cakes, desserts and soups.


----------



## Elles

Plantastic? Bad name, sounds artificial, too close to plastic. I’d go to pick it up, be instantly reminded that it’s not wfpb, or healthy and put it back down. :Hilarious


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Elles said:


> Plantastic? Bad name, sounds artificial, too close to plastic. I'd go to pick it up, be instantly reminded that it's not wfpb, or healthy and put it back down. :Hilarious


Probably just as well as I expect it will be a load of sugar and fat anyway


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

A couple of interesting things to think about from Plant Based News

The first is about care homes needing to cater for vegan/vegetarian residents

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/vegans-uk-care-homes-skyrockets-167-5-years

The second is Belgian doctors claiming a vegan diet is unsuitable for unborn children, children, teenagers, pregnant and lactating women and that parents should be prosecuted. They obviously don't agree with the American Dietetic Association then 

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/parents-raising-children-vegan-prosecuted


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> The second is Belgian doctors claiming a vegan diet is unsuitable for unborn children, children, teenagers, pregnant and lactating women


*sigh*

I wasn't vegan when I was pregnant and lactating, but I was avoiding dairy because I had horrible nausea right away and dairy was a definite trigger. It barely landed in my stomach before coming right back up again, and I learned quickly which foods were less horrible to upchuck. Dairy was not one of them. So by default I was no meat, no dairy during pregnancy, eggs I can't stand anyway so they were off the menu unless they were hidden in something.

I did have twins, but my milk production was ridiculous. There are so many old-wives tales around lactation, I'm *ahem* rather small, and so many people said I would struggle to produce enough for one let alone two, yet I had an entire freezer full of breast milk and still enough to spare. So I guess a lack of cow's milk didn't hurt me that much 

My poor meat deprived children don't seem that affected to me either....


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> *sigh*
> 
> I wasn't vegan when I was pregnant and lactating, but I was avoiding dairy because I had horrible nausea right away and dairy was a definite trigger. It barely landed in my stomach before coming right back up again, and I learned quickly which foods were less horrible to upchuck. Dairy was not one of them. So by default I was no meat, no dairy during pregnancy, eggs I can't stand anyway so they were off the menu unless they were hidden in something.
> 
> I did have twins, but my milk production was ridiculous. There are so many old-wives tales around lactation, I'm *ahem* rather small, and so many people said I would struggle to produce enough for one let alone two, yet I had an entire freezer full of breast milk and still enough to spare. So I guess a lack of cow's milk didn't hurt me that much
> 
> My poor meat deprived children don't seem that affected to me either....


I'm actually quite shocked by their ignorance


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I'm actually quite shocked by their ignorance


My kids were born in 2002, my primary doctor is Indian and was totally fine with my diet, my maternal fetal medicine doctors, one was also Indian and also totally fine with how I ate. It was actually really nice to have the support of 'experts' while so many other people were giving me a pretty hard time. I did have complications, but nothing to do with diet, had to do with twins and one baby's placenta growing on top of the other's. Considering everything that was happening, my body (and the babies) weathered it exceptionally well. At one point I had so much bleeding it looked like a slaughter house, yet the babies and I were perfectly fine and my body was able to clot off the bleed.
And the babies were actually pretty good sized despite being preemies and twins which are normally smaller. 
At 31 weeks one was 4 pounds 6 ounces, which is huge even for a singleton, and the other was 3 pounds 6 ounces, with is still above average for that gestational age.

Had one of *those* comments yesterday, an acquaintance didn't know I don't eat meat or dairy, it came up in conversation (as usual, not me, but a friend who does know how I eat said "she's vegan"). The aquaintance looked shocked and said the usual, "What? No meat? Ever?" I'm trying to brush it off and change the subject and she cuts me off with "no wonder you're so skinny!" And the way she said it did not sound like it was meant as a compliment. 
Can you imagine if I had responded with "oh, no wonder you're so fat!"


----------



## Elles

That was bound to happen when you get people killing babies by feeding them nothing but plant milk. 

A link to the quoted article from the Telegraph

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...hildren-vegans-should-prosecuted-say-belgian/

I think we should be careful not to dismiss it. It's quite true that feeding a stupid vegan diet can cause harm, just as feeding a stupid none vegan diet can cause harm. Of course with even the UN promoting plant based I doubt a vegan diet will become illegal, but it would be better if people learned about it first.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Elles said:


> That was bound to happen when you get people killing babies by feeding them nothing but plant milk.
> 
> A link to the quoted article from the Telegraph
> 
> https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...hildren-vegans-should-prosecuted-say-belgian/
> 
> I think we should be careful not to dismiss it. It's quite true that feeding a stupid vegan diet can cause harm, just as feeding a stupid none vegan diet can cause harm. Of course with even the UN promoting plant based I doubt a vegan diet will become illegal, but it would be better if people learned about it first.


From the article

"The opinion said it was unethical to subject children to the diet because it didn't include animal proteins and vital amino acids which can help growth and prevent health problems."

Now I wouldn't have a problem with that if they took out the word animal and just made it unethical to feed children a diet which didn't include vital amino acids and other vital nutrients. Feeding kids junk food which lacks fibre and a great many micronutrients is OK then according to them  What about obese children who are calorie rich but nutrient poor - do they plan to prosecute all of those parents too?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Dr. Garth Davis on the importance of calorie density and exercise.


----------



## O2.0

Elles said:


> That was bound to happen when you get people killing babies by feeding them nothing but plant milk.


Babies also die from drinking cow's milk which is why the recommendation is to not feed any baby cow's milk until they are at least a year old. It can quite literally kill them.

And that's the thing. Stupid nutritional advice is stupid nutritional advice whether it's vegan or not. People should absolutely be aware of proper nutrition, especially in young, growing children. 
But there aren't any stories out there about prosecuting parents who's children end up with fatal anemia from intestinal bleeding due to being fed cow's milk even though that's a real issue:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2791650/

My issue is not that we shouldn't educate people on how to do a vegan diet healthfully, definitely let's do this. 
My issue is that it's always the vegan diet that's scrutinized, yet fiber deficient diets, diets full of processed frankenfood, those diets don't get mentioned. 
We feed toddlers hot dogs, a known carcinogen, and all experts say is to cut them lengthwise to reduce the risk of choking. 
We feed school age children bacon - another known carcinogen and no-one bats an eye.

But feed your child veggie nuggets instead of chicken nuggets (which is the worst kind of reconstituted 'meat') and holy cow! The nutritional experts come out in droves!


----------



## Elles

I agree. So how about we make feeding children poor nutrition generally, illegal? Allowing children to starve illegal everywhere, not just in countries like the U.K. or Belgium. A child in the U.K. starves and those responsible may go to prison. Wouldn’t it be incredible if those responsible for the death of a child anywhere went to prison. 

Still, that’s silly. Sorry. No one is going to send an army and dictators to prison because they cause children to starve.

I agree with the whataboutery. It shines a light on nutrition generally. Most of the advice, lessons and food available is rubbish. We get chaff thrown at us not the wheat. 

I don’t think we should be defending veganism, I think we should be attacking food suppliers.


----------



## Elles

Oh and arrest stupid doctors who want arrest every vegan, because some people have made mistakes feeding their kids.

As you say, we are told not to feed our babies cow’s milk before one year old. I don’t remember ever being told anything about a vegetarian, or vegan diet.


----------



## Magyarmum

Elles said:


> Oh and arrest stupid doctors who want arrest every vegan, because some people have made mistakes feeding their kids.
> 
> As you say, we are told not to feed our babies cow's milk before one year old. I don't remember ever being told anything about a vegetarian, or vegan diet.


One of my grandsons was brought up vegan from birth. He's now a big strapping lad of 21 who apart from having his tonsils removed, has never had an illness in his life. I don't think my 23 year old granddaughter has ever drunk milk and neither has her mother, my DIL. They both drink water or 100% fruit juice.

A very interesting article about the increase of diabetes in India and Bangladesh due to the change in their eating habits. Quite frightening!

https://www.dw.com/en/sweet-food-bi...n-newsletter_en_bulletin-2097-html-newsletter

*Sweet food, bitter effect in India and Bangladesh*


----------



## O2.0

Magyarmum said:


> One of my grandsons was brought up vegan from birth. He's now a big strapping lad of 21 who apart from having his tonsils removed, has never had an illness in his life. I don't think my 23 year old granddaughter has ever drunk milk and neither has her mother, my DIL. They both drink water or 100% fruit juice.


I use my children as examples of vegan/vegetarian kids, but I know personally several now adults who were raised vegan or vegetarian. Most of the kids did go though a semi-omnivore phase as teens, like my own children, I don't dictate what they eat outside of the house, but it's funny how they know what meat and cheese does to them, and even when the option is there, they often choose the meat/dairy free options.

Basically this Belgian pediatrician is full of hot air. Children can and do thrive on a healthy vegan diet.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Magyarmum said:


> One of my grandsons was brought up vegan from birth. He's now a big strapping lad of 21 who apart from having his tonsils removed, has never had an illness in his life. I don't think my 23 year old granddaughter has ever drunk milk and neither has her mother, my DIL. They both drink water or 100% fruit juice.
> 
> A very interesting article about the increase of diabetes in India and Bangladesh due to the change in their eating habits. Quite frightening!
> 
> https://www.dw.com/en/sweet-food-bi...n-newsletter_en_bulletin-2097-html-newsletter
> 
> *Sweet food, bitter effect in India and Bangladesh*


How wonderful to have been vegan from birth, I only wish I had stuck with it back in the early 80's and not lost my way 

The article is interesting but sad they are focusing on sugar so much and even rice without addressing fat.

This article is interesting

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/12/...ns-have-such-high-rates-of-heart-disease.html

This discrepancy plays out in their dietary behaviors. Almost 40 percent of Masala participants are vegetarian, a common practice in India that is widely regarded in the West as heart healthy. But vegetarians who eat traditional South Asian foods like fried snacks, sweetened beverages and high-fat dairy products were found to have worse cardiovascular health than those who eat what the researchers call a "prudent" diet with more fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans and whole grains (and, for nonvegetarians, fish and chicken). People who eat a Western style diet with red and processed meat, alcohol, refined carbohydrates and few fruits and vegetables were also found to have more metabolic risk factors.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25904730

*RESULTS:*
A total of 892 participants were included (47% women). We identified 3 major dietary patterns: animal protein; fried snacks, sweets, and high-fat dairy; and fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes. These were analyzed by tertile of factor score. The highest vs. the lowest tertile of the fried snacks, sweets, and high-fat dairy pattern was associated with higher homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (β: 1.88 mmol/L ⋅ uIU/L) and lower HDL cholesterol (β: -4.48 mg/dL) in a model adjusted for age, sex, study site, and caloric intake (P < 0.05). The animal protein pattern was associated with higher body mass index (β: 0.73 m/kg(2)), waist circumference (β: 0.84 cm), total cholesterol (β: 8.16 mg/dL), and LDL cholesterol (β: 5.69 mg/dL) (all P < 0.05). The fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes pattern was associated with lower odds of hypertension (OR: 0.63) and metabolic syndrome (OR: 0.53), and lower HOMA-IR (β: 1.95 mmol/L ⋅ uIU/L) (P < 0.05).

*CONCLUSIONS:*
The animal protein and the fried snacks, sweets, and high-fat dairy patterns were associated with adverse metabolic risk factors in South Asians in the United States, whereas the fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes pattern was linked with a decreased prevalence of hypertension and metabolic syndrome.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

This lady is a paediatrician, she has twins who have been vegan since 18 mnths. She starts talking about vegan children at 3.50 (after a long introduction & talking about Virginia Woolf)

Dr Ellen Storm talks about raising her children on a vegan diet. Health and Nutrition Conference, Warrington, April 13th 2019






Plant Based News/Dr Gemma Newman and Dr Neal Barnard have also made an online course in How to Raise A Vegan Child - there is a small charge but it looks very detailed so probably well worth considering for anyone thinking of raising their child vegan if they have any concerns or just want to be better informed

https://www.plantbasednews.org/how-to-raise-a-child-vegan


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

@O2.0 have you seen Dr Garth Davis's posts on social media about running as he is trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon and thought now he has reached 50 he would be able to reach their qualifying time but they went and made it harder. He is using something called 80:20 and wants to hear from anyone else who has tried it.


----------



## Magyarmum

Wagamama have launched a vegan "egg"!

Not for me thank you because I've hated eggs since I was a small child:Yuck:Yuck:Yuck

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/en...48ab93e9?ncid=newsletter-ukukfinds051819&utm_

*Wagamama Launches Vegan 'Egg' - We Tried It (And Filmed Our Reactions)*


----------



## Cleo38

I made the Bosh spicy chickpea curry today & it's lovely!



__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=329469481099975



I added garlic, green lentils & potato to mine as I always have to make some tweaks! Am having it with chapatis for tea tonight .... Mmmmm!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> I made the Bosh spicy chickpea curry today & it's lovely!
> 
> 
> 
> __ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=329469481099975
> 
> 
> 
> I added garlic, green lentils & potato to mine as I always have to make some tweaks! Am having it with chapatis for tea tonight .... Mmmmm!
> 
> View attachment 404074


I think I've made it before but I'm not totally sure so will have to try it again. Down the side bar the Peri Peri Tornado Potatoes look yummy. Just need to find something to replace all that fat with though.


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> I made the Bosh spicy chickpea curry today & it's lovely!
> 
> 
> 
> __ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=329469481099975
> 
> 
> 
> I added garlic, green lentils & potato to mine as I always have to make some tweaks! Am having it with chapatis for tea tonight .... Mmmmm!
> 
> View attachment 404074


Looks good!

Great minds think alike, or so they say, 'cos I had a curry as well!

Last night I made a mushroom, celery, pinto bean, pea and vermicelli risotto and as I had some left over decided to make a small, sweet potato, carrot, celeriac and broccoli curry to go with it ....... delish!

There's enough left for a meal tomorrow which I'll probably have with a homemade naan.


----------



## O2.0

It's over 90 degrees today, my favorite market had some gorgeous yellow mangos, pineapple, oranges...
I came home and made a green smoothie with baby spinach, mango, banana, orange and some flaxseed meal thrown in. Delicious and perfect 'cause I sure don't feel like cooking!


----------



## Cleo38

Think I'm going to try the guacajacks from the new Bosh book next as I bought a few avocados the other day seeing as they were half price. Has anyone else made any of the recipes from the new book yet?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Cleo38 said:


> Think I'm going to try the guacajacks from the new Bosh book next as I bought a few avocados the other day seeing as they were half price. Has anyone else made any of the recipes from the new book yet?


No I still haven't tried anything.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Not sure whether to start a thread in general chat with this or whether it might cause offence  Very interesting podcast (only 30 mins)

*EPISODE 5: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ELEPHANT…IN YOUR PANTS*
*with Dr. Aaron Spitz*

https://plantstrongpodcast.squarespace.com/blog/episode-5-dr-aaron-spitz

"If we can't get [men] with concern over their heart or concern over cancer, we can probably get them with concern over their penis. A plant-powered penis is the key to a plant-powered person. It is the gateway organ," shares Dr. Aaron Spitz in this eye-opening and *ahem* uplifting conversation giving straight answers on the topic every man cares about, but is too afraid to ask.

Dr. Spitz has a clear five-step plan to improve sexual health: Go Fork Yourself, Sexercise, Go Offline, Detox, and Snooze or Lose. His easy-to-implement directives cover a wide range of behaviors worth examining and will dispel any concern listeners may have about forfeiting their man card in exchange for a plant-strong diet.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/morrisons-vegan-tuna-tinned-fish-aisle

Morrisons supermarket selling vegan tuna apparently made from soy protein with natural flavourings. Hopefully other supermarkets will get on board too. Looking forward to trying this so see what the taste/texture are like.


----------



## Magyarmum




----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/morrisons-vegan-tuna-tinned-fish-aisle
> 
> Morrisons supermarket selling vegan tuna apparently made from soy protein with natural flavourings. Hopefully other supermarkets will get on board too. Looking forward to trying this so see what the taste/texture are like.


Have you tried the FoK 'tuna' salad?
https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-no-tuna-salad-sandwich/#gs.ds8ezs
I keep meaning to try to make a batch then forget to...


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I was so enjoying this article/study about TMAO and heart disease

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2734678

Particular points of interest

Over the past several decades, public health experts and physicians have pinned a hefty portion of the blame for heart disease on saturated fat. That's not without reason. The long-chain saturated fatty acids found in foods like steak, butter, and coconut oil raise artery-clogging low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, a cause of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. At the same time, diets high in red meat have been strongly associatedwith heart disease and mortality. But a problem has emerged: meta-analyses of dietary recall studies suggest that saturated fat intake may not be as tightly linked to cardiovascular disease and mortality risk as was previously thought. Cholesterol content likewise doesn't appear to adequately explain the hazards of a red meat-rich diet.

Now, researchers are homing in on another possible culprit: a dietary metabolite linked to red meat called trimethylamine _N_-oxide, or TMAO. Three recent meta-analyses confirmed that high blood levels of TMAO are associated with increased risks of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. One of the studies, published in the _Journal of the American Heart Association_ in 2017, found a more than 60% heightened risk of both major adverse cardiovascular events and death from all causes in people with elevated TMAO. Other research has associated higher TMAO levels with heart failure and chronic kidney disease.

Research suggests that TMAO is part of an additional biological pathway through which red meat raises heart disease risk, said JoAnn Manson, MD, DrPH, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, who coauthored the 2017 analysis. The body makes TMAO from foods with choline and l-carnitine, nutrients that are abundant in meat, poultry, fish, dairy, and egg yolks. Liver enzymes produce TMAO from its precursor, a gas called trimethylamine (TMA) that's formed when gut bacteria break down these nutrients.

Red meat is particularly high in l-carnitine. A team of Cleveland Clinic scientists, in collaboration with colleagues at the Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute in California, recently studied the role of red meat and saturated fat in gut microbiome-related TMAO generation. Red meat consumption raised some participants' plasma TMAO levels substantially more than white meat or nonmeat protein consumption. (All the participants had eggs and dairy as part of their meals.) *Shame they didn't compare them to people on a fully plant based diet!*

Not only did red meat increase the amount of l-carnitine available for TMAO synthesis, it also appeared to shift the gut microbiome, fueling more bacteria for the task. And for still unknown reasons, it also reduced the kidneys' ability to excrete TMAO in urine. The effects were reversed when the participants were crossed over to white-meat and nonmeat diets.

*It was all going so well and then
*
Hazen intends to be ready when that time comes. He's searching for drugs that could reduce TMAO levels. One option might be to block liver enzymes from converting TMA to TMAO, much like statins tamp down cholesterol production in the liver. But people with the rare metabolic disorder trimethylaminuria, who naturally can't convert TMA into TMAO, give off a strong fishy odor, something scientists want to avoid inducing intentionally. Another alternative would be to augment renal clearance of the metabolite.

developed a family of drugs that in mice block microbial production of TMA from choline and, in turn, reduce TMAO, preventing heightened platelet reactivity and thrombosis without increasing bleeding risks. With the recent discovery of the intestinal bacteria that convert l-carnitine into TMA in a 2-step process, researchers can now begin to develop an inhibitor for this pathway, too. Meanwhile, scientists at the Medical College of Wisconsin are also investigating probiotics to reduce TMAO levels in patients with coronary artery disease.

*Thankfully some good sensible advice from cardiologist Kim Williams*

But what about the most obvious approach, dietary modification? For Williams, a self-described "plant-based cardiologist," the existing evidence solidly places TMAO among what he says are the known animal-product contributors to heart disease: saturated fat, dietary cholesterol, heme iron, and ruminant trans fat. Williams cited the mortality-reducing effects of a "provegetarian" food pattern, and said the research on TMAO is yet another reason to stop eating animals in all forms, or at the very least eliminate red meat. Bolstering his argument, a recent meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials found the most favorable blood lipid changes when red meat-heavy diets were substituted with high-quality plant protein diets.

Hazen used to be avid red-meat eater, but he said it's now a "very, very rare item on the plate." Yet he, too, is wary of insisting that others make the same drastic change. "Diet is a personal choice," he said. "We beat up patients over their eating habits. I don't think that is productive." Although he believes that patients should be educated about the risks associated with eating a red meat-heavy diet, which could nudge them toward a plant-based one, he thinks it's unrealistic to expect everyone to act on the information. *"That's why I want to develop a drug: so that you can have your steak and eat it, too,"* he said. :Rage:Rage


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> Have you tried the FoK 'tuna' salad?
> https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-no-tuna-salad-sandwich/#gs.ds8ezs
> I keep meaning to try to make a batch then forget to...


No I haven't tried it, I'm eating gluten free as the moment so have really cut back my consumption of bread to an occasional slice of a gluten free seeded bread, I might give it a try as a potato topping though


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/25-brits-vegan-veggie-2025-sainsburys

Sainburys predict 25% of Brits will be vegan by 2025 :Woot:Woot Sales of their meat free range growing by 20% each week :Jawdrop


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

What do people think about this?

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...-wannabe-vegan-son-to-feed-him-meat-and-dairy

I wouldn't want to be in her shoes when he is old enough to realise the implications of his mother lying to him. Strange thing to do.


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I was so enjoying this article/study about TMAO and heart disease
> 
> https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2734678
> 
> Particular points of interest
> 
> Over the past several decades, public health experts and physicians have pinned a hefty portion of the blame for heart disease on saturated fat. That's not without reason. The long-chain saturated fatty acids found in foods like steak, butter, and coconut oil raise artery-clogging low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, a cause of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. At the same time, diets high in red meat have been strongly associatedwith heart disease and mortality. But a problem has emerged: meta-analyses of dietary recall studies suggest that saturated fat intake may not be as tightly linked to cardiovascular disease and mortality risk as was previously thought. Cholesterol content likewise doesn't appear to adequately explain the hazards of a red meat-rich diet.
> 
> Now, researchers are homing in on another possible culprit: a dietary metabolite linked to red meat called trimethylamine _N_-oxide, or TMAO. Three recent meta-analyses confirmed that high blood levels of TMAO are associated with increased risks of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. One of the studies, published in the _Journal of the American Heart Association_ in 2017, found a more than 60% heightened risk of both major adverse cardiovascular events and death from all causes in people with elevated TMAO. Other research has associated higher TMAO levels with heart failure and chronic kidney disease.
> 
> Research suggests that TMAO is part of an additional biological pathway through which red meat raises heart disease risk, said JoAnn Manson, MD, DrPH, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, who coauthored the 2017 analysis. The body makes TMAO from foods with choline and l-carnitine, nutrients that are abundant in meat, poultry, fish, dairy, and egg yolks. Liver enzymes produce TMAO from its precursor, a gas called trimethylamine (TMA) that's formed when gut bacteria break down these nutrients.
> 
> Red meat is particularly high in l-carnitine. A team of Cleveland Clinic scientists, in collaboration with colleagues at the Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute in California, recently studied the role of red meat and saturated fat in gut microbiome-related TMAO generation. Red meat consumption raised some participants' plasma TMAO levels substantially more than white meat or nonmeat protein consumption. (All the participants had eggs and dairy as part of their meals.) *Shame they didn't compare them to people on a fully plant based diet!*
> 
> Not only did red meat increase the amount of l-carnitine available for TMAO synthesis, it also appeared to shift the gut microbiome, fueling more bacteria for the task. And for still unknown reasons, it also reduced the kidneys' ability to excrete TMAO in urine. The effects were reversed when the participants were crossed over to white-meat and nonmeat diets.
> 
> *It was all going so well and then
> *
> Hazen intends to be ready when that time comes. He's searching for drugs that could reduce TMAO levels. One option might be to block liver enzymes from converting TMA to TMAO, much like statins tamp down cholesterol production in the liver. But people with the rare metabolic disorder trimethylaminuria, who naturally can't convert TMA into TMAO, give off a strong fishy odor, something scientists want to avoid inducing intentionally. Another alternative would be to augment renal clearance of the metabolite.
> 
> developed a family of drugs that in mice block microbial production of TMA from choline and, in turn, reduce TMAO, preventing heightened platelet reactivity and thrombosis without increasing bleeding risks. With the recent discovery of the intestinal bacteria that convert l-carnitine into TMA in a 2-step process, researchers can now begin to develop an inhibitor for this pathway, too. Meanwhile, scientists at the Medical College of Wisconsin are also investigating probiotics to reduce TMAO levels in patients with coronary artery disease.
> 
> *Thankfully some good sensible advice from cardiologist Kim Williams*
> 
> But what about the most obvious approach, dietary modification? For Williams, a self-described "plant-based cardiologist," the existing evidence solidly places TMAO among what he says are the known animal-product contributors to heart disease: saturated fat, dietary cholesterol, heme iron, and ruminant trans fat. Williams cited the mortality-reducing effects of a "provegetarian" food pattern, and said the research on TMAO is yet another reason to stop eating animals in all forms, or at the very least eliminate red meat. Bolstering his argument, a recent meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials found the most favorable blood lipid changes when red meat-heavy diets were substituted with high-quality plant protein diets.
> 
> Hazen used to be avid red-meat eater, but he said it's now a "very, very rare item on the plate." Yet he, too, is wary of insisting that others make the same drastic change. "Diet is a personal choice," he said. "We beat up patients over their eating habits. I don't think that is productive." Although he believes that patients should be educated about the risks associated with eating a red meat-heavy diet, which could nudge them toward a plant-based one, he thinks it's unrealistic to expect everyone to act on the information. *"That's why I want to develop a drug: so that you can have your steak and eat it, too,"* he said. :Rage:Rage


For the record, cardiologist Kim Williams is also the former president of the American College of Cardiology (2015-2016). He's no random doctor.

It's very strange this attitude we have about diet changes being so radical and drastic. 
Meanwhile people are having veins removed from their legs to replace failing veins elsewhere, people are having their chests cut open, their rib cage sawed apart, and that's okay, but asking someone to eat less steak and more veggies is somehow radical? What a weird place we're in mentally....


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> What do people think about this?
> 
> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...-wannabe-vegan-son-to-feed-him-meat-and-dairy
> 
> I wouldn't want to be in her shoes when he is old enough to realise the implications of his mother lying to him. Strange thing to do.


This bothers me a lot more than I thought it would, but it's probably symptomatic of a whole lot of other issues going on, not just her son wanting to be vegan.

How very odd to lie to your 5 year old so that they'll eat birthday cake... At 5 my own son didn't want birthday cake, he's one of those strange people who doesn't like cake. I'm not sure how he's related to me, but, he doesn't like sweets that much. So if he didn't want cake, no problem, don't eat cake. What's the issue there?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> For the record, cardiologist Kim Williams is also the former president of the American College of Cardiology (2015-2016). He's no random doctor.
> 
> It's very strange this attitude we have about diet changes being so radical and drastic.
> Meanwhile people are having veins removed from their legs to replace failing veins elsewhere, people are having their chests cut open, their rib cage sawed apart, and that's okay, but asking someone to eat less steak and more veggies is somehow radical? What a weird place we're in mentally....


Yes the cardiologist who made the famous quote "there are two kinds of cardiologists, vegans and those who haven't read the research"  I still can't get over why that researcher would waste time/money/years searching for a drug instead of just telling people to stop eating that crap. Why wait? changing to a plant based diet would save lives now not in 10 years time


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> This bothers me a lot more than I thought it would, but it's probably symptomatic of a whole lot of other issues going on, not just her son wanting to be vegan.
> 
> How very odd to lie to your 5 year old so that they'll eat birthday cake... At 5 my own son didn't want birthday cake, he's one of those strange people who doesn't like cake. I'm not sure how he's related to me, but, he doesn't like sweets that much. So if he didn't want cake, no problem, don't eat cake. What's the issue there?


In some ways its even worse that she has told the rest of the world she is lying to him, she is making a fool of him really which he might find hard to forgive. I don't get why she would do that, if for whatever reason she doesn't think he should be vegan then why not sit him down and explain, perhaps say be vegetarian for now because I haven't got time to do the research to find out how to make sure you get everything you need for growth and energy and when you are a bit older you can help with food preparation etc. I don't know, it just seems cruel to lie to him.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Just made myself a yummy lunch. Threw some new potatoes in the steamer with some leek, brussel sprouts, asparagus and edame beans then mixed up a dressing with a couple of tbsps of hummus, some lemon juice, 2 tsp of mustard and some black pepper, poured that all over the veg and sprinkled with nutritional yeast.


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/25-brits-vegan-veggie-2025-sainsburys
> 
> Sainburys predict 25% of Brits will be vegan by 2025 :Woot:Woot Sales of their meat free range growing by 20% each week :Jawdrop


That is awesome. I do most of my shopping at Sainsburys and I have noticed that just in the last few months their vegan range has expanded massively.



rottiepointerhouse said:


> Just made myself a yummy lunch. Threw some new potatoes in the steamer with some leek, brussel sprouts, asparagus and edame beans then mixed up a dressing with a couple of tbsps of hummus, some lemon juice, 2 tsp of mustard and some black pepper, poured that all over the veg and sprinkled with nutritional yeast.


Sounds nice. I do love abit of hummus as dressing, had a huge salad with brown rice and chickpeas today and my 'go to' dressing...hummus!
(after about a month of eating junk food my body has finally had enough and the whole food cravings have kicked in!LOL:Shy:Hilarious).


----------



## Elles

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Yes the cardiologist who made the famous quote "there are two kinds of cardiologists, vegans and those who haven't read the research"  I still can't get over why that researcher would waste time/money/years searching for a drug instead of just telling people to stop eating that crap. Why wait? changing to a plant based diet would save lives now not in 10 years time


Follow the money? Every time I read something about research it involves coming up with drugs. It's probably the only way they can get funding.


----------



## Elles

It’s my 62nd birthday in a couple of weeks. I’ve spent my life as a vegetarian and I ate cheese, ice cream, had milk in my coffee etc. I was just watching an advert for leerdammer and it suddenly struck me that after over half a century of dairy consumption, I’ll never eat it again. It no longer matters to me whether the cows eat grass or not, because I don’t want their milk and for some strange reason I can’t really fathom, I felt quite sad.


----------



## catz4m8z

Elles said:


> for some strange reason I can't really fathom, I felt quite sad.


I still get wicked cheesey pizza cravings and do feel abit sad when I realiese I cant have it anymore. I think its more sad in the abstract though as I def dont want any part of dairy cheese and all the cruelty involved. I suppose its because they have been part of our habits for such a long time?

Making cakes today! I figure if I have relatively healthy treats in I wont go for junk food so much!:Shy My basic cake recipe is wm flour, oats, courgettes, baking powder and plant milk (then flavours!) so I dont think its too bad. I made banana walnut and apple cinnamon. I know both bananas and apple sauce can be used as an egg substitute so I can compare!
Although is there a healthier flour to use I wonder?? I dont bake much but I do the odd cake now and again.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Belgian doctors claiming a vegan diet is unsuitable for unborn children, children, teenagers, pregnant and lactating women and that parents should be prosecuted. They obviously don't agree with the American Dietetic Association then 

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/parents-raising-children-vegan-prosecuted[/QUOTE]

Remember the above from a couple of pages back. Here is the response of the PCRM

Dear Dr. Casimir,

As dietitians and physicians, we are greatly concerned about errors in your recent publication "Régimes végétariens et végétaliens administrés aux enfants et adolescents." Several key statements and conclusions were not based on scientific evidence and were both erroneous and misleading. It is essential that this information be corrected.

As you know, an evidence-based, peer-reviewed publication from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) reached very different conclusions from your report. Citing a robust body of evidence, the AND concluded, vegan diets are "appropriate, and they satisfy the nutrient needs and promote normal growth at all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy and lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, older adulthood, and for athletes." 1

The authors of your publication wrote that, unless individuals following vegan diets are extremely careful, their diets are likely to be deficient in high-quality protein, vitamins D and B12, calcium, iron, zinc, iodine, and DHA. Let us examine these issues.

Protein is more than adequate on vegetarian and vegan diets. The concept that there is a concern with the amino acid profiles from plants has been discredited. Plants contain all the 2 essential amino acids in varying amounts and, according to one large study (n=71,751), people who follow vegan diets get about twice the amount of protein recommended. The same 3 study showed that people who follow vegan diets also have mean intakes above the recommended amounts for vitamins B12 and D, calcium, omega-3 fats, iron, and zinc.

The only essential nutrient that is not obtained reliably from food alone in a vegan dietary pattern is vitamin B12. Whether it is present in animal products, fortified plant foods, or supplements, this vitamin originates from microorganisms. Fortunately, most prenatal vitamins contain vitamin B12, as well as vitamin D, calcium, iron, zinc, and iodine in order to cover the needs of all pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.

For a breastfeeding infant who is nursing from a mother who supplements with vitamin B12, the lack of B12 in plants is a nonissue. Infant formula, including soy-based formula, also provides a reliable source of B12. Once a child has stopped consuming breast milk or formula, a child can easily get B12 from a supplement or fortified foods. The planning required is minimal.

Iodine was low in many Belgian children's diets in the 1980s and 1990s. This problem had nothing to do with vegetarian or vegan diets and was largely corrected through the introduction of iodized salt and the fortification of bread products with iodized salt. If, for 4 whatever reason, iodine is not part of a mother's regular dietary routine (e.g., iodized salt), it should be supplemented, again, regardless of dietary pattern. It is not a particular issue related to vegan diets.

Iron is abundant in plant-derived foods (e.g., pulses, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, peas, pumpkin seeds, dried fruit such as raisin and figs), and iron deficiency anemia is no more common in individuals following vegetarian or vegan diets than those consuming animal products. In infants, iron stores are sufficient for the first six months, so iron-rich foods may be recommended as first foods. Many parents feed their infants iron-fortified cereals that are easy to digest. Other good choices include, as tolerated, purees of beets, lentils, and spinach, as well as added blackstrap molasses. Typically, pediatricians check iron stores around this time to ensure iron adequacy. Again, this precaution applies irrespective of dietary pattern; it has nothing to do with the use of vegetarian or vegan diets.

Vitamin D is naturally derived from sun exposure. In addition, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all breastfed newborn babies receive a vitamin D supplement, regardless of dietary pattern, until they are at an age when they can safely be in the sun and/ or reliably consume foods, such as fortified products, with this nutrient. 5

Calcium is an important issue, but one that is easily addressed. Most green leafy vegetables and beans provide highly absorbable calcium. Leafy green vegetables' calcium is about twice as absorbable as calcium from cow's milk. If, as a cultural preference, one prefers calcium from a fluid beverage, fortified plant milks and juices have as much if not more calcium than cow's milk.

Omega-3 fatty acids are readily found in a wide variety of plant-derived foods and are converted by the body to their longer forms, including DHA, although the speed of conversion varies from person to person and may be affected by competing dietary fats. The likelihood of lower-than-average DHA levels is about the same in those following vegan and nonvegan diets; this is not an issue specific to those choosing vegan diets. Because DHA is not commonly found in prenatal supplements, a breastfeeding mother who wishes to take a DHA supplement will find them in readily available algae-sourced products.

Children who follow vegetarian, including vegan, diets actually have far more nutritious diets than their nonvegetarian peers. They consume less saturated fat and cholesterol and more fruits and vegetables, and they are less likely to be overweight or obese, compared with children who follow nonvegetarian diets.1 Pregnancy outcomes, such as birth weight and pregnancy duration, are similar between vegetarian and nonvegetarian mothers. Additionally, 6 vegan women are less likely to have excessive gestational weight gain and are at reduced risk 7 for complications, such as preeclampsia and giving birth preterm.8,9

Given the health benefits that come with consuming a vegan diet, the Académie Royale de Médecine de Belgique would be remiss to suggest anything that discourages such eating by its citizens, including parents for their babies and children.

Sincerely, 
Neal Barnard, MD, FACC 
Susan Levin, MS, RD 
Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD 
Vesanto Melina, MS, RD 
Reed Mangels, PhD, RD 
Winston Craig, PhD, MPH, RD

And here is the Belgium Health Minister who is apparently calling for vegan diets to be outlawed for children

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/fat-health-minister-critics-attack-4435156


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31060881

Consuming a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and mushrooms can also improve health and longevity. Phytochemicals such as alkaloids, polyphenols, and terpenoids found in plants and fungi activate the same cellular processes as caloric restriction, fasting, and exercise.


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Belgian doctors claiming a vegan diet is unsuitable for unborn children, children, teenagers, pregnant and lactating women and that parents should be prosecuted. They obviously don't agree with the American Dietetic Association then
> 
> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/parents-raising-children-vegan-prosecuted
> 
> Remember the above from a couple of pages back. Here is the response of the PCRM
> 
> Dear Dr. Casimir,
> 
> As dietitians and physicians, we are greatly concerned about errors in your recent publication "Régimes végétariens et végétaliens administrés aux enfants et adolescents." Several key statements and conclusions were not based on scientific evidence and were both erroneous and misleading. It is essential that this information be corrected.
> 
> As you know, an evidence-based, peer-reviewed publication from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) reached very different conclusions from your report. Citing a robust body of evidence, the AND concluded, vegan diets are "appropriate, and they satisfy the nutrient needs and promote normal growth at all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy and lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, older adulthood, and for athletes." 1
> 
> The authors of your publication wrote that, unless individuals following vegan diets are extremely careful, their diets are likely to be deficient in high-quality protein, vitamins D and B12, calcium, iron, zinc, iodine, and DHA. Let us examine these issues.
> 
> Protein is more than adequate on vegetarian and vegan diets. The concept that there is a concern with the amino acid profiles from plants has been discredited. Plants contain all the 2 essential amino acids in varying amounts and, according to one large study (n=71,751), people who follow vegan diets get about twice the amount of protein recommended. The same 3 study showed that people who follow vegan diets also have mean intakes above the recommended amounts for vitamins B12 and D, calcium, omega-3 fats, iron, and zinc.
> 
> The only essential nutrient that is not obtained reliably from food alone in a vegan dietary pattern is vitamin B12. Whether it is present in animal products, fortified plant foods, or supplements, this vitamin originates from microorganisms. Fortunately, most prenatal vitamins contain vitamin B12, as well as vitamin D, calcium, iron, zinc, and iodine in order to cover the needs of all pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.
> 
> For a breastfeeding infant who is nursing from a mother who supplements with vitamin B12, the lack of B12 in plants is a nonissue. Infant formula, including soy-based formula, also provides a reliable source of B12. Once a child has stopped consuming breast milk or formula, a child can easily get B12 from a supplement or fortified foods. The planning required is minimal.
> 
> Iodine was low in many Belgian children's diets in the 1980s and 1990s. This problem had nothing to do with vegetarian or vegan diets and was largely corrected through the introduction of iodized salt and the fortification of bread products with iodized salt. If, for 4 whatever reason, iodine is not part of a mother's regular dietary routine (e.g., iodized salt), it should be supplemented, again, regardless of dietary pattern. It is not a particular issue related to vegan diets.
> 
> Iron is abundant in plant-derived foods (e.g., pulses, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, peas, pumpkin seeds, dried fruit such as raisin and figs), and iron deficiency anemia is no more common in individuals following vegetarian or vegan diets than those consuming animal products. In infants, iron stores are sufficient for the first six months, so iron-rich foods may be recommended as first foods. Many parents feed their infants iron-fortified cereals that are easy to digest. Other good choices include, as tolerated, purees of beets, lentils, and spinach, as well as added blackstrap molasses. Typically, pediatricians check iron stores around this time to ensure iron adequacy. Again, this precaution applies irrespective of dietary pattern; it has nothing to do with the use of vegetarian or vegan diets.
> 
> Vitamin D is naturally derived from sun exposure. In addition, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all breastfed newborn babies receive a vitamin D supplement, regardless of dietary pattern, until they are at an age when they can safely be in the sun and/ or reliably consume foods, such as fortified products, with this nutrient. 5
> 
> Calcium is an important issue, but one that is easily addressed. Most green leafy vegetables and beans provide highly absorbable calcium. Leafy green vegetables' calcium is about twice as absorbable as calcium from cow's milk. If, as a cultural preference, one prefers calcium from a fluid beverage, fortified plant milks and juices have as much if not more calcium than cow's milk.
> 
> Omega-3 fatty acids are readily found in a wide variety of plant-derived foods and are converted by the body to their longer forms, including DHA, although the speed of conversion varies from person to person and may be affected by competing dietary fats. The likelihood of lower-than-average DHA levels is about the same in those following vegan and nonvegan diets; this is not an issue specific to those choosing vegan diets. Because DHA is not commonly found in prenatal supplements, a breastfeeding mother who wishes to take a DHA supplement will find them in readily available algae-sourced products.
> 
> Children who follow vegetarian, including vegan, diets actually have far more nutritious diets than their nonvegetarian peers. They consume less saturated fat and cholesterol and more fruits and vegetables, and they are less likely to be overweight or obese, compared with children who follow nonvegetarian diets.1 Pregnancy outcomes, such as birth weight and pregnancy duration, are similar between vegetarian and nonvegetarian mothers. Additionally, 6 vegan women are less likely to have excessive gestational weight gain and are at reduced risk 7 for complications, such as preeclampsia and giving birth preterm.8,9
> 
> Given the health benefits that come with consuming a vegan diet, the Académie Royale de Médecine de Belgique would be remiss to suggest anything that discourages such eating by its citizens, including parents for their babies and children.
> 
> Sincerely,
> Neal Barnard, MD, FACC
> Susan Levin, MS, RD
> Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD
> Vesanto Melina, MS, RD
> Reed Mangels, PhD, RD
> Winston Craig, PhD, MPH, RD
> 
> And here is the Belgium Health Minister who is apparently calling for vegan diets to be outlawed for children
> 
> https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/fat-health-minister-critics-attack-4435156


I knew this had come up before.
Whole thread on Italian doctors trying to do the same as this Belgian doctor/minister

https://www.petforums.co.uk/threads/raising-kids-vegan-a-crime.431960/


----------



## Elles

Thanks for the link. My daughter and I had a discussion about fasting only yesterday. Something about some guy who recommends we all fast for 3 weeks, then go whole food plant based, so I sent her the link. @rottiepointerhouse


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## rottiepointerhouse

Elles said:


> Thanks for the link. My daughter and I had a discussion about fasting only yesterday. Something about some guy who recommends we all fast for 3 weeks, then go whole food plant based, so I sent her the link. @rottiepointerhouse


3 weeks :Jawdrop That sounds dangerous. To water fast for that length of time you should ideally be under medical supervision in a clinic, it is used for people with extreme weight/health problems by a few plant based doctors such as True North but they monitor the participants carefully and also insist on rest. The occasional 24-48 hr fast won't do most people any harm apart from insulin controlled diabetics or people with some gut issues. The trend at the moment is more for time restricted eating which has a similar effect, so you have to eat and drink (apart from water or herbal tea with no sweetener) everything in a window of between 8 and 12 hours. I've tried doing it but do find it hard because I eat quite late in the evening so that means I can't have my morning coffee which OH brings me in bed every morning and even though that is only a small thing it sort of means a lot and starts my day off good because a) I enjoy it and b) It makes me feel good that he goes downstairs and makes it for me and brings it up, opens the blinds a bit and turns the TV on for me. I really appreciate that little gesture :Joyful


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> I knew this had come up before.
> Whole thread on Italian doctors trying to do the same as this Belgian doctor/minister
> 
> https://www.petforums.co.uk/threads/raising-kids-vegan-a-crime.431960/


Oh yes I remember that 

Did you look at the link showing the Belgian Health Minister who thinks vegan diets for children should be banned? Someone needs to talk to her about the elephant in the room.


----------



## Elles

Looks like I got the wrong end of the stick, it’s someone she knows personally who fasted and changed diet because he was overweight and diabetic. He was under Dr Gregor and having blood tests etc while he fasted. I assumed (naughty me) that it was some weirdo YouTuber lol.


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Did you look at the link showing the Belgian Health Minister who thinks vegan diets for children should be banned? Someone needs to talk to her about the elephant in the room.


I think there has been a couple of cases of children becoming seriously malnourished in Europe recently and the parents were vegan....probably why some politicians are jumping on this bandwagon! Although Im sure that this happens to kids on an omnivore diet too if the parents arent giving them a nutritionally balanced diet.

On another note how many other vegans do you know in person?? Just curious really as Ive not met another one yet, just a couple of vegatarians...makes me wonder where they all are!!?


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Oh yes I remember that
> 
> Did you look at the link showing the Belgian Health Minister who thinks vegan diets for children should be banned? Someone needs to talk to her about the elephant in the room.


I did. 
Honestly I have mixed feelings. 
I'm not in to judging people on their appearance. On a trail running FB group there was recently a discussion about a runner's body type and how runners come in all shapes and sizes. There are 300+ pound marathon finishers out there. There are also fat vegans. 
I also recoil a bit at the idea of judging someone's competence at their job based on their appearance.

On the other hand, I'm happy to put my judgy McJudgerson pants on when someone who's health is clearly more at risk than mine starts lecturing me about how I should be eating. I'm quick to use my own health as a shield from criticism, some of which might be valid.

Basically, I think I'll just stick to the very valid arguments that support the viability of a vegan diet for all life stages than stoop to ad-hominem arguments.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> I think there has been a couple of cases of children becoming seriously malnourished in Europe recently and the parents were vegan....probably why some politicians are jumping on this bandwagon! Although Im sure that this happens to kids on an omnivore diet too if the parents arent giving them a nutritionally balanced diet.
> 
> On another note how many other vegans do you know in person?? Just curious really as Ive not met another one yet, just a couple of vegatarians...makes me wonder where they all are!!?


But that is a bit like saying a couple of kids died or were seriously injured when their parents were driving them in a car so therefore ban parents from driving cars. It doesn't make sense. Malnutrition occurs in overweight/obese people - they are calorie rich and nutrient poor in many cases. We have a resurgence of some Victorian diseases including Rickets and Scurvy and not because of veganism but many other factors such as lack of education, poverty, availability of decent food etc. This is an interesting article from the BMJ about hunger and malnutrition and although I've only scan read it I don't see veganism being mentioned as a cause

https://www.bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k2238

*Key messages*

Despite record levels of food production globally, hunger and many forms of malnutrition still affect billions of people

While traditionally associated with a lack of food, hunger, and malnutrition (which includes overweight and obesity as well as undernutrition) are associated with low quality diets

Poor diet quality is a problem in every country-high and low income alike. A high quality diet meets most key nutrient needs, mainly through nutrient rich foods

Securing high quality diets for all, comprising sufficiency, diversity, balance, and safety, is necessary to resolve hunger and malnutrition in all its forms

Policy makers must urgently implement evidence based, cost effective actions that have a triple purpose: eradicate hunger, resolve all forms of undernutrition, and tackle obesity

Governments must consider how policies across multiple sectors influence the functioning of food systems from farm to fork. They must identify changes that will help all consumers to have healthy diets

The challenge is huge, but the urgency has never been so great




O2.0 said:


> I did.
> Honestly I have mixed feelings.
> I'm not in to judging people on their appearance. On a trail running FB group there was recently a discussion about a runner's body type and how runners come in all shapes and sizes. There are 300+ pound marathon finishers out there. There are also fat vegans.
> I also recoil a bit at the idea of judging someone's competence at their job based on their appearance.
> 
> On the other hand, I'm happy to put my judgy McJudgerson pants on when someone who's health is clearly more at risk than mine starts lecturing me about how I should be eating. I'm quick to use my own health as a shield from criticism, some of which might be valid.
> 
> Basically, I think I'll just stick to the very valid arguments that support the viability of a vegan diet for all life stages than stoop to ad-hominem arguments.


No I'm not remotely into fat shaming either but I personally would not be taking nutrition or health advice from her and find it a bit ironic that she feels entitled to judge a vegan diet whilst clearly not understanding that obese and overweight children are also frequently malnourished. Does she not think their parents should be prosecuted too? Is she able to make an objective opinion on that?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Sorry @catz4m8z I forgot to answer - my OH is vegan and I have a distant relative who is plus I know another couple who are.


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## catz4m8z

O2.0 said:


> There are also fat vegans.
> I also recoil a bit at the idea of judging someone's competence at their job based on their appearance.


hello! fat vegan here!! and Im one that gives people health advice in hospital too!:Shy I dont think being fat invalidates my advice though as I always own up to being overweight and what I did wrong to get there. More importantly I keep trying to lose the weight so I think it can make you more relatable to others struggling to lose as much as anything. 
I can see why the Belgium Health Minister is popular there though. She may be obese but apparently has 25 yrs as a GP under her belt...its not often you get politicians who really know whats going on!



rottiepointerhouse said:


> But that is a bit like saying a couple of kids died or were seriously injured when their parents were driving them in a car so therefore ban parents from driving cars. It doesn't make sense.


I agree, it doesnt make sense. But sadly I think veganism is still seen as a fad in some areas. It seems to be all about blame and not much on educating people who are making mistakes.


----------



## O2.0

catz4m8z said:


> I think it can make you more relatable to others struggling to lose as much as anything.


This is actually very true. 
People are funny sometimes. I have friends who moan about weight, ask me how I do it, I try to be helpful but then I'm dismissed as someone who doesn't get it having never struggled with obesity. Shorter version: those struggling with weight don't generally want advice from the skinny health nut. But a lot of that is also a form of "I want my life to change but I don't want to do the work required for that change" which is so very normal, typical human behavior. 
I have been overweight. I had my thyroid out, struggled to get the meds right, blossomed, got beat down about it, started eating more processed junk and it all snowballed and I did too. But I was never obese, and once I decided to stop and do something, the weight did come off relatively easily.



catz4m8z said:


> On another note how many other vegans do you know in person?? Just curious really as Ive not met another one yet, just a couple of vegatarians...makes me wonder where they all are!!?


Honestly, if you and I met casually at work or at a social gathering, you'd probably never know I was vegan. In fact, I have co-workers who have known me for years, who have no clue. Not all of us walk around with a button on our lapel advertising our eating habits  
I know many vegans or 'flexitarians' who eat vegan/vegetarian meals regularly. Even back in the very early 1980's I had a riding instructor who was vegan - she was Swedish and one of the gentlest, nicest people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing, she influenced me greatly and I still think of her and her example on how to be a kind human being to this day. I was vegetarian then, didn't really know there was such a thing as vegan, but one day she refused a cake not knowing if it had eggs in it or not, and I asked her about it. That was my first introduction to going further than being vegetarian, and I'm glad it was her, not some PeTA crazy throwing blood on me  Because that encouraged me to try veganism which I did on and off for many years. 
Even here in the buckle of the bible belt I know a few vegans. One was in her 60's when I met her, her only child was raising his only child vegan. This would have been the late 90's? 
We're out there, but often you don't know it


----------



## catz4m8z

O2.0 said:


> Honestly, if you and I met casually at work or at a social gathering, you'd probably never know I was vegan. In fact, I have co-workers who have known me for years, who have no clue. Not all of us walk around with a button on our lapel advertising our eating habits


Ive usually told people at work coz they have been offering me something I cant eat! Saying Im vegan is alot easier then coming up with another reason why I cant eat....its actually easier then just saying Im on a diet TBH as people dont try and convince you to 'just have a little bit!'.:Hilarious

Also *sigh* another story in DM today about a 'vegan' who started eating animal products again because they felt awful and started early menopause. Turns out their diet was meat/dairy/fish/sugar/gluten/grain free and they mainly lived on smoothies, juices and salads....oh, and of course they spent some time on a raw diet!:Banghead Funny how you never see people who just eat a regular 'normal' diet quitting isnt it?
(it also annoys me when they claim to be vegan and then happily chow down on beefburgers and omlettes. No moral dilemma, no attempts to try and solve their problems without killing, just selfishness and ignorance).


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

I don't tell every person I meet or speak to by any means but I'm not backward about telling people either, why should I be? I'm proud to be vegan and feel I'm part of a social justice movement that is going to change things for the better. There are all sorts of different vegans just like there are all sorts of different meat/dairy eaters. Some vegans just want to go quietly about doing what they do without getting drawn into debates (which of course the meat and dairy eating public would prefer - those sorts of vegans are apparently OK) whereas others want to make sure other people know more about the damage to the environment or make sure the public actually know what they are paying for in terms of the way animals are reared and killed. Ohers want to share the health benefits that are achievable. All are OK, all are effective in their own way.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> Also *sigh* another story in DM today about a 'vegan' who started eating animal products again because they felt awful and started early menopause. Turns out their diet was meat/dairy/fish/sugar/gluten/grain free and they mainly lived on smoothies, juices and salads....oh, and of course they spent some time on a raw diet!:Banghead Funny how you never see people who just eat a regular 'normal' diet quitting isnt it?
> (it also annoys me when they claim to be vegan and then happily chow down on beefburgers and omlettes. No moral dilemma, no attempts to try and solve their problems without killing, just selfishness and ignorance).


So here is the article

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/...et-ruined-health-brought-early-menopause.html

Some of my thoughts

Yet the 'clean' vegan diet that she was promoting as a route to health was making her sick. She sought help from a specialist in Chinese medicine, who diagnosed a 'yin deficiency' (health depends on a balance of yin and yang, according to traditional Chinese medicine). She said Virpi should stop eating so much raw food - yet salad, juices and smoothies were the backbone of her diet.

Breakfast, for instance, consisted of a cold-pressed juice of celery, cucumber, fennel and parsley. Lunch was a salad of spinach leaves, watercress, cucumber, fennel and chickpeas with a sprinkle of sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds.

I felt I had run out of fuel, totally,' she says. 'I was empty.' She is now particularly fond of bone broth, a bone stock she has as a hot drink or adds to stews and soups. She's also eating eggs, which is a major departure because she used to refer to them as 'miscarriages of chickens'.

'It doesn't work for everyone. It didn't work for me,' she says. The problem was not being vegan, per se, 'it was the vegan diet and my stressful lifestyle.

'I was working a lot, I had produced four books in two years. It was crazy. No wonder I had burn-out.

For example, she once ate nothing but raw food for six months and now shudders at the memory. 'If you live in Northern Europe, you can't do raw food. You need something to warm you.'

*So I would suggest yes she was running out of fuel because she was making the classic mistake of not eating enough calories so starving herself whilst at the same time working a lot/burnt out. We all know this combination affects periods. Meat and eggs are calorie dense so of course she feels better as she is no longer starving.

*This year has seen a series of vegan vloggers confess they are now eating animal foods, including Londoner Tim Shieff, 31, a YouTuber known as the 'vegan prince', who revealed he'd abandoned his plant-based diet because it was making him ill.

_'I had some joint issues, chronic fatigue, and mild depression,' he said. 'My whole body felt like it was shutting down.'

He immediately felt better for eating meat: 'I was so shocked . . . My depression lifted, joints feeling better, energy back in my body.'_

*No, Tim Shieff was went down the route of raw only, juice only, water fasting for over 30 days with no medical supervision, is a flat earther and drinks not only his own pee but other people's too. He understandably has a gut infection but refused the help offered to treat this as it didn't seem "natural". So yes his body was shutting down because he tried to carry on his very athletic lifestyle (free running/parkour) whilst starving himself. 
*


----------



## O2.0

catz4m8z said:


> Ive usually told people at work coz they have been offering me something I cant eat! Saying Im vegan is alot easier then coming up with another reason why I cant eat....its actually easier then just saying Im on a diet TBH as people dont try and convince you to 'just have a little bit!'.:Hilarious


I just say "no thank you"


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I don't tell every person I meet or speak to by any means but I'm not backward about telling people either,


I wonder if 'backward' has a different connotation on your side of the pond, as here this would be rather insulting to suggest I'm being 'backward' by not telling people I'm vegan.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> I wonder if 'backward' has a different connotation on your side of the pond, as here this would be rather insulting to suggest I'm being 'backward' by not telling people I'm vegan.


No it isn't considered insulting. We have a saying "not backward in coming forward" so I'm not reticent/shy/bashful about coming forward.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/be-backward-in-coming-forward


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## catz4m8z

OMG! Just found out that too much spinach is bad for you!:Nailbiting Something about all the oxalates causing kidney stones and tummy troubles.
Its pretty much the only leafy green I eat....
*discovers this on Youtube whilst eating a giant spinach and beetroot salad*:Hilarious


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> OMG! Just found out that too much spinach is bad for you!:Nailbiting Something about all the oxalates causing kidney stones and tummy troubles.
> Its pretty much the only leafy green I eat....
> *discovers this on Youtube whilst eating a giant spinach and beetroot salad*:Hilarious


Have you watched Gojiman's video about it? Not very long - about 10 mins but very informative






Basically he is saying that oxalates are not usually an issue if you have a healthy gut but can become a problem if you have a reduced microbiome or if you consume too much of the high oxalate greens (spinach, beets and swiss chard). So it all depends on how much spinach you are consuming - 2 cups per day every day would be way too much but if you just have a handful a couple of times a week I wouldn't worry unless you have gut problems. I do use less of it now, partly because of watching this video but more so because I try to vary the greens we eat to maximise the spread of nutrients. We love watercress and rocket, kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts etc so I probably only use spinach once a week nowadays.


----------



## catz4m8z

Well, I usually have about a handful of spinach a day so hopefully that isnt too much! Its really the only leafy green that I like/can actually get. Although I forget about things like broccoli and sprouts as I just put them in the cruciferous catagory but I suppose they can be in both cant they!?
Makes me wish lettuce didnt disagree me as salads just dont feel right without something properly leafy in them.:Bored


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> Well, I usually have about a handful of spinach a day so hopefully that isnt too much! Its really the only leafy green that I like/can actually get. Although I forget about things like broccoli and sprouts as I just put them in the cruciferous catagory but I suppose they can be in both cant they!?
> Makes me wish lettuce didnt disagree me as salads just dont feel right without something properly leafy in them.:Bored


Yes they are greens as well as being cruciferous. What about cabbage? I often shred raw cabbage into a salad red, white or savoy.


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Yes they are greens as well as being cruciferous. What about cabbage? I often shred raw cabbage into a salad red, white or savoy.


huh....I didnt know red and white cabbage counted seeing as its not leafy or green! I could totally do that! I love raw cabbage in salads.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> huh....I didnt know red and white cabbage counted seeing as its not leafy or green! I could totally do that! I love raw cabbage in salads.


Dr Fuhrmans's take on Napa (Chinese) cabbage and red cabbage

"Napa cabbage like all green vegetables is high in folate and like other cruciferous veg is a source of isothiocyanates (ITCs) which contribute their powerful anti cancer benefits. We get the biggest ITC boost if we eat our cruciferous veg raw and chew them well. Napa cabbage provides an excellent way to eat raw cruciferous because it is delicious sliced thinly and added to salads/slaws."

"Red cabbage outshines its standard green cousin when it comes to nutritional value. It has the phytochemicals found in all cruciferous veg plus anthocyanins (the cardioprotective and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals characteristic of berries) which provide the red/purple colour. Cruciferous phytochemicals have properties that help to suppress some of the processes vital to the development of cancer such as cell proliferation, angiogenesis and metastasis. Having just a few servings per week has been linked to protection from several types of cancer including prostate, lung, breast, colon, ovarian and bladder."

On Spinach he says

" Recent research has revealed that dietary nitrate which is abundant in spinach and beets may act as an athletic performance enhancer by enhancing blood flow. This property of spinach means it is also beneficial for keeping blood pressure down and keeping the cardiovascular system healthy. Spinach is high in Vitamin K which is important for bone health and is also high in iron. It is one of the best sources of dietary magnesium which is necessary for metabolism, maintaining muscle and nerve function, heart rhythm, a healthy immune system and regulation of blood pressure. An important note about spinach - although it is an excellent food don't make it the only leafy green you eat because the calcium in spinach is not absorbable. Kale, broccoli, bok choy and collards have highly absorbable calcium.


----------



## O2.0

rottiepointerhouse said:


> No it isn't considered insulting. We have a saying "not backward in coming forward" so I'm not reticent/shy/bashful about coming forward.
> 
> https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/be-backward-in-coming-forward


Fair enough.

I think it's best I take a break from this thread for a while. 
I'm not here to compete or defend myself for not being a pushy enough vegan.

Posting about my riding instructor was a good reminder of why I originally chose to stop eating animals. It was a very personal, even private decision between me, my conscience and my values. I still see it that way.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

O2.0 said:


> Fair enough.
> 
> I think it's best I take a break from this thread for a while.
> I'm not here to compete or defend myself for not being a pushy enough vegan.
> 
> Posting about my riding instructor was a good reminder of why I originally chose to stop eating animals. It was a very personal, even private decision between me, my conscience and my values. I still see it that way.


I'm sorry you feel like that. My comments were not aimed at you, we were talking amongst ourselves about whether we know of other vegans in real life. You discussed your approach, @catz4m8z discussed hers and I discussed mine. I didn't quote you and I did not say *you* were not pushy enough. I said about the different approaches "All are OK, all are effective in their own way." I'm not sure how that is asking you to defend yourself for not being a pushy enough vegan and I did not question your approach or your values.


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> I said about the different approaches "All are OK, all are effective in their own way." I did not question your approach or your values.


That's how I read your response too TBH (although you have a history of being very outspoken, maybe that's why!).
I hope you don't disappear from the thread O2.0, its always nice to have many different viewpoints on a topic.
I don't really have an opinion on what other people choose to say or not say. People go vegan for several different reasons and at the end of the day its a personal journey for everyone. I do tend to bore people with facts and figures though but I think its because the idea of animal cruelty really hit me like a ton of bricks and sometimes I find it hard to understand how other people just aren't seeing it too!:Shy


----------



## Cleo38

Each to their own, I'm not vocal about my veganism at all if people ask I just say ethical/health reasons. Tbh it's not something I want to discuss all the time but do if people are genuinely interested.

I was very militant in my late teens/early twenties as I was very much involved in the AR world & things were very B&W then …. not so much for me now. I have been told I'm not a 'proper vegan' because I didn't shout about it or have my FB profile page plastered in vegan references by someone on vegan FB group, apparently there are different levels … who knew!!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/alpro-debuts-low-calorie-vegan-ice-creams

Alpro low calorie range of vegan ice creams - currently at Morrisons or from Orcado. They also do a zero waste vegan takaway apparently which is vegan chicken nuggets, sweet potato fries, with a garlic dip served in an edible bucket made from nuts seeds and spices.

And

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/plant-based-meat-worth-27-billion

Vegan meat market set to grow at annual rate of 15% over next 6 years to reach $28 billion.

Full report

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/plant-based-meat.asp


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> with a garlic dip served in an edible bucket made from nuts seeds and spices.


holy crap! Cant believe this is making me want to eat a bucket!!:Wideyed

:Hilarious


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/waitrose-uks-first-vegan-seitan-burger


----------



## Magyarmum




----------



## Elles

I wonder what he was really holding up? Whoever photoshopped it.. it’s argument.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

This looks nice

https://thedoctorskitchen.com/recipes/sesame-and-cayenne-broad-beans-with-asparagus-and-spinach


----------



## catz4m8z

rottiepointerhouse said:


> This looks nice
> 
> https://thedoctorskitchen.com/recipes/sesame-and-cayenne-broad-beans-with-asparagus-and-spinach


Does look good, although I would def be throwing some grains in with it (I couldnt be low carb if you paid me!LOL).


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

catz4m8z said:


> Does look good, although I would def be throwing some grains in with it (I couldnt be low carb if you paid me!LOL).


Yes it needs some rice or something with it.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Good to see some new faces in there including a few from the UK.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Worrying 

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/levels-antibiotics-worlds-rivers-dangerous


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/kfc-considering-plant-based-options-us

KFC US president says chicken "Isn't the big trend right now".


----------



## Jonescat

There are some really interesting reading recipes on here
http://www.onearabvegan.com/
I am going for tofu tikka masala first 

and this is an interesting read for those looking for alternatives to wheat - although not vegan, it does give you ideas about how to use oats and barley
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/rowett/documents/Oat_and_Barley_recipe_book.pdf

The Brose recipes are interesting - Scots have been making them for an awful long time, I guess since before milk was an all year round product.


----------



## Cleo38

Love the look of a lot of those recipes in the first @Jonescat , definitely going to try some of them. The Moroccan-style Vegan Moghrabieh looks really good …. making me hungry seeing all those lovely dishes


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Jonescat said:


> There are some really interesting reading recipes on here
> http://www.onearabvegan.com/
> I am going for tofu tikka masala first
> 
> and this is an interesting read for those looking for alternatives to wheat - although not vegan, it does give you ideas about how to use oats and barley
> https://www.abdn.ac.uk/rowett/documents/Oat_and_Barley_recipe_book.pdf
> 
> The Brose recipes are interesting - Scots have been making them for an awful long time, I guess since before milk was an all year round product.


Thank you, I do like the look of the Moroccan Harira soup so might give that a try.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Just been listening to this podcast in the car - a really moving and thought provoking one about food addiction. Just look at the difference in this guy. Felt quite humbled listening to what he went through ending up over 400 pounds.

https://plantstrongpodcast.squarespace.com/blog/episode-7-chuck-carroll


----------



## Jonescat

This is the tikka masala, with 10 grain brown rice, salald and raita.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Burger King have been trialling plat based impossible whopper in some US branches and report 18% increase in traffic - soon to go nationwide in the US. Not sure if its available in the UK??

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/impossible-whopper-raises-burger-kings-traffic

Beyond burgers sell out immediately in German Lidl stores causing surge in company's shares

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/beyond-burgers-sell-out-german-lidl


----------



## Guest

I've got a milk question. I love a good cup of tea but the only plant milk that I can stand in tea is soy milk. I've tried pretty much every other milk available here - oat, coconut, almond, cashew, rice, you name it. However, I was told that soy milk isn't actually good for you - something about hormones? As a result I went back to cows milk a little while ago, however, recently I've been feeling really mucousy all the time (sorry TMI!) and I wonder if it's the dairy (I know when I used to sing in choirs we were never supposed to have dairy before performances due to mucous production!).

So what I'm asking is, what's the deal with soy milk? Good or bad? (I also don't like the way it stains my cups, but I can live with that!).


----------



## catz4m8z

Jonescat said:


> This is the tikka masala, with 10 grain brown rice, salald and raita.
> ]


Looks good! That's almost identical to how I make mine, except the last one I made was -tofu, coriander and pepper and +sweet potato and baby corn. 



McKenzie said:


> However, I was told that soy milk isn't actually good for you - something about hormones? As a result I went back to cows milk a little while ago, however, recently I've been feeling really mucousy all the time (sorry TMI!) and I wonder if it's the dairy (I know when I used to sing in choirs we were never supposed to have dairy before performances due to mucous production!).


I think there was a lot of hooha about how it was bad for men because of the oestrogen but plant oestrogen isn't the same as human oestrogen so you would need to eat stupid amounts to have any effect.
Dairy makes me all mucosy too....


----------



## O2.0

McKenzie said:


> So what I'm asking is, what's the deal with soy milk? Good or bad? (I also don't like the way it stains my cups, but I can live with that!).


The most up to date research shows that the natural compounds in plants that mimic estrogen are not harmful and could even be helpful for certain people. I rely on Dr. Greger for best info:
https://nutritionfacts.org/video/who-shouldnt-eat-soy/

And more articles/videos on soy.
https://nutritionfacts.org/?s=soy

My personal feeling is you're fine with soy milk, but you can do better  All store-bought plant milks are more processed and many have added ingredients like binders and emulsifiers you may not want to be consuming.
Still better than cow's milk, sure, especially if you're having the mucous reaction.
Have you tried making your own plant milk?
Cashew milk is creamy and lovely in coffee and tea, even my ultra picky husband admits it's bland and doesn't interfere with the drink's flavor 
Even if you don't have a high powered blender, you can make it, just soak the cashews for about 30 minutes first. Apparently if you soak them in boiled water it's even better. I don't bother with soaking, I just toss them in the vitamix with water and blend.


----------



## Guest

Yes I tried making cashew milk. It ended up a bit ‘grainy’ and I wasn’t particularly keen on the taste in tea, although I imagine it would be ok in coffee. Maybe my blender isn’t high powered enough, and I did soak before blending and strained after.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

McKenzie said:


> I've got a milk question. I love a good cup of tea but the only plant milk that I can stand in tea is soy milk. I've tried pretty much every other milk available here - oat, coconut, almond, cashew, rice, you name it. However, I was told that soy milk isn't actually good for you - something about hormones? As a result I went back to cows milk a little while ago, however, recently I've been feeling really mucousy all the time (sorry TMI!) and I wonder if it's the dairy (I know when I used to sing in choirs we were never supposed to have dairy before performances due to mucous production!).
> 
> So what I'm asking is, what's the deal with soy milk? Good or bad? (I also don't like the way it stains my cups, but I can live with that!).


My go to sources for information are Dr Barnard and Dr Fuhrman and this is what they both have to say about it

https://www.drfuhrman.com/get-started/eat-to-live-blog/137/dont-fall-for-the-myths-about-soy

https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/nutrition-information/soy-and-health

Thomas Campbell MD talks about the different plant milks here - main drawback with Soya is its so often heavily sweetened.

https://nutritionstudies.org/plant-based-doctors-take-on-choosing-plant-based-milk/

So the benefits of soy pretty much outweigh the possible drawbacks although make sure you are getting a source of iodine if you are consuming a fair amount of it and take care if you are on thyroid medications as it can interfere with their efficiency. The whole hormone issue always puzzles me though as cow's milk comes from a pregnant and/or lactating cow so contains female hormones plus growth promoting hormones to grow a calf quickly.


----------



## Magyarmum

Have you tried different brands? I normally use oat or rice "milk" but don't like don't like the taste of either if it's made by Alpro. I doubt whether you can buy it in NZ but if you can then I personally think oat "milk" made by "the Bridge" (an Italian Company) is by far the best. And I always buy rice "milk" made by "Happy Rice", which is the nearest I've found to cow's milk in tea!


----------



## O2.0

McKenzie said:


> Yes I tried making cashew milk. It ended up a bit 'grainy' and I wasn't particularly keen on the taste in tea, although I imagine it would be ok in coffee. Maybe my blender isn't high powered enough, and I did soak before blending and strained after.


Oh that's too bad. I was hoping that would work for you.

They make oat milk specifically for coffee bars that's supposed to be better for foaming. I'm not sure about that part, but I did very much enjoy the taste when we tried it, no idea what's in it. 
I wonder if it would be worth searching for 'barista' plant milks?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

The other alternative is these tea bags which I can confirm do make perfectly nice tea with a variety of plant based milks though whether you can get them in NZ I don't know.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/ditching-dairy-helps-endurance-athletes

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30634559

*Abstract*
Studies suggest that endurance athletes are at higher-than-average risk for atherosclerosis and myocardial damage. The ability of plant-based regimens to reduce risk and affect performance was reviewed. The effect of plant-based diets on cardiovascular risk factors, particularly plasma lipid concentrations, body weight, and blood pressure, and, as part of a healthful lifestyle, reversing existing atherosclerotic lesions, may provide a substantial measure of cardiovascular protection. In addition, plant-based diets may offer performance advantages. They have consistently been shown to reduce body fat, leading to a leaner body composition. Because plants are typically high in carbohydrate, they foster effective glycogen storage. By reducing blood viscosity and improving arterial flexibility and endothelial function, they may be expected to improve vascular flow and tissue oxygenation. Because many vegetables, fruits, and other plant-based foods are rich in antioxidants, they help reduce oxidative stress. Diets emphasizing plant foods have also been shown to reduce indicators of inflammation. These features of plant-based diets may present safety and performance advantages for endurance athletes. The purpose of this review was to explore the role of nutrition in providing cardioprotection, with a focus on plant-based diets previously shown to provide cardiac benefits.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Very excited to hear Dr Chatterjee has now recorded podcasts with Michael Pollen and with Dan Buettner of Blue Zones. Not sure when they will be aired yet but ones to look out for  Would love him to interview Zach Bush but get the feeling he might be a bit too outspoken for Dr C.


----------



## Magyarmum

I made a Slovenian Jota for dinner the other night for a change from my favourite Middle Eastern food. I served it with Barley and some Argula.

The recipe calls for Sauerkraut but is just as nice if you use shredded fresh cabbage instead. I also added carrots and spinach to mine as well as more paprika than given in the recipe.










https://www.yumsome.com/vegan-jota/


----------



## Jonescat

Looks really good - but I do struggle with sauerkraut, so glad that you can substitute fresh cabbage  I have never heard of it before but will definitely try it. One day I think I may compile a collection of "potato and cabbage stews around the world".


----------



## Magyarmum

Jonescat said:


> Looks really good - but I do struggle with sauerkraut, so glad that you can substitute fresh cabbage  I have never heard of it before but will definitely try it. One day I think I may compile a collection of "potato and cabbage stews around the world".


Here's another one to start off your cabbage and potato stew collection. If you haven't already tried it, it's delicious!

https://www.africanbites.com/ethiopian-cabbage/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Worth a listen

https://plantproof.com/ex-vegans-th...-with-gastroenterologist-dr-will-bulsiewiscz/

In Episode 70 I sit down with Gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz to talk about Ex Vegans. Specifically we discuss the typical journey of these folks who have bailed on Veganism and the gut health issues they have described. Dr B and I drill down on what is happening with the aim of helping you if you ever find yourself in a similar position.

By way of background this episode was inspired after a handful of Vegan influencers bailed on Veganism and reintroduced animal products back into their diet. One after the other, in a 3-6 month period, it became a ripple effect where some of the most prominent influencers jumped on board and also reintroduced animal products into their diet. I listened to all of their stories and noted many similar patterns. I also noted that despite none of them being qualified in Medicine or the field of Nutrition/Dietetics many people in the comments were second guessing their own diet. It became apparent that the size of their following almost made their qualifications irrelevant. I'm all for influencers and I don't think everyone needs a degree to talk about a subject. However, the devil is in the detail of what's being spoken about and with life threatening eating disorders absolutely rife, we need to be careful how certain information is shared and who we, as individuals, go to for qualified information. I realised the vulnerability of these people and the vulnerability of their community, who had unknowingly been getting advice about nutrition from people who were privately going through pretty significant battles with food & their health.

So with that in mind I thought it was really important for me to get a world leading Gastroenterologist on the show to make sense of what's going on here. Its really important to note that the case study we discuss in this is 100% hypothetical. It's the typical journey spoken about by these influencers but isn't specifically about any single person in particular and I think you will see by the way the conversation goes that we both have absolute empathy for anyone struggling with their diet.


----------



## Elles

I started listening, but honestly, the most irritating background music for the first few minutes, then the mutual backslapping.  I don’t care what you’ve been doing, how many fans you have and how cool it all is. Too irritating to listen to.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Elles said:


> I started listening, but honestly, the most irritating background music for the first few minutes, then the mutual backslapping.  I don't care what you've been doing, how many fans you have and how cool it all is. Too irritating to listen to.


Oh dear - I find lots of podcasts do that (or go through massive lists of shout outs to sponsors) but I think its a small price to pay to get to listen to some proper experts giving us their time and knowledge for free. I usually just fast forward through it - try going to about 11 minutes in when they get down to business.

ETA They talk about the microbiome quite a lot for the first quarter of an hour so if you want the bit about why vegans quit for health reasons go to 36 mins.


----------



## O2.0

Elles said:


> I started listening, but honestly, the most irritating background music for the first few minutes, then the mutual backslapping.  I don't care what you've been doing, how many fans you have and how cool it all is. Too irritating to listen to.


Skip to about 36 minutes in, that's the ex-vegan discussion. It's slow going though


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Podcast with Dr Klaper talking to Rip Esselstyn about the Paleo diet

https://www.plantstrongpodcast.com/blog/episode-9-michael-klaper-paleo

This week on the podcast, Rip dives head-first into the paleo-keto debate after he and Joe discussed how popular the meat-centered and carb-limiting diets are in firehouses across the country. I bet it's taking over in your circles too. At first blush, it may seem hard to debate the merits when the paleo diet does result in weight loss and the ketogenic diet does reduce blood sugars (temporarily). But at what cost? Dr. Klaper has been practicing on the front lines of medicine for almost 40 years and knows a thing or two about how the body works. He also knows a poorly designed shortcut when he sees one. Listen in and hear all about the pitfalls of paleo and how it really is like making a bargain with the devil!


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.bluezones.com/2019/06/h...199095005&mc_cid=014a271502&mc_eid=97f9300fe5

Somi Igbene, PhD, is a biomedical scientist, a certified nutritional therapist, and a plant-slant foodie creating the most beautifully-plated meals and bowls. Her focus is on promoting wellness for women of African descent, and she advocates for a return to a traditional African diet to combat rising levels of obesity and chronic disease among African communities around the world. She shared her parenting advice, her inspiration in the kitchen, and tips for plant-slant beginners.

I haven't come across Somi Igbene before - she has a blog with some interesting looking recipes

https://veganbysomi.com/category/recipes/lunch-dinner/

I'm going to be giving this a try

https://veganbysomi.com/coconut-rice-peas-jerk-mushrooms/


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Nothing surprising here but worth a listen anyway - only 5 mins


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Posted this thread in Health if anyone is interested in menopause

https://www.petforums.co.uk/threads/how-food-affects-menopause.516183/


----------



## Magyarmum

I've posted this article which I found extremely interesting, here as I wasn't quite sure where else to put it.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/scie...pJobID=1541222828&spReportId=MTU0MTIyMjgyOAS2

*How the Gut Microbiome Could Provide a New Tool to Treat Autism*


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/restaurant-sales-meatless-alternatives

268% increase in meatless alternative sales in restaurants in the last year.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48661153


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Part 2 of the Plant Strong podcast about the paleo/keto diets

In part two of this continued exploration on the pitfalls of the popular paleo and ketogenic diets, we enlist the expertise of Dr. Michael Klaper as well as Dr. Doug Lisle, clinical psychologist at the TrueNorth Health Center, on why these two popular diets are nothing more than a physiological parlor trick you play on your health.

Like a trusty old car, the human body is amazingly resilient. In the same way that you can go several thousand miles without a proper oil change and maintenance, you can also load your body over time with processed acidic foods. The effects of this neglect and accumulation of "dirty fuel," may not be immediate but, rest assured, they will swell into serious health issues in the long-term.

As Dr. Lisle says, "The keto diet is a credit card. It can make you feel rich, but you're really just accumulating a tremendous amount of debt."

The cost? Your health. Don't trade years of a vibrant life for a few pounds on the scale.

https://www.plantstrongpodcast.com/blog/episode-10-lisle-keto


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Given their oxalate content, how much is too much spinach, chard, beet greens, chaga mushroom powder, almonds, cashews, star fruit, and instant tea?

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/ki...-24208457&mc_cid=88d060d088&mc_eid=53363da263

Worth a watch if you eat a lot of spinach particularly if juicing it.


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Falling demand for beef in the UK

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/rise-of-veganism-affecting-beef-farmers


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/sainsburys-vegan-butcher-pop-up

Sainsburys are opening a vegan butcher pop up shop for the weekend in London.

Raymond Blanc Michelin Star chef says we must embrace veganism which is not a trend but a change based on knowledge and awareness.

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/we-must-embrace-veganism-raymond-blanc


----------



## Guest

I posted a little while ago about not being able to find a milk that tastes ok in my tea. Just thought I’d update that I solved the problem. I’ve just stopped drinking tea! I’ve found some fruit teas that I like so have swapped to them! The best part is that when I don’t finish the cup (as usually happens) I can drink the rest of it cold!


----------



## Tuxedo2002

rottiepointerhouse said:


> https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/25-brits-vegan-veggie-2025-sainsburys
> 
> Sainburys predict 25% of Brits will be vegan by 2025 :Woot:Woot Sales of their meat free range growing by 20% each week :Jawdrop


Thank God for that I know I know God made all these precious creatures and all this but he did make the human race that came up with the idea of the food chain ,it is a nature balance to maintain like a population control we are too spoiled in today's society doing this that and the other thing we are too late people the planet is dying .I hate being on a page an nagging on but it's the truth we don't need to eat meat but we still do evolution (god's creation ) went along with that concept and gave us canines made for that job ,I'm not against veganism I'm against all those trying to change people by showing them slaughter houses and stuff .I admit to eating meat as I'm very respectful to those who died way back when we had to fight for our food .


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Tuxedo2002 said:


> Thank God for that I know I know God made all these precious creatures and all this but he did make the human race that came up with the idea of the food chain ,it is a nature balance to maintain like a population control we are too spoiled in today's society doing this that and the other thing we are too late people the planet is dying .I hate being on a page an nagging on but it's the truth we don't need to eat meat but we still do evolution (god's creation ) went along with that concept and gave us canines made for that job ,I'm not against veganism I'm against all those trying to change people by showing them slaughter houses and stuff .I admit to eating meat as I'm very respectful to those who died way back when we had to fight for our food .


Hello and welcome to the thread. This is a thread for sharing information/articles and recipes about plant based eating/lifestyles and not one where we really get into arguments about ethics. I'm more than happy to debate the ethics of animal agriculture but as those issues can be very upsetting to people on this thread I would prefer it if you started a new thread where we can do that with appropriate warnings in the title so that other users don't get distressed. However I will try to answer some of the less controversial issues you have raised.

I don't think we can claim the human race came up with the food chain - there was a food chain long before humans and there are plenty of food chains that don't involve humans. We are also not apex predators as many believe, we are about bang in the middle - look up the top 10 apex predators (Killer Whale, Tiger, Great White Shark, Lion, Polar Bear, Golden Eagle, Salt Water Crocodile, Snow Leopard, Komodo Dragon, Grizzly Bear) and work out how humans would fare in a one on one against any of those - without weapons of course just using our teeth/claws/speed and we don't stand much chance. As for human teeth our canines are tiny










You say you are against people showing slaughter house footage and all that stuff, why is that a problem? If people find footage of how their food was raised and slaughtered too upsetting to watch then perhaps they need to re examine whether they should be eating it and paying for other people to carry out the actions they find so distressing. Some people will still choose to consume animal flesh and the breast milk meant for their babies but they should do so knowing how it is produced and knowing that it is no longer necessary. Why carry on doing something that is so inhumane and cruel, is so damaging to the environment and is also damaging to human health when you don't need to?


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Really looking forward to this Rich Roll podcast with UK plant based GP Dr Gemma Newman


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

OMG 4 hour and 20 min plank :Jawdrop:Hurting

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/vegan-athlete-world-record-longest-plank


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://thedoctorskitchen.com/recipes/teriyaki-style-green-beans


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Amazing job Marco Borges did promoting the Plant Based diet on TV under time pressure


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Asda will be selling vegan brand oumph from 1st July

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/vegan-brand-oumph-asda

Boots selling vegan burger with red pepper slaw and vegan no chicken and sweetcorn sandwiches

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/boots-vegan-chicken-sweetcorn-sandwich-burger


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## rottiepointerhouse

5 Common health questions about plant based diets answered by doctors

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/quitting-vegan-diet-doctors-5-common-health-questions

Pizza hut have added to their vegan range

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/pizza-hut-controversial-vegan-pineapple-topped-pizza-colada

Beyond meat launching vegan ground beef nationwide in the US

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/beyond-meat-vegan-beef-nationwide

New range of dairy free yoghurts in US at Walmart strores

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/vegan-dairy-free-yogurt-walmart


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post...tary-the-game-changers-announces-release-date

Finally the date for the Game Changers film has been released - September 16th. Can't wait :Woot:Woot


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Wimbledon going to be offering vegan cream to have with strawberries and vegan ice cream

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/wimbledon-strawberries-vegan-cream-demand


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Where to begin 

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/harder-be-healthy-vegan-diet-uk-government-advisor


----------



## rottiepointerhouse

Interesting response to the above

https://www.viva.org.uk/blog/uk-food-system-reviewer-attacks-benefits-veganism

Henry Dimbleby, restauranteur and food writer, has been appointed as a food tsar by Environment Secretary Michael Gove. He will lead the first major review of the UK's food system in nearly 75 years.

Extraordinarily, nearly every one of Dimbleby's initial pronouncements is profoundly wrong, revealing that Mr Gove either does not know his job or is determined to defend livestock farming and fishing despite a climate emergency having been declared.

Dimbleby has attacked the idea that giving up meat, fish and dairy products is a practical way to save the planet, describing such advice as "prescriptive and nanny-state-ish", despite a welter of research to the contrary..

His reluctance to embrace veganism as the best solution to climate change reflects his own reluctance to stop eating animal foods rather than a genuine desire to find a solution to the impending environmental disaster caused by livestock farming. He's the wrong man for the job.

Whether you are looking at global warming, deforestation, loss of wildlife, water shortages, world hunger, rising sea levels or the ecological breakdown of our oceans… livestock farming is at the heart of all these problems - a fact Dimbleby fails to acknowledge.

He suggests that people choose meat of a better quality, for instance, even though there is insufficient land for more grass-fed cattle and other free range animals. He ignores the latest research from the University of Oxford, which looked at precisely this policy and said animal foods are still responsible for much higher impacts than plant foods. By impacts they are referring to land use, greenhouse gas emissions, fresh water use, water pollution and acidification. Lead researcher, Joseph Poore, summed it up as follows: "A vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth,"

Research shows that if the world went vegan, in 2050 we would require less cropland than we did in 2000. In other words, if the whole world goes vegan, the projected global population of nine billion in 2050 could eat enough without another single tree being cut down. It's a no brainer!

His throwaway comment on how a vegan diet is not good for health reveals profound ignorance. It flies in the face of another huge body of research showing that vegans weigh less, have lower blood pressure and cholesterol, have lower rates of heart disease and cancer than meat-eaters.


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## rottiepointerhouse

https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/vegan-cyclist-wins-epic-6-800km-trans-am-bike-race


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## Jonescat

I haven't tried this yet but found it in Morrisons (also available in America  )
Just putting it out there for anyone looking for a creme fraiche substitute in a vegan way. Probably not wfpb because of the fat.
https://www.oatly.com/uk/products/creamy-oat-fraiche

It is made mostly from oats, has no palm oil but does have coconut and rapeseed oil and some other stuff - so not cutting down rainforests, but imported.


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## catz4m8z

well, Helmans now have vegan Mayo and its terrible, and by terrible I mean for my waistline coz it tastes blimmin' lovely!


----------



## Cleo38

catz4m8z said:


> well, Helmans now have vegan Mayo and its terrible, and by terrible I mean for my waistline coz it tastes blimmin' lovely!


It is! I ate half a pot last night just dipping veggies in it for a snack .... far too nice


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## 3dogs2cats

catz4m8z said:


> well, Helmans now have vegan Mayo and its terrible, and by terrible I mean for my waistline coz it tastes blimmin' lovely!


Not tried this but I do like vegan salad cream, don't know the brand because I got it from a small independent vegan shop. It is very nice indeed, I cant stand salad dressings but do like a bit of salad cream to dip radishes in - lovely! Fortunately I only go to that shop occasionally because it is a bit far for me to travel, good thing or I would eat far to much of it


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## 3dogs2cats

I think this has been asked before but cant find it via search. Does anyone make their own Oat milk? I dislike any type of milk, my husband (non vegan) says he likes oat milk but a whole carton would go to waste if it just for him so thinking of having a go at making a very small batch if that is at all possible.


----------



## Magyarmum

3dogs2cats said:


> I think this has been asked before but cant find it via search. Does anyone make their own Oat milk? I dislike any type of milk, my husband (non vegan) says he likes oat milk but a whole carton would go to waste if it just for him so thinking of having a go at making a very small batch if that is at all possible.


You can buy the oat milk powder and make it up in the quantity you need.

https://www.veganrecipeclub.org.uk/content/ecomil-powdered-oat-milk


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## 3dogs2cats

Magyarmum said:


> You can buy the oat milk powder and make it up in the quantity you need.
> 
> https://www.veganrecipeclub.org.uk/content/ecomil-powdered-oat-milk


Oh thank you, that would be ideal if I can make up small batches. I am always on that website but so useless at searching I hadn't found it!


----------



## Magyarmum

I've been given 11 large ridge cucumbers and was wondering what to do with them. I didn't want to make chutney or pickles as I have enough already and you can only eat cucumber salad so many time a day before getting fed up with them!

Anyway to cut a long story short I made a cucumber and tomato stew with one of them, which I had over brown rice. Contrary to my expectations, I thoroughly enjoyed it! Very simple to make and very refreshing especially as the peeled cucumber slices stay firm when cooked.

As a side dish I made onion patties, very yummy and I have some left over for lunch today! Here's the recipe for anyone that's interested ...

https://thesouthernladycooks.com/onion-patties-amish-recipe/


----------



## catz4m8z

That sounds really nice @Magyarmum , esp the onion patties!

Had a craving today for some of the bog standard Heinz vegetable soup with crusty bread....its always nice when you realiese something nostalgic is actually vegan!


----------



## Jonescat

I found the Happy Pear "first 10 years " book in a charity shop. It is really good and writtenin an easy to follow way, with tips on heart health as well as recipes, and a bit of biography as well.

This is their bean and potato curry, with green bean curry and a bit of green salad. The grean bean curry is actually chard, mushroom and purple bean curry but if you have the book, the rest is the same  and the pototoes, chard and bean are all home grown


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## O2.0

Looks lovely @Jonescat 

I love this time of year, everyone with gardens is overwhelmed with bounty and shares  
I got two amazing eggplants from a friend last week, this week I'm drowning in summer squash and bell peppers. Both of which are lovely cooked up together with garden tomatoes. Throw all that on top of rice or pasta, delicious!

Was thinking of this thread yesterday, had my yearly OBGYN appointment. My longtime (over 20 years) doctor has retired and I saw a new guy. Did the usual, told him I wasn't getting a mammogram thanks, (my other doctor and I had already had this conversation and he's fine with my decision), and basically went through everything I should be worried about 'at my age' and none of it applies.

New doc didn't once ask about my diet and I did not offer either. My old doc's wife is Indian, vegetarian, and he never had any issue with how I ate, even when I was pregnant and so many people were horrified, how could I possibly grow babies without meat blah blah. It was SO nice back them to have him in my corner reassuring me 

So back to this new guy. Almost like he couldn't come up with anything, he goes off on this tangent about calcium and why I should be supplementing. We went back and forth until finally he told me that a glass of milk only has this much calcium. To which I responded "well it's a good thing I don't get my calcium from milk then." He sputtered something about 'well, make sure you're doing the math on how much calcium you're getting, because you never know.'

I was not impressed. Seemed silly to suggest supplementation without even asking me about my diet, especially something like calcium, which is controversial at best. It's almost like he couldn't believe that someone at 'my age' could be healthy and not really need any medical intervention


----------



## Jonescat

We have a saying here - nil carborundum illegitimi 

When OH went for a heart focussed health check and explained his diet, the doctor said "that's the right thing to be doing". I think it just depends on which lectures they paid attention to and how much CPD they have done since they qualified! Anyway, you know your diet makes sense, so let them get on with it, although I do agree it is very disappointing.


----------



## O2.0

Jonescat said:


> We have a saying here - nil carborundum illegitimi


Tee hee  We have that one too!

I've been gifted several heirloom tomatoes lately, kids and I are eating tomato, avocado, hummus sandwiches like crazy. Oh so good!


----------



## Guest

Had this for my lunch today outside here:
















It is called vegan dream sandwich.


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## O2.0

Look delicious!


----------



## Guest

O2.0 said:


> Look delicious!


It was. Mildly spicy as well.


----------



## Sacrechat

Sorry, couldn't resist:


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## O2.0

saartje said:


> It was. Mildly spicy as well.


I'm a baby about spicy things. I like a tiny bit of heat but anything more is too much for me. My daughter and husband like much more heat. I love my OH's chili but he always makes it too spicy! 
I do love savory though, I put garlic in everything


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## Guest

We have a Vegan Junk Food Bar here in Amsterdam.









This is there menu: https://www.veganjunkfoodbar.com/nl/menu

Veganism is becoming popular over here to.

My partner and I are borderline vegan. Problem is we like fish sandwiches, but apart from this we tend to eat plant based foods and have Havermelk also known as Haverdrink (I think it is oat milk in English) with our breakfasts. We drink alot of flavoured teas and water.

This is the Havermelk/Haverdrink we have with our breakfasts.









We have been doing this for 12 months now.


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## Magyarmum

saartje said:


> We have a Vegan Junk Food Bar here in Amsterdam.
> View attachment 412364
> 
> 
> This is there menu: https://www.veganjunkfoodbar.com/nl/menu
> 
> Veganism is becoming popular over here to.
> 
> My partner and I are borderline vegan. Problem is we like fish sandwiches, but apart from this we tend to eat plant based foods and have Havermelk also known as Haverdrink (I think it is oat milk in English) with our breakfasts. We drink alot of flavoured teas and water.
> 
> This is the Havermelk/Haverdrink we have with our breakfasts.
> View attachment 412369
> 
> 
> We have been doing this for 12 months now.


That menu looks yummy - wish we had something similar where I live!

Yup! Haver is Oat, also called Hafer or in Hungarian Zab.

I actually don't like the Alpro and always buy this one which is made in Italy.


----------



## Guest

Magyarmum said:


> That menu looks yummy - wish we had something similar where I live!
> 
> Yup! Haver is Oat, also called Hafer or in Hungarian Zab.
> 
> I actually don't like the Alpro and always buy this one which is made in Italy.


Thank you for confirming it is oat milk.

We went there today and we all enjoyed the food we had. My parents and my partners parents aren't vegetarians or vegan but have enjoyed the food so far we have given them and they have eaten when they have been out with us. Saying that my parents had bratwurst in Hannover but my partner and I had tofu burgers from the burger stand we had food from, the tofu burger tasted really nice.


----------



## O2.0

saartje said:


> We have a Vegan Junk Food Bar here in Amsterdam.
> View attachment 412364
> 
> 
> This is there menu: https://www.veganjunkfoodbar.com/nl/menu
> 
> Veganism is becoming popular over here to.
> 
> My partner and I are borderline vegan. Problem is we like fish sandwiches, but apart from this we tend to eat plant based foods and have havermelk (I think it is oat milk in English) with our breakfasts. We drink alot of flavoured teas and water. We have been doing this for 12 months now.


Nice  I love seeing more vegan options available and more mainstream.

I make our own milk from cashews. Easiest thing in the world, and even picky teenagers agree it tastes great:
3 cups of water to 3/4 cups of raw cashews. Blend (you can soak first if you want).

Delicious!


----------



## Guest

O2.0 said:


> Nice  I love seeing more vegan options available and more mainstream.
> 
> I make our own milk from cashews. Easiest thing in the world, and even picky teenagers agree it tastes great:
> 3 cups of water to 3/4 cups of raw cashews. Blend (you can soak first if you want).
> 
> Delicious!
> 
> View attachment 412386


Many restaurants over here are putting vegetarian and vegan foods on there menus. It is nice to see that this is happening. We decided to try veganism because we dislike how animals are killed to feed us humans. I know we are not fully vegan because we eat fish sandwiches but we are having these less and less now. Apart from fish sandwiches we eat vegan all the time.

When we was in Hannover the receptionist is vegan herself since 2010 and she told us her partner has been a vegan since 2007. She gave us a list of vegan places to eat around Hannover on a map.


----------



## Guest

This is a great website on Vegan Amsterdam and the shops here that sell vegan food and some Dutch vegan recipes plus a guide to supermarkets selling vegan food: http://www.veganamsterdam.org/


----------



## Torin.

Does anyone want a challenge? For medical reasons I'm eating less fibre for a few weeks, while my usual diet is high fibre. Not official Low Fibre (<2g per meal) levels, but a decent reduction needed for a bit.

I'm veggie and I don't buy dairy milk/cheese or eggs, but I do still use sauces etc. and commercial pre-made foods with them in. But I am bored so bored. And missing legumes.


----------



## O2.0

What vegetables are you allowed?


----------



## Torin.

O2.0 said:


> What vegetables are you allowed?


Currently I've only done tomato, pepper, and cucumber, plus pineapple and nectarine. And half a portion of cooked broccoli the day before yesterday which turned out to have been too soon, and a miniscule amount of raisins in a moment of weakness. Trying to slooooowly introduce things, starting on the more watery side, and cooking more than eating raw. I haven't been given any formal 'you gotta stick to this' rules, more general guidance and to go off my body.


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## catz4m8z

Torin. said:


> But I am bored so bored.


Im not surprised! I love high fibre foods, it must really suck to have to restrict yourself.

I had half a jar of korma sauce in the fridge but really fancied wholewheat pasta.....bit weird, but plenty of veggies and beans and it was tasty enough!


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## Magyarmum

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-02409-7

*Eat less meat: UN climate change report calls for change to human diet*


----------



## Guest

Hi everyone. I’ve posted a few times on this thread in the past but wanted to jump back on.

My story is that I’ve been vegetarian a few times on and off over the past decade or so. Even when I am not ‘being vegetarian’ I eat very little meat, but recently I’ve been quite aware of the level of hypocrisy I’m showing when I do eat meat. I don’t find it difficult to eat vegetarian, so I’m fairly confident with that part.

Now, I would also like to cut out dairy. Again, I don’t consume much dairy (I never drink milk) but my downfall is, you guessed it, cheese. I was practically raised on cheese and I’m aware of the addictive nature of it, which is definitely a factor for me. I want to cut it out as much for health reasons as moral/ethical reasons as pizza is my downfall and I eat far too much of it. I know there are vegan cheeses, but I’m not sure how I feel about them.

I’m posting here to make myself accountable on this journey. I’m planning to attack it as per the (terribly inappropriate analogy!!!) of how to eat an elephant - one bite at a time. Day by day until it no longer is a ‘thing’ for me. I’m really keen to make this stick.

Any advice?


----------



## O2.0

McKenzie said:


> Hi everyone. I've posted a few times on this thread in the past but wanted to jump back on.
> 
> My story is that I've been vegetarian a few times on and off over the past decade or so. Even when I am not 'being vegetarian' I eat very little meat, but recently I've been quite aware of the level of hypocrisy I'm showing when I do eat meat. I don't find it difficult to eat vegetarian, so I'm fairly confident with that part.
> 
> Now, I would also like to cut out dairy. Again, I don't consume much dairy (I never drink milk) but my downfall is, you guessed it, cheese. I was practically raised on cheese and I'm aware of the addictive nature of it, which is definitely a factor for me. I want to cut it out as much for health reasons as moral/ethical reasons as pizza is my downfall and I eat far too much of it. I know there are vegan cheeses, but I'm not sure how I feel about them.
> 
> I'm posting here to make myself accountable on this journey. I'm planning to attack it as per the (terribly inappropriate analogy!!!) of how to eat an elephant - one bite at a time. Day by day until it no longer is a 'thing' for me. I'm really keen to make this stick.
> 
> Any advice?


Probably not great at the advice, but I'm here for support  I'm a big believer in any steps, no matter how small, are steps forward. So even if you manage less cheese it's all good!

Are you a fan of nooch/nutritional yeast at all? I find it has that cheese-ish flavor (but my husband can't stand it - go figure). Though I do make a chickpea 'cheese' sauce with nutritional yeast for mac & cheese that everyone likes including the husband who can't stand nutritional yeast.

If you like avocados they can be a good substitute too. No, they don't taste like cheese, but they do add the fatty/creamy texture to a dish that cheese can add. 
Sometimes the cheese craving is a salt craving, some avocado toast with a good dose of salt and pepper on the avocado may do it for you. 
Find a hummus you really love, spreading that on a sandwich or with chips is a great replacement for the slice of cheese on the sandwich or the cheese sauce on the chips.

Don't know if it will work for you, but one of the things that helped me find cheese less and less appealing was listening to a couple podcasts on what dairy actually does to you physically. And then feeling those effects on the rare occasions I was eating dairy really made a clearer connection for me.

Oh and don't bother with vegan cheeses, between me and my daughter we've tried pretty much every brand and they all suck LOL!

Vegan ice cream on the other hand is good stuff and is a great 'cheat' when you feel like something dairy that's not dairy. I prefer the coconut based ones than the almond or soy based ones. And of course Ben and Jerry's is the best but probably not the best for you!


----------



## Guest

O2.0 said:


> Probably not great at the advice, but I'm here for support  I'm a big believer in any steps, no matter how small, are steps forward. So even if you manage less cheese it's all good!
> 
> Are you a fan of nooch/nutritional yeast at all? I find it has that cheese-ish flavor (but my husband can't stand it - go figure). Though I do make a chickpea 'cheese' sauce with nutritional yeast for mac & cheese that everyone likes including the husband who can't stand nutritional yeast.
> 
> If you like avocados they can be a good substitute too. No, they don't taste like cheese, but they do add the fatty/creamy texture to a dish that cheese can add.
> Sometimes the cheese craving is a salt craving, some avocado toast with a good dose of salt and pepper on the avocado may do it for you.
> Find a hummus you really love, spreading that on a sandwich or with chips is a great replacement for the slice of cheese on the sandwich or the cheese sauce on the chips.
> 
> Don't know if it will work for you, but one of the things that helped me find cheese less and less appealing was listening to a couple podcasts on what dairy actually does to you physically. And then feeling those effects on the rare occasions I was eating dairy really made a clearer connection for me.
> 
> Oh and don't bother with vegan cheeses, between me and my daughter we've tried pretty much every brand and they all suck LOL!
> 
> Vegan ice cream on the other hand is good stuff and is a great 'cheat' when you feel like something dairy that's not dairy. I prefer the coconut based ones than the almond or soy based ones. And of course Ben and Jerry's is the best but probably not the best for you!


Thanks for the quick reply (while the rest of PF is sleeping ). You've actually helped a lot - reminded me of some things I used to know and used to do. Podcasts - yes! I found some of the documentaries about this stuff really effective and I do like to listen to podcasts when I'm doing boring housework so I will definitely do this. Any recommendations?

Good to know about it vegan cheese. I tried one once and it was foul but didn't know if that was just the one I tried. I won't bother but thanks for the reminder about vegan ice cream - my supermarket has some AMAZING coconut ice creams. I forgot about them because I try not to go to the chiller section of the supermarket (the cheese is at the opposite end ). Avocado - I do love it, but it has a very short season here, tends to be expensive, and seems to have such a short 'ripe' time frame. But I do tend to eat it frequently when it's available. Which is not now!

Nutritional yeast - I remember looking for it in the supermarket once upon a time and couldn't find it. But I'm sure it's available at a health food shop or something so will have to go searching as that sounds like a good option. I tend to have cheese on things (on pasta, on baked beans etc) so that could well work.

It sounds more manageable when there's alternative options


----------



## NaomiM

I've also posted on this thread before - I'm not vegan or veggie but do try to have a few "meat free" days a week. Since doing the "Refugee Ration Challenge" the other month, I've been more conscious of what I eat, and my family have also got on board a bit more  This week I've had home-made falafels on Tuesday, kidney bean burgers in flatbread buns on Wednesday, egg fried rice with lots of veggies on Thursday (not vegan but the eggs are from my own free-range hens, so about as ethically sourced as you can get), and tried a new recipe today - Glamorgan 'sausages' made from cheese and leeks (again not vegan, but like McKenzie, cheese is definitely my weakness!) Tomorrow is spinach and ricotta canneloni - more cheese I'm afraid, but it makes five meat-free days in a row for my generally meat-loving family


----------



## NaomiM

@McKenzie re ice cream, try freezing chunks of ripe banana, then letting them thaw slightly and blending with a spoonful of cocoa powder - yummy and guilt-free choco-banana ice cream! Or blend ripe bananas with cocoa powder and a little coconut milk, then pour into ice lolly moulds and freeze. It's been my go-to snack all summer!


----------



## O2.0

McKenzie said:


> I do like to listen to podcasts when I'm doing boring housework so I will definitely do this. Any recommendations?


Ha ha! That's what I do too, I hate housework and listening to a podcast or audiobook while doing it really helps it go by  
If you're using apple podcasts, just do a search for Dr. Neil Barnard, he has done several talks about dairy (Dairy is scary, how to quit dairy...) I listened to him on Rich Roll, the Exam Room, and a couple others. He basically says the exact same thing on each one, but I find him very easy to listen to, not preachy or OTT, just very kind and factual.

Dr. Garth Davis is another guy I like listening to. He's a lot more 'in your face' on social media, but in person, in a podcast interview, he's much more himself and easy to listen to. I've met him in person too which helps LOL. He's on the same group of podcasts, The Exam Room, No Meat Athlete, Rich Roll, Nutrition Facts, Nutrition Rounds...

Oh coconut ice cream is my favorite! I do like banana ice cream too, but sometimes my body just wants that fat from the coconut 

You might have better luck with nutritional yeast online. I know Amazon carries several varieties, some fortified with B12 which is nice. I just get the cheap kind from the bulk section at our market. It's very good in more 'wet' foods like pasta sauce or beans, and definitely in soups and stews. I know some people like it on popcorn, but I don't like it dry myself.


----------



## O2.0

NaomiM said:


> I've also posted on this thread before - I'm not vegan or veggie but do try to have a few "meat free" days a week. Since doing the "Refugee Ration Challenge" the other month, I've been more conscious of what I eat, and my family have also got on board a bit more  This week I've had home-made falafels on Tuesday, kidney bean burgers in flatbread buns on Wednesday, egg fried rice with lots of veggies on Thursday (not vegan but the eggs are from my own free-range hens, so about as ethically sourced as you can get), and tried a new recipe today - Glamorgan 'sausages' made from cheese and leeks (again not vegan, but like McKenzie, cheese is definitely my weakness!) Tomorrow is spinach and ricotta canneloni - more cheese I'm afraid, but it makes five meat-free days in a row for my generally meat-loving family


That's awesome  
And it's great for your family to enjoy the meat free meals and realize how satisfying a meal can be even without meat.

Apparently you can make 'ricotta' with tofu instead of cheese, I haven't tried it myself, but I really should as my family loves lasagna, and I could experiment with it there.


----------



## Guest

Had a lovely Jackfruit Biryani today (made at home).


----------



## Magyarmum

saartje said:


> Had a lovely Jackfruit Biryani today (made at home).
> 
> View attachment 412837


Looks delish!

Can you buy fresh Jackfruit? I can only get them in a tin. When I lived in Durban which has a large Indian population, you could buy it in any supermarket

Tonight I had a red lentil dhal with mushrooms, cauliflower, tomato, chickpeas and chard over brown rice, with cabbage manchurian bhaji.

https://hebbarskitchen.com/veg-dry-cabbage-manchurian-recipe/


----------



## Guest

You can buy the following versions of Jackfruit from the Albert Heijn (The Albert Heijn is a big supermarket chain over here):

Packets
https://www.ah.nl/producten/product/wi429117/upton-s-naturals-original-jackfruit

https://www.ah.nl/producten/product/wi429118/upton-s-naturals-thai-curry-jackfruit

https://www.ah.nl/producten/product/wi450429/fairtrade-original-young-jackfruit

Tinned
https://www.ah.nl/producten/product/wi368681/chef-s-choice-jackfruit

https://www.ah.nl/producten/product/wi429116/uptons-naturals-bar-b-que-jackfruit

These sell tinned Jackfruit as well: https://www.ekirana.nl/fruits-veggies.html?p=1


----------



## NaomiM

O2.0 said:


> That's awesome
> And it's great for your family to enjoy the meat free meals and realize how satisfying a meal can be even without meat.


Well, today's canneloni went down very well - clean plates all round! 


O2.0 said:


> Apparently you can make 'ricotta' with tofu instead of cheese, I haven't tried it myself, but I really should as my family loves lasagna, and I could experiment with it there.


I can see how that would work, as ricotta isn't a strong cheesy taste. In fact, I add parmesan to my spinach and ricotta mixture as I find the ricotta on its own isn't cheesy enough for me :Bag


----------



## O2.0

NaomiM said:


> I can see how that would work, as ricotta isn't a strong cheesy taste. In fact, I add parmesan to my spinach and ricotta mixture as I find the ricotta on its own isn't cheesy enough for me :Bag


For me it was always the salt in the cheese that gave it the flavor, I liked the saltier cheeses like parmesan and feta. Now I just add salt and spices to dishes. Especially this time of year, I forget how much salt we lose sweating, and since I rarely eat anything processed or pre-made, I'm not getting that extra sodium there. Yesterday it got to 103 with high humidity, it's crazy!


----------



## Guest

Well I failed at the first hurdle :Hilarious Went to get some fresh soup for lunch and after sorting through all the ones with meat in them, decided on a nice creamy tomato one. It wasn't until I got home that I realised what the CREAMY tomato soup had in it :Facepalm

I'm still going to eat it but next time will have my wits about me!


----------



## O2.0

McKenzie said:


> Well I failed at the first hurdle :Hilarious Went to get some fresh soup for lunch and after sorting through all the ones with meat in them, decided on a nice creamy tomato one. It wasn't until I got home that I realised what the CREAMY tomato soup had in it :Facepalm
> 
> I'm still going to eat it but next time will have my wits about me!


Ha ha! It happens!  
Hey, it could be coconut cream that made the soup creamy?


----------



## Guest

O2.0 said:


> Hey, it could be coconut cream that made the soup creamy?


It could be! But it's not :Hilarious But I will pretend it is!


----------



## SusieRainbow

McKenzie said:


> It could be! But it's not :Hilarious But I will pretend it is!


Make your own soup, so easy ! I make it in batches for 4 - 5 days -
Red peppers
Chopped tomatoes with chilli and garlic
Chopped onion 
Veg stock.
Saute or roast the veg, simmer in the stock and blend. I have it most days for lunch , love it.


----------



## O2.0

I made sweet potatoes today wishing it were fall. 
2 sweet potatoes, 2 bell peppers, a bunch of baby mushrooms, one onion, a lot of garlic, bunch of tomatoes at the end wilted some fresh spinach in. 
Seasoned with garam masala, cumin, and turmeric. It's quite delicious but it's not making it any cooler outside. Topped 100 again today


----------



## Guest

Well I’ve had a success and a failure today. 

The failure was that I ate a load of very crappy non-plant based food! 

The success was I found some nutritional yeast! Will try it out on something tomorrow.


----------



## O2.0

McKenzie said:


> Well I've had a success and a failure today.
> 
> The failure was that I ate a load of very crappy non-plant based food!
> 
> The success was I found some nutritional yeast! Will try it out on something tomorrow.


Oh interested to see what you think of the NY  
I've heard everything from horrible awful, to can't taste it at all, to yum. My kids can't stand the smell of it when I open the jar, but like it once I mix it in to a sauce and mask the smell with garlic and spices LOL


----------



## Magyarmum

O2.0 said:


> Oh interested to see what you think of the NY
> I've heard everything from horrible awful, to can't taste it at all, to yum. My kids can't stand the smell of it when I open the jar, but like it once I mix it in to a sauce and mask the smell with garlic and spices LOL


I can't stand the taste of it and have to admit I cheat and use "proper" cheese instead.

I'm just about to order a different make of vegan cheese from Violife which was the only brand available in Hungary and which I find rather tasteless. This one's called Green Vie and is made in Cyprus.- also available in the UK - so I'll give it a go and report back

http://www.greenviefoods.com/​


----------



## catz4m8z

SusieRainbow said:


> Make your own soup, so easy ! I make it in batches for 4 - 5 days -
> Red peppers
> Chopped tomatoes with chilli and garlic
> Chopped onion
> Veg stock.
> Saute or roast the veg, simmer in the stock and blend. I have it most days for lunch , love it.


I pretty much lived on home made soup last winter....cant seem to get interested in it during the summer though. I always find it so much easier to eat healthy at winter time. You just want soups, curries, stews, etc...unlike summer when I'll just eat a pint of Ben and Jerry's and call it lunch!LOL:Hilarious

On a non food related issue I cant believe Im still using toiletries with added cruelty!:Wideyed I usually only wash my hair about once a week and a while ago Superdrug had an offer on 2 for 1 900ml bottles of posh 'poo...2 and a half years later and Ive still got half a bottle left!:Shamefullyembarrased


----------



## Torin.

I like nooch, but the trick is to think of it as a brand new foodstuff and not a cheese replacement. I use mozzarella style pre-grated 'cheese' a lot in cooking.


----------



## Cleo38

Out of my run I spotted several puffball mushrooms so picked one up to use for my breakfast.
Wholemeal toast with home made hummus, lettuce, puffball mushroom fried in sesame oil & vegan mayo .... mmmm!


----------



## Jonescat

So jealous @Cleo38 I haven't had a puffball in years


----------



## catz4m8z

McKenzie said:


> Well I've had a success and a failure today.
> 
> The failure was that I ate a load of very crappy non-plant based food!
> .


Funny... I had a failure today where I ate loads of very crappy plant based food!:Hilarious

Just need to tell myself that just coz vegan junk food exists doesnt mean you have to eat it all!:Shy:Bag


----------



## Cleo38

Jonescat said:


> So jealous @Cleo38 I haven't had a puffball in years


There are quite a few in one of the fields I run past. They all look in good form atm so will hopefully be ok for a bit. I had to choose a relatively small one as I didn't want to run the rest of the way carrying some huge ball


----------



## catz4m8z

I still cant accept mushrooms as edible.....it would be like me trying to feed celery to one of the dogs!LOL:Hilarious

Made a strawberry and chia seed cake today. Hope it comes out ok, I just chucked a load of sr flour, plant milk, seeds and berries into a bowl and hoped for the best! Pretty sure there should be egg substitute in there for cakes but I have a very unrefined palette so probably wont miss it!


----------



## O2.0

Cleo38 said:


> There are quite a few in one of the fields I run past. They all look in good form atm so will hopefully be ok for a bit. I had to choose a relatively small one as I didn't want to run the rest of the way carrying some huge ball


I need to learn how to identify mushrooms, there are so many really pretty mushrooms and fungi that grow around here! I stocked up on a bunch of blackberries that grew wild at the beginning of summer, still have a bunch frozen there were so many, but I'm scared to try any mushrooms.

Got a bunch of sweet potatoes at the market last night so I'll be cooking those up for lunches next week. 
Currently eating my weight in watermelon. Had a hot run and then even hotter mowing the lawn. Nothing like watermelon when you're hot and thirsty!


----------



## Cleo38

O2.0 said:


> I need to learn how to identify mushrooms, there are so many really pretty mushrooms and fungi that grow around here! I stocked up on a bunch of blackberries that grew wild at the beginning of summer, still have a bunch frozen there were so many, but I'm scared to try any mushrooms.
> 
> Got a bunch of sweet potatoes at the market last night so I'll be cooking those up for lunches next week.
> Currently eating my weight in watermelon. Had a hot run and then even hotter mowing the lawn. Nothing like watermelon when you're hot and thirsty!


I am definitely no expert but edible puffballs are easy to identify. Am long as they are white inside & have no gills then they are fine. The only other type I will eat is 'chicken of the woods' which again is easy to identify. It grows around trees & really has a meaty texture, great in stews but apparently some people can be allergic to this so should only eat a small amount first to test ….. I didn't know this & scoffed a whole load but was fine. My cast iron stomach comes good again!! 

I have heard so many horror stories of people dying or ending up with organ failure through mis-indentifying mushrooms that I don't risk any other sort.


----------



## O2.0

Cleo38 said:


> My cast iron stomach comes good again!!


This made me giggle  
My kids call it my "3rd world coming out" 'cause I'll eat anything. Expired - meh, it's fine if it smells fine. I hate, hate, hate wasting food, so I generally end up eating what everyone else in the house deems unfit. And I'm always fine. If I won't eat it, Bates will, and he's fine LOL.


----------



## Magyarmum

O2.0 said:


> This made me giggle
> My kids call it my "3rd world coming out" 'cause I'll eat anything. Expired - meh, it's fine if it smells fine. I hate, hate, hate wasting food, so I generally end up eating what everyone else in the house deems unfit. And I'm always fine. If I won't eat it, Bates will, and he's fine LOL.


You're like my DIL. She wouldn't let me throw away a packet of Marie biscuits I'd found at the back of a cupboard,

The best by date on the packet was 2001 and when I found them it was 2013.

As if that wasn't enough they'd travelled halfway round the world on their yacht having been bought in India!


----------



## O2.0

Magyarmum said:


> You're like my DIL. She wouldn't let me throw away a packet of Marie biscuits I'd found at the back of a cupboard,
> 
> The best by date on the packet was 2001 and when I found them it was 2013.
> 
> As if that wasn't enough they'd travelled halfway round the world on their yacht having been bought in India!


LOL yes! That sounds exactly like something I would do! 
It's dry biscuits, the worst they'll be is stale, totally edible


----------



## Guest

I have slaved in the kitchen today and made some lovely vegetarian wellingtons which we are having with roast potatoes and gravy tonight. I will post some photos later when they are cooked.

The wellingtons have butternut squash, mixed vegetables, walnuts and cashew nuts and the pastry is a puff pastry.


----------



## catz4m8z

O2.0 said:


> LOL yes! That sounds exactly like something I would do!
> It's dry biscuits, the worst they'll be is stale, totally edible


ewww! Have some standards!!
Although TBH Ive gotten alot better about ignoring dates...now I tend to look and sniff rather then trust dates. (except tinned foods obviously....everyone knows that lasts forever!).

really jealous of @saartje's dinner.Thats sounds really lovely.rool
Boring for me tonight, just Linda McMartney sausages, mashed potato and veggies (another thread dissed my convenience favs so Im mixing up onion, tinned sweetcorn and frozen broccoli with some herby cream cheese).
Just really fancied sozzies and mash!


----------



## Cleo38

O2.0 said:


> This made me giggle
> My kids call it my "3rd world coming out" 'cause I'll eat anything. Expired - meh, it's fine if it smells fine. I hate, hate, hate wasting food, so I generally end up eating what everyone else in the house deems unfit. And I'm always fine. If I won't eat it, Bates will, and he's fine LOL.


Same here, I am on a budget so everything counts … although if I don't eat it then the dogs, cats or chickens will!

Years ago my sister wrestled a pigeon from her cat that he'd caught in the garden. Unfortunately the poor thing died minutes later … so she cooked it for her & her husband! The cat did get some aswell (as was only right) but my niece was horrified & said she was living with savages! Although maybe that story isn't in keeping with this threat's topic 



Magyarmum said:


> You're like my DIL. She wouldn't let me throw away a packet of Marie biscuits I'd found at the back of a cupboard,
> 
> The best by date on the packet was 2001 and when I found them it was 2013.
> 
> As if that wasn't enough they'd travelled halfway round the world on their yacht having been bought in India!


I used to love Marie biscuits. I haven't had them for years though, I'd definitely have eaten them


----------



## Guest

Whoops I got so tied up with cooking and conversation with my partner I forgot to take a photo of the finished product. It was delicious, both our plates empty.


----------



## LinznMilly

Hi all. Haven't been on this thread for ages, and yes, I've been having a lot of processed foods recently.

But, I have an ally (albeit, an omnivore one) in my mum, who's got into cooking in a big way. She lent me her blender and a couple of recipe books. So far, I've made a sweetcorn pasta sauce (bit too thick, but tasty nonetheless) and, on Sunday, I made Sweet Potato and Apple soup;









In case anyone wants to give it a try themselves, here's the recipe (serves 4 - I adjusted the quantities and just used 1 sweet potato and a small apple).

Olive Oil
1 large Red Onion, finely chopped (I cheated and used frozen, orechopped onion)
2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped.
800g Sweet Potato, skin on, diced.
750ml Veg Stock
1 large Green Apple, cored and diced
Salt (I used herbs, instead)

Method;
Heat the olive oil in in large saucepan, add the onion and garlic and a pinch of salt and saute until the onion has softened.

Add the sweet potato and the veg stock and simmer for about 15mins until the sweet potato is tender and breaks apart when pressed against the side of the pan. Stir in the diced apple and simmer for another 2-3mins.

Blitz with a blender until smooth.

Serve.

Courtesy of _Eat, Shop, Save: 8 Weeks to Better Health_ by Dale Pinnock


----------



## catz4m8z

LinznMilly said:


> Hi all. Haven't been on this thread for ages, and yes, I've been having a lot of processed foods recently.


me too, eating way too many processed foods lately!:Shy Although that soup sounds lovely, I'll have to give that a go.

Got so fed up with my overly processed self that Ive been cooking up a storm today!
Sweetcorn chowder, wholemeal soda bread, sweet potato falafels, a red cabbage coleslaw made with vinegar rather then mayo and going to do a big bowl of black beans, cous cous and veggies so I can make up buddha bowls for tea or lunch.
oh, and going to make a lime and coconut courgette cake as well!

(we'll just ignore the vego choccy bar I had after I got back from the shops...ahem:Shamefullyembarrased).


----------



## LinznMilly

catz4m8z said:


> me too, eating way too many processed foods lately!:Shy Although that soup sounds lovely, I'll have to give that a go.
> 
> Got so fed up with my overly processed self that Ive been cooking up a storm today!
> Sweetcorn chowder, wholemeal soda bread, sweet potato falafels, a red cabbage coleslaw made with vinegar rather then mayo and going to do a big bowl of black beans, cous cous and veggies so I can make up buddha bowls for tea or lunch.
> oh, and going to make a lime and coconut courgette cake as well!
> 
> (we'll just ignore the vego choccy bar I had after I got back from the shops...ahem:Shamefullyembarrased).


That choccy bar just doesn't count. I polished off a small packet of chocolate creams yesterday. :Bag. I didn't think I could still do that. :Bag In my defence, it was during a 3 hour social call and I had nothing else to eat. . I made up to it last night by heating some wholewheat pasta and shoving in mixed veg, carrot and mushrooms.


----------



## catz4m8z

well my soda bread tasted horrible!:Yuck I only put a tsp of salt in per the recipe but it was way too salty for me....remembered why I dont usually add salt to things, even if recipes tell me to!
I dont mind it as a primary flavour (like ready salted crisps or salted caramel popcorn for example) but I hate it added to cooking as seasoning...much nicer seasonings out there IMO. So I caved....and made a loaf of onion bread instead, the slow boring way with yeast and proofing and resting and kneading *sigh* Only seasoning used was a pinch of smoked paprika and a sprinkle of nooch.
Tastes amazing!!


----------



## Cleo38

A friend & I went out for lunch at a new vegetarian/vegan restaurant that has opened in Ely ….. OMG it was fantastic! the food was all fresh ingredients, locally sourced & amazing. My pudding was gorgeous; gooey, chocolate brownie, vanilla ice cream, cherry sauce topped with vodka soaked cherries!!! 

So nice to see more of these type of places opening.

I made quite a pig of myself but I'd been out on a 6 mile run earlier so I felt I'd earned it


----------



## LinznMilly

First full day off in nearly 2 weeks. Had lookedforward to just chilling out in front of the TV, but it turned into a full-on busy day.

Started with the dogs - took them for a toilet break walk, then, whilst going around that, decided to take them for a morning out. Ended up at Penshaw Woods. Milly and I have been before, but it's been a good few years. Honey's never been.

Came home from that, settled the girls down with a frozen Kong each, treated myself to chips from the chippy :Bag

Then hit the kitchen and made myself a vegetarian shepherd's pie with sweet potato mash (courtesy of the recipe book "_Save Money. Good Diet_), and a chocolate trail bake (courtesy of _Eat Shop Save's _recipe book).

Veggie Shepher's Pie;









Chocolate Trail Bake:









Girls are shattered, I'm exhausted (debating whether or not I really want to go and treat myself to something alcoholic or not). But if I have to be busy on my day off, I'd choose a day like today every time.

If I'm not online tomorrow, I might just be comatose.


----------



## O2.0

LinznMilly said:


> Hi all. Haven't been on this thread for ages, and yes, I've been having a lot of processed foods recently.
> 
> But, I have an ally (albeit, an omnivore one) in my mum, who's got into cooking in a big way. She lent me her blender and a couple of recipe books. So far, I've made a sweetcorn pasta sauce (bit too thick, but tasty nonetheless) and, on Sunday, I made Sweet Potato and Apple soup;
> View attachment 413932
> 
> 
> In case anyone wants to give it a try themselves, here's the recipe (serves 4 - I adjusted the quantities and just used 1 sweet potato and a small apple).
> 
> Olive Oil
> 1 large Red Onion, finely chopped (I cheated and used frozen, orechopped onion)
> 2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped.
> 800g Sweet Potato, skin on, diced.
> 750ml Veg Stock
> 1 large Green Apple, cored and diced
> Salt (I used herbs, instead)
> 
> Method;
> Heat the olive oil in in large saucepan, add the onion and garlic and a pinch of salt and saute until the onion has softened.
> 
> Add the sweet potato and the veg stock and simmer for about 15mins until the sweet potato is tender and breaks apart when pressed against the side of the pan. Stir in the diced apple and simmer for another 2-3mins.
> 
> Blitz with a blender until smooth.
> 
> Serve.
> 
> Courtesy of _Eat, Shop, Save: 8 Weeks to Better Health_ by Dale Pinnock


Wow that looks delicious!!
I have some sweet potatoes I need to cook up, was going to throw them in with some quinoa, but I might have to try your recipe, yum!


----------



## Sarah H

We've got a glut of tomatoes so have been having lots of yummy tomato things! I have to say my fave is a basic soup (we have a soup maker which I have to say is fab). We have our own red onions too, so we cook the onions and toms in the oven with garlic, olive oil, balsamic and s&p. Then pop that in the soup maker and top up with veg stock. It cooks then blends, takes about 20 mins, where we will have some homemade bread or garlic bread or flatbread etc. Sooooo yummy! It's so tasty I could eat it every meal!


----------



## LinznMilly

O2.0 said:


> Wow that looks delicious!!
> I have some sweet potatoes I need to cook up, was going to throw them in with some quinoa, but I might have to try your recipe, yum!


It was nice, thanks.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Resisted the temptation to visit the cafe that sells home made vegan biscoffee cake today :Nailbiting

Aherm - not least because of the 7lb I put on in the 2 weeks my sister was here 

Cooked myself a tofu and veg stir fry for tea tonight - very tasty and much healthier than cake :Shamefullyembarrased

This week I’ve been trying to be much more “vegan”


----------



## Torin.

Lurcherlad said:


> Cooked myself a tofu and veg stir fry for tea tonight - very tasty and much healthier than cake :Shamefullyembarrased


Thanks for reminding me that I was going to try stir fry as my next step to increasing fibre slowly! I can do all the fruit now, and non-brassica veggies. But not legumes still. Not legumes is hard. Everything is legumes. But I can do stir fry without


----------



## catz4m8z

Torin. said:


> Thanks for reminding me that I was going to try stir fry as my next step to increasing fibre slowly! I can do all the fruit now, and non-brassica veggies. But not legumes still. Not legumes is hard. Everything is legumes. But I can do stir fry without


oooh, stir fry is def the way to go! I love a tofu one, you can always get so much veggies into one and it doesnt feel like you are eating 'rabbit food'.
I think alot of people rush the legumes when they change their diet and then regret it!:Nailbiting I remember building up slowly at first and still feeling bloated when I ate them....now I could happily eat them 3 times a day without worry!

Not food related but yesterday I stocked up on deoderant! Its a real PITA finding cruelty free anti perspirant in my town, its either Superdrug own brand or rarely Sainsbury have theirs in. But it was £1.99 each or £2.20 for two in Superdrug so Ive bulk bought enough to last me a while!:Shamefullyembarrased
I find sometimes that the food is easier to accommodate then some of the other bits and bobs of daily life.


----------



## Magyarmum

I made tomato and carrot soup for lunch which I had with grilled vegan cheddar cheese on toast. Yummy! It's a new brand called Green Vie and made in Cyprus, and I must say apart from being a little bit "plasticky" when you cut it, the taste is great and unlike the Violife it actually melts when you grill it. The Mozzarella does as well and the cream cheese is nice in a sandwich as a change from hummus. Anyway I think it's got me off my eating the real thing - not thatI've ever eaten much cheese!

Last night for dinner I had an Ethiopian split pea dhal with, would you believe, pasta? Not a mix I'd normally have but I had some left over from the night before and thought I'd better use it up

Tonight I've made some cabbage, red pepper and carrot pakoras which I'll have with celeriac chips and the rest of the dhal.

I bought an enormous canteloupe melon, far too much for me to eat,so tomorrow I'm going to make it into ice cream.

I think I'll use this recipe

https://theveglife.com/vegan-cantaloupe-ice-cream/#wprm-recipe-container-11278


----------



## Magyarmum

Help @Cleo38 and @Jonescat!

I've just been given a puffball the size of a football and I'm not quite sure what to do with as it's far to big for me to eat on my own!

What would you recommend? Is it best to freeze it? According to what I've read it's better to lightly fry it first or could you blanch it like you do veggies?

Or, would it be better to dehydrate it in my dehydrator?

I need your brains to come to my aid please!


----------



## Cleo38

Magyarmum said:


> Help @Cleo38 and @Jonescat!
> 
> I've just been given a puffball the size of a football and I'm not quite sure what to do with as it's far to big for me to eat on my own!
> 
> What would you recommend? Is it best to freeze it? According to what I've read it's better to lightly fry it first or could you blanch it like you do veggies?
> 
> Or, would it be better to dehydrate it in my dehydrator?
> 
> I need your brains to come to my aid please!


Ooh, am not sure. I've only eaten them fresh before but this latest one I have used in a curry (with courgette, potatoes, onion & chick peas) & frozen some portions. Stilli tasted lovely & seemed ok after beinv frozen.
I've never dehydrated anything other meat things for the dogs but that sounds like a good idea aswell.
I've been eating so many of these since I discovered a corner of a field I run past has loads in


----------



## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> Ooh, am not sure. I've only eaten them fresh before but this latest one I have used in a curry (with courgette, potatoes, onion & chick peas) & frozen some portions. Stilli tasted lovely & seemed ok after beinv frozen.
> I've never dehydrated anything other meat things for the dogs but that sounds like a good idea aswell.
> I've been eating so many of these since I discovered a corner of a field I run past has loads in


Thanks for replying. I think I'll cut myself anice slice of the puffball and make it into a schnitzel, The rest I'll dehydrate some and also freeze some.

Yesterday I made my canteloupe melon ice cream and had a quick taste in the evening before it was fully frozen! Absolutely delicious!

I'll never buy ice cream again when it's so easy to make it at home!


----------



## O2.0

This is growing near the side of my house. It's huge, bigger than a human head! It's beautiful, but no idea if it's edible. I wish I knew though, this would feed all 4 of us a good meal LOL!


----------



## Cleo38

Magyarmum said:


> Thanks for replying. I think I'll cut myself anice slice of the puffball and make it into a schnitzel, The rest I'll dehydrate some and also freeze some.
> 
> Yesterday I made my canteloupe melon ice cream and had a quick taste in the evening before it was fully frozen! Absolutely delicious!
> 
> I'll never buy ice cream again when it's so easy to make it at home!


That sounds like a good idea with the puffball. I might go & pick one later & do something with a slab of mushroom rather than cutting it up in to pieces. Some are huge & far too big for me, am hoping the deer stick to nibbling those ones rather than the smaller ones that I take.


----------



## Jonescat

Magyarmum said:


> Help @Cleo38 and @Jonescat!
> 
> I've just been given a puffball the size of a football and I'm not quite sure what to do with as it's far to big for me to eat on my own!
> 
> What would you recommend? Is it best to freeze it? According to what I've read it's better to lightly fry it first or could you blanch it like you do veggies?
> 
> Or, would it be better to dehydrate it in my dehydrator?
> 
> I need your brains to come to my aid please!


Apologies - I have been away. I have only ever sliced it in to steaks and sauted it with garlic and black pepper, nowadays I would porbably add wilted spinach. I love the sweet nuttiness of it


----------



## Jonescat

While we were gone we went out for a family celebration to a vegetarian/vegan restaurant. Everything on the menu except for one or two dishes was vegan - and divine.

So we had 
Chakchouka - where the traditional eggs have been replaced with imam bayeldi - this was mine and was amazing









Curried chickpea burger with fries and beetroot raita









Tomato risotto with arancini and pesto









and puddings! - chocolate and strawberry ganache










Strawberry and blackberry tart - picture clarity reflects the wine drunk I fear









and by the time the eton mess arrived, it was all a bit fuzzy 










But we were celebrating (hic). It's River Green in Norwich and very very good


----------



## 3dogs2cats

Jonescat said:


> While we were gone we went out for a family celebration to a vegetarian/vegan restaurant. Everything on the menu except for one or two dishes was vegan - and divine.
> 
> So we had
> Chakchouka - where the traditional eggs have been replaced with imam bayeldi - this was mine and was amazing
> View attachment 414738
> 
> 
> Curried chickpea burger with fries and beetroot raita
> View attachment 414739
> 
> 
> Tomato risotto with arancini and pesto
> View attachment 414740
> 
> 
> and puddings! - chocolate and strawberry ganache
> 
> View attachment 414742
> 
> 
> Strawberry and blackberry tart - picture clarity reflects the wine drunk I fear
> View attachment 414743
> 
> 
> and by the time the eton mess arrived, it was all a bit fuzzy
> 
> View attachment 414741
> 
> 
> But we were celebrating (hic). It's River Green in Norwich and very very good


That all looks very nice! It is so much better nowadays when attending family get togethers that involve eating out that I have a proper choice. I have always made it clear it is no problem so long as the venue serves sides salads and are happy for me to ask for one as a main I will totally fine, but it definitely much nicer to have a proper vegan menu, even if the choices are not extensive at least the thought is now there.


----------



## Sacrechat




----------



## LinznMilly

Sacremist said:


> View attachment 414813


Mam was just telling me about this on the phone yesterday (we were talking about extending our recipe book collections, and I'd mentioned an interest in his newest one, _Veg_). I said I'd look it up, but was so busy yesterday, I never got round to it, so thanks for posting this.


----------



## Sacrechat

LinznMilly said:


> Mam was just telling me about this on the phone yesterday (we were talking about extending our recipe book collections, and I'd mentioned an interest in his newest one, _Veg_). I said I'd look it up, but was so busy yesterday, I never got round to it, so thanks for posting this.


You're most welcome! I'm looking forward to watching it.


----------



## O2.0

I made the ugliest sweet potato mess I've ever made LOL! 
Had 4 sweet potatoes, cubed them up, steamed them to soften then I cleaned out the veggie drawer, onion, garlic, bell pepper, mushrooms, carrots, and some spinach that was about to get soggy. Cooked that all up and threw it in the blender and poured it all over the sweet potatoes. The blended spinach and carrots combined to make a hideous color, brought out even more by the beautiful orange sweet potatoes. It's so ugly! But it tastes great! :Hilarious:Hilarious


----------



## Jonescat

In case anyone sees the BBC article about choline and vegans and panics - here are the top sources of choline for vegans 
https://vegfaqs.com/vegan-food-sources-choline/

(The article on the BBC is here https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-49509504)


----------



## O2.0

Jonescat said:


> In case anyone sees the BBC article about choline and vegans and panics - here are the top sources of choline for vegans
> https://vegfaqs.com/vegan-food-sources-choline/
> 
> (The article on the BBC is here https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-49509504)


Just a curiosity really - I'm always interested that the dire warnings of nutritional deficiencies are always aimed at vegan or vegetarian diets. Yet the reality is that the vast majority of people eating an omnivore diet are eating the standard western diet of processed junk and pseudofoods all hugely deficient in any real nutrition. 
Not to say that as a vegan we don't need to be mindful of eating a balanced, nutritionally sound diet, we do. But no more than any other diet.


----------



## NaomiM

I'm going vegan for a week this week  My healthy eating plan went to pot somewhat over the school holidays, so I decided I need a week of detox now the kids are back. No meat/dairy and nothing processed - just pure fruit, veggies and nuts. Not enough carbs or protein to be sustainable or healthy in the long term (though I'm sure those of you who eat vegan/WFPB as a lifestyle add a lot more of both), but I've found in the past that doing this for one week it's a good way to kick-start a healthier diet


----------



## Magyarmum

I've made some Pupusas filled with refried beans and vegan mozzarella which I'm going to have with the rest of the buckwheat upma I made last night.

If anyone's interested here are the recipes. Instead of the Masa Harina I used Kukorica (Maize) Flour that you can buy in any supermarket over here.

https://www.plantandvine.com/vegan-pupusas-with-beans-and-cheese/

http://www.veginspirations.com/2013/03/buckwheat-upma.html


----------



## lullabydream

Think this is relevant.. 
We meal plan as a family but like most we get stuck in rucks and have likes and dislikes and same recipes circle. So my son said why don't we find some more recipes like we did before.. Did this when they were younger. 
Anyway feeling rubbish today and so my son said I'll sort the meal. He chose a potato and mushroom based curry. Not a tomato in sight as i tend to use passata as a base for curries. We have just sat down and eaten it and he said am impressed, not a piece of meat insight and I really enjoyed that and it was filling. It was good. Usually I cook curry with 2 pans one with meat one, one vegetable/lentil based. He always wanted the meat one.
I know it's simple, and he had eaten vegetable curries earlier in his life time but he is quite a big meat eater.


----------



## NaomiM

NaomiM said:


> I'm going vegan for a week this week  My healthy eating plan went to pot somewhat over the school holidays, so I decided I need a week of detox now the kids are back. No meat/dairy and nothing processed - just pure fruit, veggies and nuts. Not enough carbs or protein to be sustainable or healthy in the long term (though I'm sure those of you who eat vegan/WFPB as a lifestyle add a lot more of both), but I've found in the past that doing this for one week it's a good way to kick-start a healthier diet


Just wanted to update with pics of a couple of meals from this week 









Lentil stew









Beetroot, apple and walnut salad









Beansprout, cashew and vegetable stir fry with kidney bean sauce


----------



## karenmc

Looks lovely! Do you have a recipe for the lentil stew @NaomiM I would like to try and make one. My husband was very ill last year and while he is a lot better now his taste in food has changed. He has gone off lots of things he used to like so I want go try some new recipes. I am looking for some lentil and vegetable based meals as he loves veg still.


----------



## NaomiM

@karenmc I literally just chucked a handful of dried green lentils into a pan with water, cumin, paprika, garlic powder and salt, boiled then simmered according to packet instructions, then chucked in some diced onions, tomatoes, peppers and frozen peas in the last 10 minutes of cooking time. I think it would probably work with whatever veg you have to hand and whatever spices/seasonings you like


----------



## catz4m8z

Found something interesting in Iceland today. Bought some of those microwave steam veggie bags... its shredded kale, spinach, courgette and seaweed. Im terrible for keeping fresh veg in:Shy so a bag I can just chuck in with some grains is a fab idea! Also not really tried seaweed so it will be an experiment.
(ok, maybe I didnt need the jackfruit 'duck' spring rolls as well....dont judge me!!LOL).


----------



## Cleo38

They look lovely @NaomiM !

Had to use up some spuds & red cabbage yesterday so made a hash based on a recipe I found on the BBC website. I slightly burnt the topping when I grilled it but it was still bloody lovely!!


----------



## Torin.

Yay, 6w post op (almost) and I can eat legumes again *does a dance*
I wonder what my first legume meal will be...


----------



## O2.0

Torin. said:


> Yay, 6w post op (almost) and I can eat legumes again *does a dance*
> I wonder what my first legume meal will be...


Have something with lentils! They're packed with good nutrition and easier to digest  
I make a lentil stew with tomatoes and spinach, good punch of iron for my teenage girl when she needs it


----------



## karenmc

O2.0 said:


> Have something with lentils! They're packed with good nutrition and easier to digest
> I make a lentil stew with tomatoes and spinach, good punch of iron for my teenage girl when she needs it


How do you make your lentil stew @O2.0? I am looking for some lentil recipes like @NaomiM's and yours. Sounds lovely as we love spinach and tomato. Thanks


----------



## O2.0

karenmc said:


> How do you make your lentil stew @O2.0? I am looking for some lentil recipes like @NaomiM's and yours. Sounds lovely as we love spinach and tomato. Thanks


Oh dear I wish I could tell you amounts but I am very much a chuck things in a pot type of cook. 
Basically for this one I threw onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms in a pot and cooked them until the bell peppers and onions softened a bit. Add canned diced tomatoes, cumin, turmeric, smoked paprika, lentils, and eyeball some more water depending on how much water the canned tomatoes added. Oh and garlic, lots and lots of fresh diced garlic  Cook it all until the lentils are done, add some fresh spinach until it's wilted in, and let it all sit. 
I find this type of stew tastes better the next day because the flavors get a chance to grow more.

You could add sweet potatoes, quinoa, any other veggie that sounds good. Celery or leeks I bet would be good...


----------



## NaomiM

I decided to be adventurous today and "invent" my own recipe - mini chickpea nutroasts - so that I didn't feel too left out when the rest of the family was tucking into their roast dinner. Considering I've never made anything like this before and just sort of made it up as I went along, I'm very pleased with how they turned out  Three left for dinner tomorrow, and since the kids all nicked some of mine and all enjoyed it, I think I'll be making them again for the whole family!


----------



## Magyarmum

I made a Sri Lankan beetroot, broccoli and chickpea curry with coconut milk which I had with homemade Pita bread. It's the first time I've had beetroot in a curry but enjoyed it and will make it again! The sauce could have been thicker, but as I was hungry decided I couldn't wait any longer!


----------



## LinznMilly

NaomiM said:


> I decided to be adventurous today and "invent" my own recipe - mini chickpea nutroasts - so that I didn't feel too left out when the rest of the family was tucking into their roast dinner. Considering I've never made anything like this before and just sort of made it up as I went along, I'm very pleased with how they turned out  *Three left for dinner tomorrow, and since the kids all nicked some of mine and all enjoyed it, I think I'll be making them again for the whole family!*
> View attachment 415981


They look lovely, well done. 

When you do make them again, could you share the recipe, please?


----------



## catz4m8z

O2.0 said:


> Have something with lentils! They're packed with good nutrition and easier to digest
> I make a lentil stew with tomatoes and spinach, good punch of iron for my teenage girl when she needs it


oooh, deja vu! Im doing something similar today. Emptying out the fridge of some left overs at the same time. Mine is tinned toms, half a jar of pasta sauce, onions, garlic, potato and some very elderly courgettes. All blended in the soup maker.
Then afterwards Im going to add tinned sweetcorn and lentils, some brown rice and some frozen spinach.
I have a bad habit of letting fresh fruit and veg go off so I tend to rely alot of tinned, frozen or dried ingredients. :Shy But its all still healthy so who cares!?



NaomiM said:


> I decided to be adventurous today and "invent" my own recipe - mini chickpea nutroasts - so that I didn't feel too left out when the rest of the family was tucking into their roast dinner.


That sounds lovely! Something I used to love in the winter was bean loafs, also good with a roast. Just mash up whatever beans you like with whatever spices and extra veg and abit of flour or oats to help bind it then smoosh into loaf tin and bake. Really nice as a 'meat and potatoes' type meal and the varieties are endless.
My favs are a kidney bean/chilli version and a bean/stuffing loaf for that authentic sunday dinner feel!LOL
Experimenting is half the fun!


----------



## NaomiM

LinznMilly said:


> They look lovely, well done.
> 
> When you do make them again, could you share the recipe, please?


Sure, happy to share now 

I took two large handfuls of nuts (walnuts and cashews as it's what I had to hand) and pulse-processed a little until roughly chopped. Then I added one drained can of chickpeas to the blender and blended it all up (next time I'll add a teaspoon of the aquafaba as well, as the final mixture was a little dry). I stirred in one large grated carrot and three finely chopped spring onions, and seasoned with salt and paprika, then pressed the mixture into a six-cup silicone muffin tray and roasted at 180 C for 20-25 minutes (I didn't use any oil as I was trying to make it as low-fat as possible, but you could oil the muffin tin and brush the top with oil as well for a crispier finish). I then let them cool slightly in the tin until cool enough to handle, then pressed them out and put them on a baking tray at 200 C for a further 10 minutes to let the sides crisp up a bit more.


----------



## 3dogs2cats

NaomiM said:


> I decided to be adventurous today and "invent" my own recipe - mini chickpea nutroasts - so that I didn't feel too left out when the rest of the family was tucking into their roast dinner. Considering I've never made anything like this before and just sort of made it up as I went along, I'm very pleased with how they turned out  Three left for dinner tomorrow, and since the kids all nicked some of mine and all enjoyed it, I think I'll be making them again for the whole family!
> View attachment 415981


Very nice! I do like traditional roast dinner although I haven't ate meat for over 40yrs I do like a nut roast type traditional Sunday dinner - never on a Sunday though, I don't cook on my day off


----------



## Magyarmum

I had my favourite comfort food for dinner last night, a risotto made with arborio rice, adzuki beans, pasta, tomatoes, onions, garlic, celery, fennel courgette and red peppers. Delicious even though I say it myself.

And with it I had beetroot and carrot patties. I've got two left over which I'll have as a "hamburger" for lunch today.


----------



## NaomiM

@Magyarmum those patties look nice - I love beetroot! Could you share the recipe?


----------



## Magyarmum

NaomiM said:


> @Magyarmum those patties look nice - I love beetroot! Could you share the recipe?


I'm afraid I cheated a bit because in Hungary you can buy a vegetarian patty/burger mix called Fasirtpor that you just have to add veggies to.

https://biopont.hu/gabonafasirtpor-tokmagos-200-g

But having looked at recipes, I think this one is probably the nearest to what I made.

https://www.veganrecipeclub.org.uk/recipes/carrot-beetroot-cumin-burgers


----------



## Guest

We had vegetable katsu curry tonight it was yum.


----------



## Guest

Fresh soup tonight.

Chopped potato, onion, carrots, peas, half a handful of chives, sprinkle of black pepper, vegetable stock, 600ml of water, boiled for 15 minutes and then blended.









Yum.


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## O2.0

saartje said:


> Fresh soup tonight.
> 
> Chopped potato, onion, carrots, peas, half a handful of chives, sprinkle of black pepper, vegetable stock, 600ml of water, boiled for 15 minutes and then blended.
> 
> View attachment 416675
> 
> Yum.


Looks lovely  
I make similar. Great way to get all sorts of different veggies in to picky *cough* husband *cough* eaters


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## catz4m8z

Well, my fridge is virtually empty but Ive been eating so much junk food lately that I feel the need to make something healthy (oh, also have no money so cupboard rummaging it is!).
Have now got a cauliflower and chickpea curry in the slow cooker and made some banana and walnut bread with the black bananas I had hanging about.
Also made the dogs some more food as they had run out and as I dont have any bought biscuits for them I made them peanut butter and oat cookies.


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## Magyarmum

For dinner on Thursday evening I made pasta with a coconut milk Pumpkin sauce to which I added chard, and some roasted red peppers as a side dish.

A little too bland for my taste so as I had some sauce and pasta left over, last night added celery,.peppers, courgette and mushrooms to the sauce with some cayenne and made it into a bake topped with vegan parmesan cheese.

Much more to my liking!


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## LinznMilly

I've ate my bodyweight in fruits and veg today. 

Yesterday, I made a potato stack (recipe calls it "Layered Potato and Mushroom Pie", but 
1. It doesn't include pastry. 
2. It's alternate layers of potato and mushroom, and 
3. I had 1 layer of mushrooms, 1 layer of lentils and mixed veg, and 3 layers of pots  , so I've renamed it :Smuggrin). Anyway, I had that for lunch.

Then, I had packets of blueberries and blackberries that I had to use up, so I chucked them in a dish with a sliced Pink Lady apple and made Apple and berry crumble. :Hungry I've got some left over in the fridge for tomorrow. :Woot

Then, for tea/supper/dinner, I had carrot and lentil soup (from a tin, not homemade) .

I have also had crumpets and chocolate bourbon biscuits, though, so not entirely WFPB. :Bag :Shy


----------



## Elles

The heavenly chocolate I mentioned on here was just on dragon’s den and got peter jones. I didn’t realise it was so new. :Hungry


----------



## catz4m8z

Tofu stir fry today, loads of lovely veggies!

Going to see relatives in a couple of days and was told I would have to bring my own food coz they cant cater for a weirdo like me! I dont have a problem with it but as I sat there at lunch today eating my beans on toast I did wonder what kind of strange things they actually think I eat!




edit- awwwww, mum has gotten over her 'what to feed aliens from planet Vegan' panic!:Nailbiting
Am getting home made apple crumble tomorrow! result!!:Woot


----------



## catz4m8z

ok, big cooking/baking day today (basically coz Im lazy and now I wont have to do anything for the next several days!)
Made up some borscht in the slow cooker, a chilli bean loaf and chocolate hazelnut cookies and coconut courgette cake. Although most of the bics and cake will be going in the freezer so I dont eat it all at once.:Shy


----------



## catz4m8z

How is everybody else doing??
Time for me to some more batch cooking!:Woot I have a bolognese type sauce in the slow cooker (added extra carrots, courgette, tomatoes, spinach and celery to the tvp and onions for more vegginess!). Also about to do a sweetcorn and butter bean chowder in the soup maker...it was going to be just sweetcorn but I realiesed that would mean I would be having no beans for nearly a week. Doesnt feel like Im eating properly unless I get my daily beans!


----------



## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> How is everybody else doing??
> Time for me to some more batch cooking!:Woot I have a bolognese type sauce in the slow cooker (added extra carrots, courgette, tomatoes, spinach and celery to the tvp and onions for more vegginess!). Also about to do a sweetcorn and butter bean chowder in the soup maker...it was going to be just sweetcorn but I realiesed that would mean I would be having no beans for nearly a week. Doesnt feel like Im eating properly unless I get my daily beans!


Gosh you are industrious! I was going to make vegan sausage rolls today, then decided I couldn't be bothered. Thought I might make some soup as well and something for dinner today. Couldn't be bothered to do either, so will be having the remains of the veggie Shepherds Pie I made on Monday and just do some extra veggies to go with it.

My trouble is that if I eat a big lunch I'm not interested in food until the following morning. Today for lunch I had a taco filled with vegan cream cheese, tomatoes, cucumber, celery, lettuce, bean sprouts and coleslaw. I'd made it because I treated myself to an avocado on Tuesday which when I opened it was almost rotten inside!. What a waste of £1.50!


----------



## catz4m8z

Magyarmum said:


> Gosh you are industrious!
> 
> Today for lunch I had a taco filled with vegan cream cheese, tomatoes, cucumber, celery, lettuce, bean sprouts and coleslaw.


Kinda the opposite of industrious really!:Shy Both the slow cooker and the soup maker mean I dont have to stand in front of a pot stirring a spoon and batch cooking just means that I wont have to cook for at least 4 or 5 more days!

Tacos sound good though. One of those things Ive yet to try...probably coz Im convinced I would make a huge mess eating one!


----------



## Jonescat

I love this time of year because the local food is so good, and our allotment feeds us.

As you know I have a thing about UK grown protein - so here are my very own home grown beans  I reckon we have grown about a month's worth and they are borlotti and haricot. 









and cooked - with our potato, beetroot, kale and onion - sorry the picture is a bit steamy


----------



## Cleo38

Wow, that looks lovely @Jonescat - such beautiful colours!


----------



## O2.0

Jonescat said:


> I love this time of year because the local food is so good, and our allotment feeds us.
> 
> As you know I have a thing about UK grown protein - so here are my very own home grown beans  I reckon we have grown about a month's worth and they are borlotti and haricot.
> View attachment 419008
> 
> 
> and cooked - with our potato, beetroot, kale and onion - sorry the picture is a bit steamy
> 
> View attachment 419009


Yum!! Looks delicious! Home grown food is the best


----------



## catz4m8z

That does look awesome. Im very jealous of the allotment. Im trying to get my garden organized to hopefully grow more next year.

Spent about half an hour chucking stuff in the slow cooker and soup maker just now! Going to be having sweet potato, cauliflower and chickpea curry and bean and vegetable soup this week.


----------



## Magyarmum

As I had rather a lot of broccoli I decided to make soup this morning, which depending how hungry I feel this evening I might have with a sandwich, which will save me cooking!

Last night I made a cauliflower, broccoli, mushroom and potato bake in a cheesy sauce and topped with halved cherry tomatoes. I'd had beans and rice for lunch so this made an nice change.


----------



## Sacrechat




----------



## Sacrechat




----------



## Sacrechat




----------



## Jonescat

Tonight's meal was baked onion bhaji and cauliflower and black eye bean curry - yum


----------



## O2.0

Game Changers is finally out on Netflix


----------



## Jonescat

Made a banana loaf today with whole meal flour, oatmeal, bananas, cinnamon, baking powder, raisins, lemon, sugar, stevia and rapeseed oil. It is very good and has come out quite light and fluffy. 

I also finally tracked down the naturlii vegan block - palm oil free fat for those who want it. It was in my local veggie/health food shop not a chain and was £1.89
It has these ingredients
Organic Shea oil (43%), water, organic coconut oil (21%), organic rapeseed oil (11%), salt, organic ALMOND BUTTER* (1%), emulsifier * (lecithin), organic carrot juice, organic lemon juice, natural flavour.

I haven't tried it yet but it does finally answer the plastic free palm oil free vegan butter conundrum (actually I am not sure about the wrapper - I think it is some sort of plasticised paper)


----------



## Guest

Nice light breakfast this morning.








Avacado on toast


----------



## O2.0

Jonescat said:


> Made a banana loaf today with whole meal flour, oatmeal, bananas, cinnamon, baking powder, raisins, lemon, sugar, stevia and rapeseed oil. It is very good and has come out quite light and fluffy.


Sounds delicious!

I made a banana loaf yesterday and it was a bit of a mess! Way too thick and not light and fluffy at all LOL!


----------



## Jonescat

This is billed as "The Long Read" from the Guardian - why do people hate vegans?
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/oct/25/why-do-people-hate-vegans

It has some very interesting observations in it, and it is good to see it discussed as a real phenomenon - I think most people on this thread have felt a little hated from time to time.


----------



## O2.0

Jonescat said:


> This is billed as "The Long Read" from the Guardian - why do people hate vegans?
> https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/oct/25/why-do-people-hate-vegans
> 
> It has some very interesting observations in it, and it is good to see it discussed as a real phenomenon - I think most people on this thread have felt a little hated from time to time.


Interesting read. I've skimmed through it, will give it a more thorough read later.

I wonder though, how helpful these articles are. Well, maybe not this article, but it's title. It is well written and informative. But this 'poor hated vegan' thing doesn't sit right with me. It's almost like they're expecting a fight so go looking for one.

I've quietly eschewed meat for all of my adult life. Back when there was no such thing as Quorn or veggie burgers/patties/sausages etc. No soymilk, oatmilk, dairy free cheeses, what have you. No vegan Ben&Jerry's! 
95% of the time I get no or minimal comment from others who find out I don't eat meat. 
Contrary to the joke, no, I don't tell people. Sometimes it comes up, sometimes people comment on what is (or isn't ) on my plate, most of the time no one cares. 
So I don't get this "vegan victim" mentality.

But then, I tend to not be mainstream about a lot of things (parenting, family, culture, religion) so maybe I've just stopped noticing the raised eyebrows? :Hilarious:Hilarious

At the end of the day I have way more important stuff to worry about than whether people hate me or not because of what I choose to eat and feed my family. If that bothers someone so much then their opinion of me shouldn't matter anyway.


----------



## catz4m8z

wow, that was a long read!
I think alot of it is the media creating their own demons so they have something to write about TBH!

I dont keep quiet about being vegan but I dont shove it in peoples faces either. Its just part of who I am, like being a dog owner or having no social skills!LOL:Hilarious If someone asks me about it I'll tell like Id tell them about my dogs if they asked (frankly talking about anything without being asked first makes you unpopular wether its dogs, veganism, your baby or your line dancing hobby!).

Ive not experienced many anti vegan sentiments in person....all the really offensive, rude, judgemental, personal and insulting comments I have heard have been from the media or tv! funny that....


----------



## Guest

I made Moroccan Veggie Soup today and it tastes yummy.


----------



## O2.0

Twice now I've managed a delicious sweet potato soup. Very basic ingredients: 
Sweet potatoes (3 large, 4 medium)
1 large white onion
3 or 4 red or yellow bell peppers
8 or 9 cloves or garlic
I can coconut milk (coconut & water, not the kind meant to replace cow's milk)
For seasoning, salt, curry powder, cumin, and a little bit of smoked paprika. I really like the spicy & sweet combo  
I cook the veggies up in a little bit of water (I'm sure veggie broth would work too) and throw them in the vitamix, then cube the sweet potatoes and boil them too, keeping the water. The sweet potatoes I smash so the soup still has some 'lumps' of sweet potato. Add the blended veggies and can of coconut milk. And yum! 

Also made a lentil stew with canned diced tomatoes, spinach, baby bella mushrooms, onion and garlic. I'm set for lunches for a few days at least.


----------



## catz4m8z

All sounds very tasty. I might do a carrot and coriander soup today as I have way too many carrots in at the moment!

I fell off the wagon a few days ago though. At work a friend bought me a hot chocolate and as it was about 3am and I was tired it didnt occur to me til I was half way through that it was too creamy to be vegan. I finished it off coz the damage was done and it was a nice gesture from friend.
Ironically the very next day I got the worst cold Ive had in years and honestly feel like Im 98% snot at this point.:Hungover Now Im wondering if the inflammatory response it caused affected my immune system.??:Bored


----------



## karenmc

saartje said:


> I made Moroccan Veggie Soup today and it tastes yummy.
> 
> View attachment 421300


Looks delicious! Do you have the recipe. I'd love to make it. @O.20's sweet potato soup sounds great too. Soup is perfect for this weather!


----------



## Lurcherlad

DH (carnivore ) and I went to a vegan restaurant in Southend for lunch Sunday.









"chicken nuggets" with piri piri dip









Cauliflower bites in sticky hot sauce









Loaded hot dog, mac'n'cheese & fries









Falafel & Houmous salad









Hazelnut & chocolate cake with cream

A big indulgence but all very yummy.

Even the beer and Prosecco was vegan.

Such a joy to have a complete menu to choose from.


----------



## Magyarmum

I'm not a great one for burgers but yesterday the weather was so dismal and murky, I craved comfort food.

As I had some fresh beetroot and cooked mixed beans I found this recipe for bean and beetroot burgers which was truly delicious!

I had them with oven baked potato chips and tomato salad .............. yummy!

https://hodmedods.co.uk/blogs/recipes/bean-and-beetroot-burgers

*BEAN AND BEETROOT BURGERS*


----------



## Sacrechat

catz4m8z said:


> All sounds very tasty. I might do a carrot and coriander soup today as I have way too many carrots in at the moment!
> 
> I fell off the wagon a few days ago though. At work a friend bought me a hot chocolate and as it was about 3am and I was tired it didnt occur to me til I was half way through that it was too creamy to be vegan. I finished it off coz the damage was done and it was a nice gesture from friend.
> Ironically the very next day I got the worst cold Ive had in years and honestly feel like Im 98% snot at this point.:Hungover Now Im wondering if the inflammatory response it caused affected my immune system.??:Bored


I think it's more likely you came into contact with the virus and would have been sick regardless.


----------



## Sandysmum

I've got a freezer full of veg, fruit and meat free ready meals, that has been going from -18c to -15c and back again. I don't know how long it's been doing it for ? I wouldn't even consider it if there was any meat or fish , but I would have thought with just fruit and veg it could be safe? There are people on here who know much more about food than I do, so I thought I'd ask for advice. Is it safe to eat? Thanks in advance.


----------



## O2.0

jetsmum said:


> I've got a freezer full of veg, fruit and meat free ready meals, that has been going from -18c to -15c and back again. I don't know how long it's been doing it for ? I wouldn't even consider it if there was any meat or fish , but I would have thought with just fruit and veg it could be safe? There are people on here who know much more about food than I do, so I thought I'd ask for advice. Is it safe to eat? Thanks in advance.


I would eat it and feed it to my family no worries, like you say, it's fruit and veggies. 
Fruit and veg is usually pretty obvious if it's bad. It will smell and taste off. As long as it looks and smells fine, it's probably fine to eat in my non expert, non professional opinion.


----------



## Bugsys grandma

I've just started trying to eat a much more plant based diet. 
I've not eaten dairy for several months, and since my daughter suggested I watch the game changer on Netflix and doing some reading , Ive decided to cut right down on the amount of meat I eat.. 

So I've Not eaten meat now for about 3 weeks, apart from some cold roast chicken breast that a friend cooked for lunch one day, I couldn't tell her that Id rather not be eating it, but she now knows that in future I'd rather not, so that shouldn't happen again. 

I'm far from being perfect with it, I'm not scanning every packet etc for any small amounts of non vegan ingredients in things. Yet! I'd decided initially that I'd just give up meat and wouldn't worry about a bit of butter or cream etc in things, but that's changing already! 
Im finding that I'm getting more and more interested in what's in stuff and am eating a lot more whole 'real' food that I'm preparing myself so I know exactly what I'm eating! 

I've found that I'm already feeling better! 
I still feel tired , but it's a ' real' tired, rather than a ' I just can't be bothered ' kind of tired, if that makes sense? 
I've been sleeping better, and best of all I'm finding my menopausal hot flushes have been much much better, and my joint pain is definitely better! 

I've still a long way to go to get my diet to be a proper, plant based one, but I've made lots of changes already and I'm feeling very motivated to continue. 

The recipes on this thread all look very interesting, tasty and will be very helpful for someone like me who's just starting out!


----------



## O2.0

Bugsys grandma said:


> I've just started trying to eat a much more plant based diet.
> I've not eaten dairy for several months, and since my daughter suggested I watch the game changer on Netflix and doing some reading , Ive decided to cut right down on the amount of meat I eat..
> 
> So I've Not eaten meat now for about 3 weeks, apart from some cold roast chicken breast that a friend cooked for lunch one day, I couldn't tell her that Id rather not be eating it, but she now knows that in future I'd rather not, so that shouldn't happen again.
> 
> I'm far from being perfect with it, I'm not scanning every packet etc for any small amounts of non vegan ingredients in things. Yet! I'd decided initially that I'd just give up meat and wouldn't worry about a bit of butter or cream etc in things, but that's changing already!
> Im finding that I'm getting more and more interested in what's in stuff and am eating a lot more whole 'real' food that I'm preparing myself so I know exactly what I'm eating!
> 
> I've found that I'm already feeling better!
> I still feel tired , but it's a ' real' tired, rather than a ' I just can't be bothered ' kind of tired, if that makes sense?
> I've been sleeping better, and best of all I'm finding my menopausal hot flushes have been much much better, and my joint pain is definitely better!
> 
> I've still a long way to go to get my diet to be a proper, plant based one, but I've made lots of changes already and I'm feeling very motivated to continue.
> 
> The recipes on this thread all look very interesting, tasty and will be very helpful for someone like me who's just starting out!


Oh how exciting that you're feeling the difference! 
I know exactly what you mean about tired - the physical because you've done something tired that you can sleep and recover from. And definitely the aches and pains - giving up dairy made a massive difference for me, and I thought I was doing pretty well!

I just recently watched The Game Changers  I really enjoyed it, but I found Forks Over Knives (also on Netflix) even more informative if perhaps not as inspiring.

Any effort towards plant based counts IMO  I don't know that there is a 'proper' way as long as you're feeling good.

It's Thanksgiving here, we'll go to a friend's for the big meal, there are about 3 things there I can/will eat. No biggie though, I'd rather eat a few things I like and I know won't make me feel bad than pig out at feel like crud for 3 days!


----------



## Bugsys grandma

O2.0 said:


> Oh how exciting that you're feeling the difference!
> I know exactly what you mean about tired - the physical because you've done something tired that you can sleep and recover from. And definitely the aches and pains - giving up dairy made a massive difference for me, and I thought I was doing pretty well!
> 
> I just recently watched The Game Changers  I really enjoyed it, but I found Forks Over Knives (also on Netflix) even more informative if perhaps not as inspiring.
> 
> Any effort towards plant based counts IMO  I don't know that there is a 'proper' way as long as you're feeling good.
> 
> It's Thanksgiving here, we'll go to a friend's for the big meal, there are about 3 things there I can/will eat. No biggie though, I'd rather eat a few things I like and I know won't make me feel bad than pig out at feel like crud for 3 days!


Definitely better to just enjoy the few things you can eat, and still feel good afterwards.
Is it really worth eating stuff, that might be delicious and a real pleasure for the 10 minutes you're eating it, but makes you feel sluggish, tired and generally yuck for the following few days?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING !! 

I'm gonna check out that forks over knives on Netflix later. Thank you for mentioning that.


----------



## O2.0

Bugsys grandma said:


> Is it really worth eating stuff, that might be delicious and a real pleasure for the 10 minutes you're eating it, but makes you feel sluggish, tired and generally yuck for the following few days?


Most of the stuff I think I'll really enjoy I find lately doesn't even taste as great as I remember it. I do think your taste buds change. 
Last year, either Thanksgiving or Christmas, I told myself I would 'cheat' and have my friend's grandma's home-made banana pudding, a southern specialty made with layers of custard, cream, fresh bananas, and vanilla cookies. I used to really love it. I took one bite and it just wasn't the same. I mean it was okay, but not as delicious as I remembered or was anticipating. So I didn't eat it after all. 
I make apple pie and use a vegan crust, everyone loves it


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## Beth78

Any one around that understand the deal with niacin and riboflavin ?
It's in some garlic bread we have in but someone said these ingredients may be from animal sources.


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## O2.0

Beth78 said:


> Any one around that understand the deal with niacin and riboflavin ?
> It's in some garlic bread we have in but someone said these ingredients may be from animal sources.


Most cereals are fortified with B vitamins, including niacin and riboflavin. I know there are plenty of fortified products out there labeled vegan, so I would assume not all fortified niacin and riboflavin are from animal sources, I don't know how you would check though.

Given it's garlic bread, I wonder if the garlic part is made with butter?


----------



## Beth78

O2.0 said:


> Most cereals are fortified with B vitamins, including niacin and riboflavin. I know there are plenty of fortified products out there labeled vegan, so I would assume not all fortified niacin and riboflavin are from animal sources, I don't know how you would check though.
> 
> Given it's garlic bread, I wonder if the garlic part is made with butter?


It's has no dairy in it so that's ok. 
Maybe the only way to be sure is contact the manufacturer.


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## lullabydream

Beth78 said:


> It's has no dairy in it so that's ok.
> Maybe the only way to be sure is contact the manufacturer.


Niacin is in wheat as far as I know...

I have googled everything related to Niacin ( vitamin B3) recently due to having suggested to me to take it for migraine relief by my neurologist, same neurologist who says I have medication induced migraines. Though I have suffered since I was a child and am pretty sure I didn't take too much medicine and still don't. Was high as a kite a year a go I accept that but not now.. Have read both papers now on the idea of we are taking too much medicines and the small study on niacin.

Pretty sure the supplements are vegan which I have too, as OH pointed it out!


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## O2.0

Can't remember if I've shared this before but it's super easy, and one of my favorite post run recovery meals, full of nutrients and feels hearty.

Sorry my amounts aren't great, I'm a toss and go cook! 
Several large handfuls of baby bella mushrooms (any kind will do), chopped
One large onion (I use red, again, any variety will do)
Garlic to taste (about 8 cloves in my case)
Two cans of stewed chopped tomatoes
About 1 cup lentils (2 cups cooked) 
Fresh spinach, chopped. I think frozen would work too.

Cook the onion and mushrooms till softened, then add the rest and stew for a few minutes. Add the spinach last and let it wilt in. 
I season with a good teaspoon + of turmeric (to help with inflammation), cumin, and an all-purpose spice blend that has sage, and rosemary, and all sorts of good stew spices. I bet a bayleaf in there would be nice too.

The tomato will help absorption of the iron in the spinach and lentils. Good for active teens and old farts trying to up their running miles  
Good vitamin D in the mushrooms, and the onions and garlic help keep winter sniffles at bay.


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## NaomiM

I'm currently sticking with doing a "vegan week" once per month. Not just vegan but super strict, fresh fruit, veg, nuts and pulses only - nothing processed, no refined carbs and no added sugar. I'm getting better at inventing recipes that meet these strict criteria and still taste good! Here's one from early November - chilli lettuce 'tacos'.








I'm starting it again tomorrow, kicking off at lunchtime with a nice chickpea nutroast for the whole family


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## O2.0

NaomiM said:


> I'm currently sticking with doing a "vegan week" once per month. Not just vegan but super strict, fresh fruit, veg, nuts and pulses only - nothing processed, no refined carbs and no added sugar.


Are you doing this for a specific reason? Do you notice a difference in how you feel?

I love my sweets so for November I challenged myself to 10 days of no processed sugar, naturally sweet foods like fruits were fine, just nothing processed, though I did allow myself honey in tea on occasion. Turns out I'm not as much of a sugar addict as I thought which was nice to find out. I didn't have any weird cravings or anything. Ended up doing 18 days instead of 10, no problem. Then the kids' birthday and thanksgiving happened. I ate apple pie and vegan chocolate cake. Didn't notice I felt any different though like I do when I eat dairy.

I think I'll stick to avoiding processed sugar though, and the more I find out about the chocolate industry, the less I want to participate in it, so chocolate will be reserved for fair trade stuff when I can find it.


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## NaomiM

O2.0 said:


> Are you doing this for a specific reason? Do you notice a difference in how you feel?


Just for weight loss reasons really. I find it easier and more effective to lose weight by alternating short periods of "fasting"/detox with longer periods of eating normally, than to try to sustain a restrictive diet for months or years.

But I do find I feel good when I'm doing it. I've eaten quite a lot of junk the last couple of weeks, and have definitely felt sluggish and had some digestive issues.

I am also trying to cut down generally on meat and animal products, and this is a good place to start. I don't have a problem ethically with eating meat or dairy per se, but I do have issues with large-scale industrialised meat/dairy farming to meet the scale of demand. My view is that we as society should be eating less meat, wasting less, and generally having a greater respect for the animals that produce our food.


----------



## O2.0

NaomiM said:


> Just for weight loss reasons really. I find it easier and more effective to lose weight by alternating short periods of "fasting"/detox with longer periods of eating normally, than to try to sustain a restrictive diet for months or years.


Ah gotcha  
I tend to do the opposite. I eat my 'normal' diet most of the time and the few times I alter from it I feel like crap so I quickly go back to eating whole food plant based. 


NaomiM said:


> But I do find I feel good when I'm doing it. I've eaten quite a lot of junk the last couple of weeks, and have definitely felt sluggish and had some digestive issues.


Yep, when I first gave up dairy I did it so slowly that I didn't notice how much better I felt until it had been a good month since I'd had cheese. I remember getting a cheese pizza and it looked and tasted kind of gross with all that cheese grease. And it upset my stomach. So I started avoiding cheese altogether. Then it was ice cream, I had gone a long time without any dairy at all, ate some dairy ice cream and felt pretty puny the next day. Ignored it, and did it again a few months later, felt the same, plus the ice cream wasn't as nice as I had expected it to be. 
So yeah, a few years later, here I am, dairy free and not missing it at all. Mango sorbet though? Oh yes please!


----------



## NaomiM

O2.0 said:


> Ah gotcha
> I tend to do the opposite. I eat my 'normal' diet most of the time and the few times I alter from it I feel like crap so I quickly go back to eating whole food plant based.
> Yep, when I first gave up dairy I did it so slowly that I didn't notice how much better I felt until it had been a good month since I'd had cheese. I remember getting a cheese pizza and it looked and tasted kind of gross with all that cheese grease. And it upset my stomach. So I started avoiding cheese altogether. Then it was ice cream, I had gone a long time without any dairy at all, ate some dairy ice cream and felt pretty puny the next day. Ignored it, and did it again a few months later, felt the same, plus the ice cream wasn't as nice as I had expected it to be.
> So yeah, a few years later, here I am, dairy free and not missing it at all. Mango sorbet though? Oh yes please!


I do confess to loving my dairy - cheese in particular! I'm planning on doing this diet for a whole month over January though (so Veganuary only stricter) and maybe asking people to sponsor me for a couple of the charities I support, which will also give me motivation to stick to it! So who knows - maybe after a whole month of plant based, I'll be ready to make some more permanent changes


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## NaomiM

Tonight's special - beetroot burgers in a lettuce 'bun', with homemade hummus and onions. I had three - they were delicious!


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## NaomiM

And another favourite from this week - lentils with pomegranate seeds, sweetcorn and fresh coriander. The flavours just work really well together, as well as making it nice and colourful!


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## Magyarmum

I've just seen this on FB and thought I'd post it in case anyone's interested in making their own cheese. It's not for me because I don't eat very much cheese, but if I still had family living with me I'd no doubt feel differently.

https://www.madmillie.com/vegan-cheese-kit.html.

*Vegan Cheese Kit*

*







*


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## catz4m8z

Just Googling where to find vegan Baileys for christmas this year and realiesed there is a ton of recipes on how to make your own...and it does look pretty simple and much cheaper.
Looks like I'll be doing some boozey experimenting this year!


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## Guest

Mum and Dad are sending us some vegan smoked salmon. Has anyone had this? Does it taste like smoked Salmon?


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## Magyarmum




----------



## Lurcherlad

Richmond now do a meat free sausage.

Tried them the other day and thought they were a good substitute.

As part of a breakfast and made into sausage rolls I think they’d even fool meat eaters who like the brand. I’ll be testing them on my two 

Obviously, no sausage should be a staple, but as a convenient option they are worth trying imo. 

In Tesco they were in the meat aisle next to the rest of the brand’s items.

Also, Asda are selling Jack Fruit in their foreign food aisle - £1.49 a tin.


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## NaomiM

Lurcherlad said:


> Richmond now do a meat free sausage.
> 
> Tried them the other day and thought they were a good substitute.
> 
> As part of a breakfast and made into sausage rolls I think they'd even fool meat eaters who like the brand. I'll be testing them on my two
> 
> Obviously, no sausage should be a staple, but as a convenient option they are worth trying imo.
> 
> In Tesco they were in the meat aisle next to the rest of the brand's items.
> 
> Also, Asda are selling Jack Fruit in their foreign food aisle - £1.49 a tin.


Wall's also now does a vegan sausage roll - we found them in Tesco in the chilled aisle. My dairy-free toddler approves - though Greggs are her favourite!

(Just to add, I don't feed her sausage rolls on a regular basis, but as an occasional treat when we're out and about they're handy to grab, and at least they're getting some protein into her, which can be quite a mission!)


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## Lurcherlad

NaomiM said:


> Wall's also now does a vegan sausage roll - we found them in Tesco in the chilled aisle. My dairy-free toddler approves - though Greggs are her favourite!
> 
> (Just to add, I don't feed her sausage rolls on a regular basis, but as an occasional treat when we're out and about they're handy to grab, and at least they're getting some protein into her, which can be quite a mission!)


I had one of Greggs vegan sausage rolls today out shopping - yum


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## catz4m8z

Lurcherlad said:


> I had one of Greggs vegan sausage rolls today out shopping - yum


Ive still yet to try one of those.

Looking for blue 'cheese' (xmas treat!) in town today after having no luck in bigger stores. Thank goodness for H&B coz vegan isnt really a big thing round here! In fact I was gutted to discover the only other health food shop was having a closing down sale.:Arghh


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## catz4m8z

Just tried to make vegan Baileys for Christmas but the coconut milk was super thick and Ive ended up with Baileys cream.....


I am not disappointed!:Hilarious


----------



## Guest

Christmas Dinner: Homemade nut roast with cranberries, Roasted Pastinaak (Parsnips), Broccoli, Carrots, Roast Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce.


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## Magyarmum

saartje said:


> Christmas Dinner: Homemade nut roast with cranberries, Roasted Pastinaak (Parsnips), Broccoli, Carrots, Roast Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce.
> View attachment 427689


That looks delicious!

We had a Portobello Wellington with roast potatoes and parsnips, with broccoli and cauliflower in a cheese sauce. The Portobello Wellington was made with whole mushrooms standing on slices of roasted butternut squash and covered with a stuffing of onions, peppers, mushrooms, breadcrumbs and some vegan "chicken" strips, all wrapped in puff pastry. I also made a red wine gravy to go with it.


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## Jonescat

I love Christmas and all the traditional flavours, and the sociability of it all, but when it is over there is a sort of relief in going back to everyday food. So here is my first non-festive meal for quite a while - Bean and barley stew, with a salsa of almond butter. tomato and coriander.


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## NaomiM

I'll be following this thread for inspiration this month  Over the whole of January I'll be eating:
-Vegan
-Nothing processed or refined
-No added sugar, sweeteners or oils
-Only fresh fruit, veg, nuts and pulses.
I'm aiming both to lose some weight and to raise sponsorship for Concern Worldwide, who support refugees and displaced people who have no choice but to eat a very limited diet!


----------



## O2.0

NaomiM said:


> I'll be following this thread for inspiration this month  Over the whole of January I'll be eating:
> -Vegan
> -Nothing processed or refined
> -No added sugar, sweeteners or oils
> -Only fresh fruit, veg, nuts and pulses.
> I'm aiming both to lose some weight and to raise sponsorship for Concern Worldwide, who support refugees and displaced people who have no choice but to eat a very limited diet!


Wow, well done you! Off to google Concern Worldwide


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## Magyarmum




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## O2.0

Oh that's funny @Magyarmum ! 
Rather accurate too!


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## catz4m8z

Jonescat said:


> but when it is over there is a sort of relief in going back to everyday food.


yup, I could def stand to start eating some 'real' food! Managed to put on a stone by the end of the year!:Shy
Just been shopping though and have the ingredients in for stir fry and home made veggie soup which Im sure my digestive system will thank me for!

On another note tried oat milk over xmas. Yuk! so watery and weird tasting, not one I'll be trying again.


----------



## Magyarmum




----------



## Jonescat

I have a new soup book - produced by a local group who run charity soup lunches and are now selling the recipes  Today I made Chick Pea and Carrot - lots of carrots, a tin of chick peas, an onion, garlic, a tomato, a teaspoon of curry powder, stock - boil until done and blitz with a stick blender.

I am looking forward to the other 50+ recipes.


----------



## O2.0

Jonescat said:


> I have a new soup book - produced by a local group who run charity soup lunches and are now selling the recipes  Today I made Chick Pea and Carrot - lots of carrots, a tin of chick peas, an onion, garlic, a tomato, a teaspoon of curry powder, stock - boil until done and blitz with a stick blender.
> 
> I am looking forward to the other 50+ recipes.


Sounds delicious! 
I made what I thought was going to be purple sweet potato soup, but when I went to peel the sweet potatoes, under the purple skin was white flesh - Japanese sweet potatoes! Still good, mixed them with orange sweet potatoes, lots of spices and a can of coconut milk. Came out very good


----------



## NaomiM

O2.0 said:


> Sounds delicious!
> I made what I thought was going to be purple sweet potato soup, but when I went to peel the sweet potatoes, under the purple skin was white flesh - Japanese sweet potatoes! Still good, mixed them with orange sweet potatoes, lots of spices and a can of coconut milk. Came out very good


I didn't even know you could get purple or Japanese sweet potatoes - I've only ever seen the orange ones! Do they taste any different?

Just leftovers for me today. Leftover nut roast from yesterday with leftover salad and leftover hummus! I made batch of veggie soup yesterday from one of the cheaty supermarket bags of pre-prepped veg, and it's not bad.


----------



## O2.0

NaomiM said:


> I didn't even know you could get purple or Japanese sweet potatoes - I've only ever seen the orange ones! Do they taste any different?


Yes! The white ones with purple skin (Japanese) are to my taste very sweet and more fibrous than the usual orange sweet potato. 
Purple sweet potatoes, purple skin and purple on the inside are my absolute favorite but they're hard to find. The best description I've heard is that they're like dark chocolate vs. regular chocolate. The flavor is more intense, the sweetness less sharp, but they're SO good! I love them. 
We're in a sweet potato/yam part of the world and they grow around here pretty much year round so I do eat a lot of sweet potatoes


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## NaomiM

O2.0 said:


> Purple sweet potatoes, purple skin and purple on the inside are my absolute favorite but they're hard to find. The best description I've heard is that they're like dark chocolate vs. regular chocolate. The flavor is more intense, the sweetness less sharp, but they're SO good! I love them.


They sound yummy! Doubt I'd ever find any around here, though


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## O2.0

NaomiM said:


> They sound yummy! Doubt I'd ever find any around here, though


I wonder if you could grow your own?


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## NaomiM

O2.0 said:


> I wonder if you could grow your own?


I have free-range chickens, so can't grow anything without it getting dug up and destroyed!


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## NaomiM

Dinner today was a spinach dhal - simple but packed with flavour from fresh ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin, cinnamon and lemon. Very tasty! I have very little tolerance for spicy food as in chilli spicy, but I do like plenty of flavour.


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## Jonescat

Ooh that looks good.

Next soup: Pea, courgette and pesto - this was really good
Garlic, 2 huge courgettes, mug of frozen peas, can of cannelini beans, stock, cook and blitz, then stir 2 tablespoons of pesto through it and serve. Oil free people can add chopped basil instead


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## Cully

I'm new to eating veggie/vegan food. So far I've found the food I've bought rather tasteless. I know it's probably going to take time to adjust but what can I use to zing it up a bit?
I mostly have to rely on ready prepared food but the veggie/vegan substitutes I've tried are too bland and I'm not enjoying it. 
I shop at Tesco mostly and they have an increasing amount of vegan food available but I find I'm adding strong cheese, sauces or dips to make it taste better. 
Any tips to perk up my food???


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## Jonescat

Bruschetta mix wherever you would normally use parmesan - something like this
https://www.melburyandappleton.co.uk/italian-bruschetta-herb--spice-mix---100g-12037-p.asp

A chilli mill can be a meal saver. Oddly TK Maxx is very good place for both of these.

It is tricky if you use ready made food as it often tastes of not much at all. For quick meals, a combination of vegetable mixes and sauce in a jar can be the best way to go - eg a stir fry veg mix and whatever sauce you like, or for pasta sauce, try going for frozen roasted veg, and flavouring the way you used to. Curry - Pataks curry paste, a can of beans, an onion and a pepper etc. It really doesn't take much longer and it will taste better 

Flavoured tofu (such as that made by Taifun - https://www.taifun-tofu.de/en/products/mediterranean-specialities ) makes better sandwiches than a lot of burgers or vegan cheese, and also is great cubed in bowls and salads. Try and avoid things that are meat substitutes which often taste "savoury" but not much else, and go for things that are focussed on the vegetable element to get a flavour. I avoid vegan cheese for the same reason I avoid custard - it just seems to drown out the flavours underneath it with smoothness.


----------



## catz4m8z

Jonescat said:


> Next soup: Pea, courgette and pesto - this was really good


That does sound nice. Todays soup for me was broccoli, potato, onion, garlic, nooch, coconut milk (found some cubes at the back of the freezer!) all blended together....then I added butter beans and sweetcorn coz I like some bits in it!
Was having a nice healthy day until I got the Rich Tea biscuits out.:Shy


----------



## Cully

Thanks @Jonescat , some useful ideas there.
I understand what you mean about the ready made food. I ended up using dips to add flavour.
I love stir fries so should find it easy enough to cut out meat in those.
I've heard chickpeas are good but have no idea how to use them. Is that what they use for hummus?
I like broccoli cheese pasta so just need to substitute the cheese.
I looked at Tesco online for veggie/vegan food, and although they have more available now, if the reviews are anything to go by, they're very off putting!


----------



## Jonescat

Yes chickpeas are the base for hummus and it is very easy to make - drain the can and rinse the chickpeas, add garlic, salt, lemon juice and tahini and blitz with a stick blender. You will probably need to add water to get it to shop bought smoothness. I like very chunky hummus on a baked potato, but more runny hummus with raw veg  I use 2 - 3 cloves garlic, half a lemon and 1 heaped dessert spoon of tahini but you can vary it according to taste. They also make a fine curry.

BOL are quite good for flavour but very expensive imo. Frys veggie food is also more flavoursome that say Quorn, but again more expensive - you can get it in Holland and Barrett, and also Morrisons, so Tescos might do some of the range. Iceland also have a more interesting vegan range than you might expect (try the No Bull burgers)


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## Cully

Jonescat said:


> Yes chickpeas are the base for hummus and it is very easy to make - drain the can and rinse the chickpeas, add garlic, salt, lemon juice and tahini and blitz with a stick blender. You will probably need to add water to get it to shop bought smoothness. I like very chunky hummus on a baked potato, but more runny hummus with raw veg  I use 2 - 3 cloves garlic, half a lemon and 1 heaped dessert spoon of tahini but you can vary it according to taste. They also make a fine curry.
> 
> BOL are quite good for flavour but very expensive imo. Frys veggie food is also more flavoursome that say Quorn, but again more expensive - you can get it in Holland and Barrett, and also Morrisons, so Tescos might do some of the range. Iceland also have a more interesting vegan range than you might expect (try the No Bull burgers)


BOL?


----------



## Magyarmum

Cully said:


> Thanks @Jonescat , some useful ideas there.
> I understand what you mean about the ready made food. I ended up using dips to add flavour.
> I love stir fries so should find it easy enough to cut out meat in those.
> I've heard chickpeas are good but have no idea how to use them. Is that what they use for hummus?
> I like broccoli cheese pasta so just need to substitute the cheese.
> I looked at Tesco online for veggie/vegan food, and although they have more available now, if the reviews are anything to go by, they're very off putting!


I don't live in the UK but we do have Tesco over here, and having tried some of their veggie/vegan food was definitely not impressed.

What I do like thought are some of the Ardo range veggies and snacks which I believe in the UK you can buy online from Iceland I can recommend their sweet potato fries, Quinoa Kale Burger, Cauliflower cheese burger and Falafel. You can also buy their frozen pulses like chickpeas and Red Kidney beans.. Iceland also seem to do a nice range of vegan meals.

https://www.iceland.co.uk/frozen/vegan

https://ardo.com/en


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## Jonescat

BOL
https://www.bolfoods.com/products/


----------



## NaomiM

@Cully Chickpeas are also good in a nut roast  I use 1 can drained chickpeas, 3 handfuls mixed nuts, 1 grated carrot, 2 finely chopped spring onions, fresh herbs, salt and any spice/seasoning you like (I use paprika). Blitz together, press into a greased/lined loaf tin and bake. That will be Sunday dinner tomorrow for the five of us.

Today I had butterbean stew. Dead easy and quick, used up my leftover bits and pieces of veg, and cooked in the microwave while I was waiting for everyone else's pizzas to cook!


----------



## Cully

Magyarmum said:


> I don't live in the UK but we do have Tesco over here, and having tried some of their veggie/vegan food was definitely not impressed.
> 
> What I do like thought are some of the Ardo range veggies and snacks which I believe in the UK you can buy online from Iceland I can recommend their sweet potato fries, Quinoa Kale Burger, Cauliflower cheese burger and Falafel. You can also buy their frozen pulses like chickpeas and Red Kidney beans.. Iceland also seem to do a nice range of vegan meals.
> 
> https://www.iceland.co.uk/frozen/vegan
> 
> https://ardo.com/en


Thanks for that, I do use Iceland sometimes so will look online.


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## Cully

Jonescat said:


> BOL
> https://www.bolfoods.com/products/


Thank you.:Facepalm


----------



## catz4m8z

Feeling inspired in the kitchen today (which rarely happens!).
Made some onion bread (to go with yesterdays broccoli, sweetcorn and butter bean soup).
chocolate and walnut cake
black bean loaf
savoury tomato and onion scones

and peanut butter and sweet potato dog biscuits...which was actually the only thing I had planned to make!LOL:Hilarious


----------



## Magyarmum




----------



## NaomiM

catz4m8z said:


> Feeling inspired in the kitchen today (which rarely happens!).
> Made some onion bread (to go with yesterdays broccoli, sweetcorn and butter bean soup).
> chocolate and walnut cake
> black bean loaf
> savoury tomato and onion scones


Sounds lovely! What's a black bean loaf - bread with black beans in, or something totally different?


----------



## catz4m8z

NaomiM said:


> Sounds lovely! What's a black bean loaf - bread with black beans in, or something totally different?


just a vegan version of a meatloaf. Smoosh up a load of pulses with whatever else you fancy and it makes a lovely cheap dinner.
Mine was black beans, sweetcorn, onion, tomatoes, celery, garlic, smoked paprika and cumin then a little bit of wholemeal flour and plant milk and until I got the consistency I wanted.


----------



## NaomiM

catz4m8z said:


> just a vegan version of a meatloaf. Smoosh up a load of pulses with whatever else you fancy and it makes a lovely cheap dinner.
> Mine was black beans, sweetcorn, onion, tomatoes, celery, garlic, smoked paprika and cumin then a little bit of wholemeal flour and plant milk and until I got the consistency I wanted.


I have a tin of black beans in the cupboard - might have to give it a try at some point!


----------



## Guest

My vegan soup containing only 7 ingredients serves approximately 4.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 whole onion roughly chopped
5 medium carrots
150g dried lentils (uncooked)
1 litre vegetable stock
100ml of dairy free milk like oat milk or soya milk, almond milk etc (I used oat milk).
1 tsp ground cumin

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened.
2. Stir in carrots, lentils, stock, dairy free milk, then bring to boil.
3. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Put mixture into blender or food processer and blend (I used our Nutri Bullet).
5. I put the mixture back into a clean pot and then ladled the soup into a bowl and serve with crushed mixed seeds.

Tastes absolutely delicious.

This is some I made in the pan.


----------



## Guest

Just to add from my post above....
Here is the lentil soup in a bowl


----------



## Magyarmum




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## Magyarmum




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## O2.0

Made humus last night added turmeric. Why have I never done that before? Doesn't do much to the flavor, but it makes it pretty!  And I need all the turmeric I can get these days as I up my running miles! 

Wraps for dinner last night, I sauteed some mushrooms, onions and wilted in some spinach. Put that in a sweet potato wrap (store bought) kids added beans and rice, I added the humus. Super easy dinner, and yummy


----------



## NaomiM

@O2.0 I seem to recall you saying you can make a cheese sauce out of butter beans or something similar? Do you have a recipe I could steal? I'm making spinach and ricotta cannelloni for the rest of the family at some point this week, and wanted to see if I can find a substitute for the ricotta so I could make a vegan version for myself!


----------



## NaomiM

Tonight I was cooking chicken curry for the rest of the family, so I made a vegan sweet potato and chickpea version for myself, with pilau cauli-rice. My dairy-free toddler had some of the curry too (with normal rice) and loved it! A definite winner - I think next time I'll make this for the whole family!


----------



## O2.0

NaomiM said:


> @O2.0 I seem to recall you saying you can make a cheese sauce out of butter beans or something similar? Do you have a recipe I could steal? I'm making spinach and ricotta cannelloni for the rest of the family at some point this week, and wanted to see if I can find a substitute for the ricotta so I could make a vegan version for myself!


The sauce everyone likes the most is with garbanzo beans, salsa, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast. I couldn't begin to tell you the amounts. 
But if you look online for vegan cheese sauce, there are some awesome ones out there. The ones with cashews are always good, and I bet cashews would work better for a ricotta anyway. There are other recipes with potatoes, cauliflower, all sorts of stuff


----------



## O2.0

This one looks good!
https://simple-veganista.com/cashew-ricotta-cheese/#tasty-recipes-8548

I would probably substitute some white beans or garbanzos for all the cashews just to make it less heavy. And I would definitely not skip the nutritional yeast - that's what makes the flavor IMO.


----------



## NaomiM

O2.0 said:


> This one looks good!
> https://simple-veganista.com/cashew-ricotta-cheese/#tasty-recipes-8548
> 
> I would probably substitute some white beans or garbanzos for all the cashews just to make it less heavy. And I would definitely not skip the nutritional yeast - that's what makes the flavor IMO.


Thank you!

I don't have nutritional yeast, and wouldn't know where to get it from :/ I guess maybe a health food shop? But I won't have a chance to go looking for one for a few days, so might have to try it without the yeast this first time, and then try a 'real' version again next time!


----------



## O2.0

I wouldn't know where to direct you in the UK but our regular grocery stores usually have it in the specialty flours and baking supplies area.
And of course you can also get it online, it's very light, easy to ship


----------



## NaomiM

@O2.0 I found the nutritional yeast, and may just have gone a bit mad with it... 










Courgette cannelloni with cashew 'ricotta' and spinach filling, topped with a tomato, onion and butter bean sauce. I put a tablespoon of nutritional yeast in the ricotta and another in the sauce, intending to save a portion of the finished dish for tomorrow, but ended up eating it all  It was really good!


----------



## O2.0

NaomiM said:


> @O2.0 I found the nutritional yeast, and may just have gone a bit mad with it...
> 
> View attachment 429366
> 
> 
> Courgette cannelloni with cashew 'ricotta' and spinach filling, topped with a tomato, onion and butter bean sauce. I put a tablespoon of nutritional yeast in the ricotta and another in the sauce, intending to save a portion of the finished dish for tomorrow, but ended up eating it all  It was really good!


Oh that looks good! Isn't nutritional yeast good?


----------



## NaomiM

O2.0 said:


> Oh that looks good! Isn't nutritional yeast good?


I wasn't sure quite what to expect - it kinda looked like fish food when I opened it! But yes - not quite cheese, but certainly a very nice savoury flavour


----------



## Cully

I think it was nutritional yeast that was used on Sunday's 'Living On The Veg' TV program. They made Lasagne with it.
Anyone watch? I found it interesting, especially as I'm a novice.


----------



## Magyarmum

Yesterday for lunch I had homemade cauliflower and broccoli soup which was just right for a bitterly cold winter's day.

I couldn't make my mind up what to have for dinner except I fancied a jacket potato and I also had a large Portobello mushroom in the fridge which needed using up. In the end I made a topping for the potato of chopped onions, garlic, courgette, red peppers,the mushroom, butter beans and chard cooked in a spicy tomato sauce. Delicious!

I have some left over which I might make into a pasta bake topped with cheese sauce made with cauliflower and vegan Parmesan cheese and topped with grated vegan Mozzarella.. (Unfortunately I can't stand the flavour of nutritional yeast)


----------



## Magyarmum




----------



## NaomiM

I made nut roast again yesterday using my usual mixture of nuts, chickpeas and various veggies and herbs (spinach and coriander this time). I decided to make the nut roast into patties rather than baking it in a loaf tin, as I thought they would cook faster and crisp up better (which they did ).








I had about half the mixture left over, so today I decided to try mixing it with some lemon juice and water to make a sort of chunky, nutty hummus. I also made some baba ghanoush (Middle Eastern aubergine dip) the other day, so I've had a full mezze platter for lunch today!


----------



## O2.0

Oh I love baba ganoush! Yum!


----------



## Beth78

Had the Subway meatlessball sandwich yesterday, it was delish, especially with the garlic aioli.

I'm still torn on weather to try the chickinless KFC burger.
In one hand I think I should support the vegan options.
But on the other hand I know what the business does to chickens, so I think I'd still feel guilty giving them money.


----------



## Boxer123

Beth78 said:


> Had the Subway meatlessball sandwich yesterday, it was delish, especially with the garlic aioli.
> 
> I'm still torn on weather to try the chickinless KFC burger.
> In one hand I think I should support the vegan options.
> But on the other hand I know what the business does to chickens, so I think I'd still feel guilty giving them money.


Now you have got me thinking about subways yummy. I really like the vegan pate in mine.


----------



## Jonescat

there is an intesreting article inthe Guardian today on ultra processed foods
https://www.theguardian.com/food/20...r-your-shopping-basket-brazil-carlos-monteiro

with a link to a database of processed foods that is interesting and evolving, so some foods have not been nova classified yet. 
https://world.openfoodfacts.org/


----------



## baubbles

@Beth78 was wondering about the subway and the KFC too. Thanks for recommend! I heard Linda McCartney range has a new KFC type 'chicken bucket' that has good reviews. It says vegetarian but suitable for vegans.

@Jonescat - Wow that is an eye opener and so much info thanks for sharing.

I'm very new to vegan eating but loving it and can't imagine going back however I do rely on meat type products I know some hate them but it's keeping me vegan. I did make a lovey lentil and oat loaf the other day so need to do more cooking with good ingredients.


----------



## O2.0

I can't remember if it was here or on the running thread that I mentioned purple sweet potatoes. 
I took a picture last night before chopping everything up in to a stew - combination of orange sweet potatoes, Japanese sweet potatoes (purple skin, white flesh), and purple sweet potatoes. They're so pretty!!


----------



## Magyarmum

O2.0 said:


> I can't remember if it was here or on the running thread that I mentioned purple sweet potatoes.
> I took a picture last night before chopping everything up in to a stew - combination of orange sweet potatoes, Japanese sweet potatoes (purple skin, white flesh), and purple sweet potatoes. They're so pretty!!


They had the purple sweet potatoes in Lidl earlier this week, but Soooo expensive I gave them a miss!!

There's also a farm shop where you can order several different types of sweet potatoes online. I might buy some for when the family come over in a couple of month's time!


----------



## O2.0

Magyarmum said:


> They had the purple sweet potatoes in Lidl earlier this week, but Soooo expensive I gave them a miss!!


Oh that's too bad! Sweet potatoes are a big staple around here, they grow easily here. The purple ones are about twice as much as the regular sweet potatoes, but at about $1 a pound, for regular sweet potatoes, I don't mind splurging to $2 a pound for purple ones


----------



## Magyarmum

O2.0 said:


> Oh that's too bad! Sweet potatoes are a big staple around here, they grow easily here. The purple ones are about twice as much as the regular sweet potatoes, but at about $1 a pound, for regular sweet potatoes, I don't mind splurging to $2 a pound for purple ones


The regular sweet potatoes are about $1.86 for a pound and the purple ones around $3.71 a pound and I'm not so keen on them that I'd pay that much.


----------



## Jonescat

I've only found the purple ones once but loved the way they kept their colour when cooked (purple beans and cauliflower have always been a great disappointment to me!) and I thought they had a slightly different texture to the orange ones. I would get them again if they appeared and were affordable.

Last week because it was stormy, I stayed in and cooked - I made marmalade, a huge batch of rice and lentil mince for the freezer ( recipe here https://veggieconverter.com/whole-food-vegetarian-ground-beef-substitute-recipe/) and bread. I am told that there is another storm coming but not sure what to make this time....


----------



## Magyarmum

*News Thump.

Friday 14 February 2020 by Pete Redfern*

*Parents fear that teenage daughter might give in to peer pressure and try veganism*









*Parents of a twelve-year-old girl have expressed concern that her vegan friends may be leading her wildly off the rails, according to reports this morning.*

Simon and Brenda Williams told us of their worries for their daughter Olivia, who, to their horror, they found last week eating falafel and seeming to enjoy it.

"You hear about kids going to secondary school, getting in with the wrong crowd and making terrible life choices, but we'd never thought it would happen to our Olivia," lamented Simon, tucking into a bacon and sausage roll, his fat red face bulging with rage and cholesterol.

"We had our concerns about her friend Heidi in particular, after that time she came round our house and said she was a supporter of Greta Thunberg. We knew then she was a wrong 'un."

Taking a sip of his milkshake he went on, "And now she seems to have tempted our daughter with this vegan nonsense. And Olivia just doesn't look her normal self - her complexion is glowing, she seems to have a lot more energy and is just generally more healthy as a result of this dreadful lifestyle."

Crying tears of grease from a lifetime of consuming dead pigs, he concluded, "It's so traumatic for a parent to see someone who used to get heartburn from wolfing down KFC now happily eating a vegan dinner before going off to play football.

"Hopefully it's just a phase she'll grow out of. And she has been growing a lot more recently, which is probably just a coincidence."


----------



## baubbles

This week I'm making a real effort to rely less on processed 'meat' type products. However this weekend I did have a Moving Mountains sausage patty and the LM chicken bucket both tasted very good. Inspired by this thread I'm going to go back and get some great ideas for the coming week based on veg, lentils, grains and beans


----------



## Jonescat

It rained all weekend so I made stock, and roasted vegetables, so my (small) freezer is completely packed and I won't have to think much about food this week or next


----------



## O2.0

Jonescat said:


> It rained all weekend so I made stock, and roasted vegetables, so my (small) freezer is completely packed and I won't have to think much about food this week or next


That's always such a great feeling, to have food sorted for a while. With teens in the house I can only get ahead by days as opposed to weeks, but it's still good


----------



## baubbles

did a gorgeous stir fry last night with rice noodles, veg and added Laoganma crispy chili oil for a umami bomb I'm addicted to it. It's spicy but not as much as you would think with a very unique flavor.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Something to consider if using dairy free milks .... just signed a Petition on this.

Apparently Almond milk is the least sustainable-not just with it's effect on bees but also regarding water consumption.

I use oat milk which is best, I believe, but am working on making my own at home tbh.

"*Is almond milk vegan? Not if countless bees are killed to make it.*

California almond farms are* a pesticide-soaked killing field for pollinators*. But *enough pressure on almond milk's biggest players*could force this bee-hostile industry to change its ways.

*Demand Blue Diamond, Danone and co. make the switch to bee-friendly almonds!"
*


----------



## Magyarmum

Lurcherlad said:


> Something to consider if using dairy free milks .... just signed a Petition on this.
> 
> Apparently Almond milk is the least sustainable-not just with it's effect on bees but also regarding water consumption.
> 
> I use oat milk which is best, I believe, but am working on making my own at home tbh.
> 
> "*Is almond milk vegan? Not if countless bees are killed to make it.*
> 
> California almond farms are* a pesticide-soaked killing field for pollinators*. But *enough pressure on almond milk's biggest players*could force this bee-hostile industry to change its ways.
> 
> *Demand Blue Diamond, Danone and co. make the switch to bee-friendly almonds!"*


I prefer Oat Milk to all the others and I'm lucky because our local Penny Market has their own brand called MyBio which is much cheaper than most other brands

I do sometimes use their Rice Milk in cooking as it has very little flavour which makes it a good choice for things like mashed potato or Bechamel sauce


----------



## O2.0

Lurcherlad said:


> Something to consider if using dairy free milks .... just signed a Petition on this.
> 
> Apparently Almond milk is the least sustainable-not just with it's effect on bees but also regarding water consumption.
> 
> I use oat milk which is best, I believe, but am working on making my own at home tbh.
> 
> "*Is almond milk vegan? Not if countless bees are killed to make it.*
> 
> California almond farms are* a pesticide-soaked killing field for pollinators*. But *enough pressure on almond milk's biggest players*could force this bee-hostile industry to change its ways.
> 
> *Demand Blue Diamond, Danone and co. make the switch to bee-friendly almonds!"*


It's not just bees with almond milk, the water usage is worrisome too. 
I got annoyed with Califa that makes some excellent plant milks because they're all packaged in plastic. I wrote to them and they said it's recyclable plastic, so okay. 
I just make my own now. Oat milk is fairly easy, though my favorite is cashew milk, we always have that on hand for coffee.

Made a lovely lentil and split pea soup last night from a dry mix that had lentils, split peas, barley... season as you like. Came out terrific, only didn't make near enough. I still have plenty of dry ingredients, may make another batch tonight, hopefully I can remember how I seasoned it!


----------



## Magyarmum

O2.0 said:


> It's not just bees with almond milk, the water usage is worrisome too.
> I got annoyed with Califa that makes some excellent plant milks because they're all packaged in plastic. I wrote to them and they said it's recyclable plastic, so okay.
> I just make my own now. Oat milk is fairly easy, though my favorite is cashew milk, we always have that on hand for coffee.
> 
> Made a lovely lentil and split pea soup last night from a dry mix that had lentils, split peas, barley... season as you like. Came out terrific, only didn't make near enough. I still have plenty of dry ingredients, may make another batch tonight, hopefully I can remember how I seasoned it!


I often add the ready made dry mix of lentils, peas etc to my soups. The one we buy also has rice in it.

I had a piece of cauliflower and some broccoli I wanted to use up, so yesterday made it into a cauliflower/broccoli soup. It also had onion, a celery stick, carrot and a potato in it. I whizzed it up a little to make it thicker but left some chunky pieces in it.

Delicious for a quick and filling lunch! .


----------



## baubbles

Quite interested in the cashew milk @O2.0 I've never tried it but it's on my shopping list and my son loves it in hot chocolate. The only thing I'm struggling with is a replacement for double cream in my coffee. Provomel soya cream is very good too.


----------



## O2.0

baubbles said:


> Quite interested in the cashew milk @O2.0 I've never tried it but it's on my shopping list and my son loves it in hot chocolate. The only thing I'm struggling with is a replacement for double cream in my coffee. Provomel soya cream is very good too.


The cashew milk I make is so easy, 1/4 cup of cashews to one cup water, I usually make 4 cups at a time. I just put water in the vitamix (high speed blender), add the raw cashews, let them sit for a few hours, then blend. It lasts a good week in the fridge. 
You can add dates for sweetness or even some vanilla extract for flavor. It's great in coffee and makes great hot chocolate too


----------



## baubbles

Thanks @O2.0 I will try that. off topic but I put my dates in the freezer. Tried it by accident as I'm the only one that eats them and thought I'd try. They are amazing, they don't freeze solid and taste like a piece of fudge or chocolate caramel.


----------



## GangstersMum

I love this! I'm vegan and have been for just over 5 years now. I'm absolutely rubbish at following recipes but will try to post as much as possible on here. I also do post to instagram/facebook daily food posts about eating out etc under the name 'Mama's a Vegan' - hope to help and inspire!


----------



## karenmc

O2.0 said:


> I can't remember if it was here or on the running thread that I mentioned purple sweet potatoes.
> I took a picture last night before chopping everything up in to a stew - combination of orange sweet potatoes, Japanese sweet potatoes (purple skin, white flesh), and purple sweet potatoes. They're so pretty!!


I've never seen purple sweet potato before!!! Do they taste different?x


----------



## O2.0

karenmc said:


> I've never seen purple sweet potato before!!! Do they taste different?x


Yes! It's a fuller flavor of sweet potato and less sweet - the best way I can describe it is like chocolate vs. dark chocolate. Purple sweet potatoes are like dark chocolate is to chocolate.
I like mixing the two


----------



## Magyarmum




----------



## Magyarmum

Oh dear! Last week I bought some vital wheat gluten with the intention of making some vegan sausages. I found a sausage recipe with onions, mushroom and apple mixed in with the wheat gluten and on Sunday afternoon, set about making them. After much mixing, chilling, rolling and boiling I ended up with 10 plump lovely looking sausages ................. which when I tried them .............. tasted awful!

I've stuck them in my freezer whilst I decide what to do with them. Maybe cut them up and disguise them with herbs and spices? I've got a horrid feeling though they'll end up in the dustbin. So disappointed!

Last night however I did make a Turkish dish which I thoroughly enjoyed although I used spinach instead of Swiss Chardand spiced it up a bit with Sumac!

https://ozlemsturkishtable.com/2020...ette-lentils-swiss-chard-cooked-in-olive-oil/


----------



## O2.0

Magyarmum said:


> Oh dear! Last week I bought some vital wheat gluten with the intention of making some vegan sausages. I found a sausage recipe with onions, mushroom and apple mixed in with the wheat gluten and on Sunday afternoon, set about making them. After much mixing, chilling, rolling and boiling I ended up with 10 plump lovely looking sausages ................. which when I tried them .............. tasted awful!
> 
> I've stuck them in my freezer whilst I decide what to do with them. Maybe cut them up and disguise them with herbs and spices? I've got a horrid feeling though they'll end up in the dustbin. So disappointed!
> 
> Last night however I did make a Turkish dish which I thoroughly enjoyed although I used spinach instead of Swiss Chardand spiced it up a bit with Sumac!
> 
> https://ozlemsturkishtable.com/2020...ette-lentils-swiss-chard-cooked-in-olive-oil/


Oh dear! I've been wanting to try my hand at working with vital wheat gluten, and been worried about the results - you're not helping! :Hilarious:Hilarious


----------



## baubbles

I had the same experience with vital wheat gluten I think it was a roast. It looked decent enough but wasn't sure about the taste so I put it in the freezer and eventually threw it out. Did you use liquid smoke @Magyarmum ? It's a good disguise.  The Turkish recipe looks great thanks for posting!


----------



## Magyarmum

O2.0 said:


> Oh dear! I've been wanting to try my hand at working with vital wheat gluten, and been worried about the results - you're not helping! :Hilarious:Hilarious


Sorry:Shamefullyembarrased I think a good part of the problem was that the recipe I chose was for a fairly bland British Banger type sausage which turned out to be absolutely tasteless:Arghh.. The texture however was good and the next time I'll use a lot more spices. Maybe I'll have a go at making chorizo and see how that turns out .



baubbles said:


> I had the same experience with vital wheat gluten I think it was a roast. It looked decent enough but wasn't sure about the taste so I put it in the freezer and eventually threw it out. Did you use liquid smoke @Magyarmum ? It's a good disguise.  The Turkish recipe looks great thanks for posting!


No I didn't use liquid smoke in the recipe, but I did use it when I made some TVP bacon crumbles which tasted just like bacon. Today when I went shopping I was going to buy Daikon to make Daikon Radish Bacon. Nothing in either of the shops I went into but plenty of toilet rolls. I'll try again tomorrow on the way home from training.

This is the recipe if you're interested

https://www.saucestache.com/making-bacon-from-a-daikon-radish-the-best-veggie-bacon/


----------



## NaomiM

Speaking of bacon, has anyone tried banana peel 'bacon'? I've been meaning to try it but not been brave enough yet!


----------



## Magyarmum

Seeing that at my age I'm supposed to stay at home I thought I might as well treat myself to a new cookery book!

This arrived in the post today ......................

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51416833-fresh-from-poland










Now all I have to do is risk life and limb to go shopping for the ingredients


----------



## Jaf

Can I ask...as a complete newbie...how close are these meat substitutes? Would they fool someone (me) who has enormous eating-of-food problems. I was thinking maybe the beef mince substitute might work in a cottage pie. Does it smell/look/taste the same?

If it’s different then I would be better off finding a recipe for something that doesn’t pretend to be meat. Maybe falafel as that smells ok-ish.

Thanks.


----------



## NaomiM

Jaf said:


> Can I ask...as a complete newbie...how close are these meat substitutes? Would they fool someone (me) who has enormous eating-of-food problems. I was thinking maybe the beef mince substitute might work in a cottage pie. Does it smell/look/taste the same?
> 
> If it's different then I would be better off finding a recipe for something that doesn't pretend to be meat. Maybe falafel as that smells ok-ish.
> 
> Thanks.


As a meat eater and someone who also eats and enjoys vegan meals on a fairly regular basis, I much prefer the ones that don't 'pretend' to be meat. If you think of them as being like meat, you'll probably be disappointed.

You can make a nice cottage pie with lentils, though  Some good recipes out there if you Google.

Falafel is nice. If you're making your own, make sure you use dried chickpeas, if you can get them, rather than tinned - the texture is completely different. Soak them overnight, then drain, rinse and process with the other ingredients (I use onion, garlic, fresh coriander, salt and various spices). A little flour can be added to help bind it together. They're nicest fried, but can be oven baked for a healthier option!

My favourite vegan recipe is sweet potato and chickpea curry - happy to share my recipe if you're interested


----------



## O2.0

I agree with Naomi, I don't like the ones that try to taste like meat, but because I personally don't like the taste of meat LOL! I'm really not a good one to ask, haven't eaten meat since I was very young, and even then I didn't really like it. 
But yes, things that aren't trying to be something they're not are usually better. Black bean burgers, falafel, lentils instead of ground meat... It's all good


----------



## Magyarmum

If you want to give something like vegan shepherd's pie a meaty flavour, you can add Meridien (or another make) Yeast Extract.

https://www.meridianfoods.co.uk/Pro...l-Savoury-Extracts/Natural/Yeast-Extract-340g.


----------



## Jaf

Thanks! You’re very kind, given me lots to think about.


----------



## O2.0

Around here people are panic buying meat (which is stupid anyway because it's going to go bad before they can eat it all). There's a local butcher on my run route today, the line was all around the block! People on FB posting recipes with hot dogs if that's the only 'meat' you can find...

Meanwhile the produce isles have been full. 

*sits here smugly* 
*knows I will regret my smugness*


----------



## NaomiM

O2.0 said:


> Around here people are panic buying meat (which is stupid anyway because it's going to go bad before they can eat it all). There's a local butcher on my run route today, the line was all around the block! People on FB posting recipes with hot dogs if that's the only 'meat' you can find...
> 
> Meanwhile the produce isles have been full.
> 
> *sits here smugly*
> *knows I will regret my smugness*


Apparently people are buying extra freezers to put in the garage and store all the meat!

I don't know if it's been vegans panic-buying or non-vegans buying vegan products because they can't get 'normal' ones, but both chickpeas and long-life soya milk are impossible to get hold of here. The soya milk in particular is a problem for me, since my dairy-free two-year-old won't drink any of the other plant milks, nor will she drink fresh soya - it's only the long-life one she likes!


----------



## Jaf

Things are almost back to normal here (Spain) but 2 weeks ago there was no fruit/veg/pasta/beans/rice at all. 

I’m not brave enough for falafel just yet, but I’m thinking about it.


----------



## O2.0

NaomiM said:


> Apparently people are buying extra freezers to put in the garage and store all the meat!
> 
> I don't know if it's been vegans panic-buying or non-vegans buying vegan products because they can't get 'normal' ones, but both chickpeas and long-life soya milk are impossible to get hold of here. The soya milk in particular is a problem for me, since my dairy-free two-year-old won't drink any of the other plant milks, nor will she drink fresh soya - it's only the long-life one she likes!


I luckily had just bought some bulk cashews that I use to make milk and everyone in the house likes cashew milk, OH however likes something lighter for cereal, and I did notice people are buying a lot more plant based milk than they usually do - not really sure why? But I did manage to find some milk OH will drink.



Jaf said:


> I'm not brave enough for falafel just yet, but I'm thinking about it.


Oh falafel is delicious!! If you're in Spain, find someone who knows how to make it, there's bound to be someone nearby, it's not unusual in Spain at all, at least it wasn't IME. Well made falafel with good spices is one of my favorites


----------



## Magyarmum

Jaf said:


> Things are almost back to normal here (Spain) but 2 weeks ago there was no fruit/veg/pasta/beans/rice at all.
> 
> I'm not brave enough for falafel just yet, but I'm thinking about it.


When you next go shopping try looking in the frozen food section for Ardo Frozen Falafel. They also do a range of frozen vegan products like a veggie Paella all of which although quite expensive.saves you the trouble of making them.

Bondelle do a frozen Cereal Beans and Barley mix which is handy for quick meals.

https://ardo.com/en/product/falafel

https://ardo.com/en/new-products

https://www.bonduelle.hu/termekek/p/cereali-zoldbab-es-arpa-keverek/03083681115642


----------



## catz4m8z

Hidden benefit of all this panic buying is that its making me eat more healthy!:Shy Rather then risk the supermarkets for my usual processed rubbish Ive just been using up my cupboard supplies and getting whatever fresh veg and fruit I can find in the local corner store. Means lots of homemade soups, chillis, bean loafs, etc....oh, and banana loaf coz my nanas were going off!
I probably wont have too much trouble when my milk runs out. Im informed that hazelnut milk tastes totally revolting in tea and coffee!


----------



## Lurcherlad

I've not been able to get any oat milk so have been making my own.

It needs tweaking - it's ok but I've been drinking less coffee and more chamomile tea, which is no bad thing given all the anxiety over chemo and Coronavirus! 

I made a scrummy Jack Fruit Chasseur last night, with mashed potato and broccoli - yum!










Finished off the leftovers tonight


----------



## Lurcherlad

Jaf said:


> Can I ask...as a complete newbie...how close are these meat substitutes? Would they fool someone (me) who has enormous eating-of-food problems. I was thinking maybe the beef mince substitute might work in a cottage pie. Does it smell/look/taste the same?
> 
> If it's different then I would be better off finding a recipe for something that doesn't pretend to be meat. Maybe falafel as that smells ok-ish.
> 
> Thanks.


I found eating some of my usual meals replacing meat with these replacements helpful to transition.

Going full plant based could be a big leap for some so they can be useful.

Some are dreadful, others I enjoy occasionally.

Obviously, they're processed so just like with meat varieties, should be eaten in moderation.

I used Quorn mince, chicken fillets and chunks and sausages occasionally for convenience when I first went veggie but they now do a number of vegan options too.

Now I eat meat replacement foods much less but they can be a quick alternative for me when cooking for my OH and DS (both carnivores) and saves me cooking 2 meals.

I prefer:

Linda McCartney vegan sausages - the plain ones are nice but the Lincolnshire style are best. The "beef" roast is tasty. If you like pies they do a variety.

What the Cluck "chicken" pieces.

Quorn vegan ham and chicken is handy for a quick sandwich.

Asda do a plant Based range - the Korma sauce is really tasty btw.

I use the WW app when selecting processed items and avoid any that are high calories.


----------



## catz4m8z

why on earth does anybody eat white rice and pasta?? Its so gloopy and stodgy, no bite to it at all.:Shifty
Sadly it was all that was available at the shops so Im stuck eating it for now....I miss the wholewheat versions (I prefered those even before I knew they were better for you!).


----------



## NaomiM

catz4m8z said:


> why on earth does anybody eat white rice and pasta?? Its so gloopy and stodgy, no bite to it at all.:Shifty
> Sadly it was all that was available at the shops so Im stuck eating it for now....I miss the wholewheat versions (I prefered those even before I knew they were better for you!).


You managed to get rice and pasta?!?!?!?!


----------



## catz4m8z

NaomiM said:


> You managed to get rice and pasta?!?!?!?!


I think I got one of the last easily available delivery slots before online shopping crashed and burned!LOL
Stopped in the shops on my way home and lots of bare shelves but I was just going to get whatever fresh was available and work out what to do with it when I got home!
So I got spinach (will go in freezer to add to stuff later) leeks and parsnips. Not a big fan of 'snips but the only other thing they had was lemons:Bored and mushrooms:Hungover:Yuck:Wtf. Already have carrots and onions in so will be doing a nice spicy carrot, leek and parsnip soup later.
oh, and they were fully stocked with vegan garlic pizza bread which apparently I am the only person to be eating it so a couple of slices of garlic bread will go lovely with it.


----------



## Magyarmum




----------



## Magyarmum




----------



## Magyarmum




----------



## O2.0

We had taco Tuesday for dinner tonight. Vegan of course. Daughter put vegan cheese on hers, but no one else likes the stuff :Hilarious
We're all now full to bursting. Such and easy but filling meal! 
We do black beans and tofu "meat" with chili seasoning, corn, rice, and lots of chopped up veggies. 
Can't wait for my garden tomatoes to be ready!


----------



## Lurcherlad

I used the Tofoo brand of tofu for a stir fry the other day.

Dusted in Chinese spiced cornflour and fried first in a tiny amount of oil so they had a tasty crispy coating before adding to the cooked veg and rice. 

Best tofu I’ve tasted and a good texture.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Hungry - too early to cook breakfast ....










Did the trick


----------



## Magyarmum

My favourite breakfast, a slice of toast and a banana


----------



## MaggieDemi

Lurcherlad said:


> Dusted in Chinese spiced cornflour and fried first in a tiny amount of oil so they had a tasty crispy coating before adding to the cooked veg and rice.
> 
> Best tofu I've tasted and a good texture.


Great idea! Is cornflour the same thing as cornstarch here in the States? Do you put oil on the tofu to get it to stick first? I'm such a rookie cook, but I'm trying to learn. I've been vegetarian for several months now. I lost almost 60 pounds!


----------



## Lurcherlad

MaggieDemi said:


> Great idea! Is cornflour the same thing as cornstarch here in the States? Do you put oil on the tofu to get it to stick first? I'm such a rookie cook, but I'm trying to learn. I've been vegetarian for several months now. I lost almost 60 pounds!


Cornflour is the same as corn starch I believe. Ordinary flour would do but not so crunchy.

Well done on the weight loss - 60 pounds is amazing


----------



## O2.0

MaggieDemi said:


> Great idea! Is cornflour the same thing as cornstarch here in the States? Do you put oil on the tofu to get it to stick first? I'm such a rookie cook, but I'm trying to learn. I've been vegetarian for several months now. I lost almost 60 pounds!


We have corn flour (to make cornbread) and corn starch here in the US. I would think just cornstarch would 'melt' on wet tofu? IDK?

Amazing weight loss, was that all just from changing to vegetarian? Well done!


----------



## Magyarmum

I'm feeding my drunken neighbour at the moment because he has no money and even if I gave him some he'd only spend it on booze.

Luckily Hungarians often have soup for lunch so that's what I've been making several times a week

This morning I made potato,and leek soup with sweet corn and because I'm a vegetarian I added some cubes of bacon to his serving. 

It doesn't seem to matter how much bread I give him it's never enough.and if I'm not careful I end up with none myself. Trying to find yeast at present is impossible and as I want to conserve what little I've got for my pita and naan, I make him soda bread instead.No complaints so far so it can't be all that bad.


----------



## MaggieDemi

O2.0 said:


> We have corn flour (to make cornbread) and corn starch here in the US. I would think just cornstarch would 'melt' on wet tofu? IDK?
> Amazing weight loss, was that all just from changing to vegetarian? Well done!


Thanks. I will look for the corn flour. I am a beginner cook, so I don't really know what I'm doing.  The weight loss seems to be a combo of going vegetarian and moving more. When I started losing weight, I started being more active and getting outside more since I didn't mind people seeing me.


----------



## Magyarmum




----------



## NaomiM

O2.0 said:


> We have corn flour (to make cornbread) and corn starch here in the US. I would think just cornstarch would 'melt' on wet tofu? IDK?
> 
> Amazing weight loss, was that all just from changing to vegetarian? Well done!


What we call cornflour is what you would call corn starch - a very fine powder, often used for thickening sauces. I think the one used for baking bread would be called maize meal here, but it's not that common.


----------



## GingerNinja

Hello!

I'm not veggie but love vegetarian meals. I made a lovely aubergine, sweet potato and tomato stew (moroccan flavours) yesterday served with lemon and green bean couscous... it was delish


----------



## purringcats

My mix nut, mushroom (shitaaki and chestnut mushrooms), butternut sqaush, vegetable stock and sweet potato filo pastry pie (no meat) with a hint of hot chilli and Greek Style White Violife Cheese.

Before oven









After being cooked.









This took me most of the day to make (due to health problems) and 40 minutes to cook. It also tastes yummy.


----------



## Magyarmum




----------



## Lurcherlad

DS and I made Jamie Oliver's Cheat's Deep Pan Pizza together tonight.










Considering the base uses just self raising flour, a pinch of salt and water I was impressed. Base was nice and fluffy with a crispy bottom.

A basic tomato pasta sauce (from a jar ), cooked onions, mushrooms, mixed herbs and a few splashes of Sriracha with vegan "chorizo" sausages, cheese and a sprinkle of Nutritional Yeast on mine and meat sausages and cheddar on DS's.

So quick - so easy and very tasty


----------



## catz4m8z

Some lovely food pics on this thread now and that pizza looks amazing @Lurcherlad !

Ive just been through the cupboards and freezer to see what I could make. Ended up with shepards pie (ok, so the sauce packet was 2 and a half yrs out of date but it looked and smelled fine:Shy). Used onion, peas, sweetcorn, carrot, lentils and aduki beans for the filling and regular and sweet potatoes for the top, then sprinkled over some oats, mixed seeds and nooch. Looks amazing and will probably feed me for a week!LOL


----------



## O2.0

Lurcherlad said:


> DS and I made Jamie Oliver's Cheat's Deep Pan Pizza together tonight.
> 
> View attachment 437511
> 
> 
> Considering the base uses just self raising flour, a pinch of salt and water I was impressed. Base was nice and fluffy with a crispy bottom.
> 
> A basic tomato pasta sauce (from a jar ), cooked onions, mushrooms, mixed herbs and a few splashes of Sriracha with vegan "chorizo" sausages, cheese and a sprinkle of Nutritional Yeast on mine and meat sausages and cheddar on DS's.
> 
> So quick - so easy and very tasty


That looks awesome! Do you have the recipe for the crust?


----------



## Lurcherlad

O2.0 said:


> That looks awesome! Do you have the recipe for the crust?


Jamie Oliver's Cheat's Pizza Ingredients


 2 Cumberland sausages
 olive oil
 1 pinch of dried oregano
 ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
 2 red onions
 8 sliced jalapeños in brine
 500 g self-raising flour , plus extra for dusting
 50 g Cheddar cheese
Method


Preheat the oven to 240°C/475°F/gas 9 (full whack). Put a large non-stick, ovenproof frying pan on a medium-high heat.
Squeeze the sausage meat out of the skins directly into the frying pan, with ½ a tablespoon of olive oil. Use a wooden spoon to roughly break up the meat.
Add the oregano and fennel seeds, and stir-fry until the sausage meat is lightly golden.
Peel and finely slice the onions then add to the pan with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Add the jalapeños and a splash of their vinegar. Cook on a medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the onions are soft and caramelised, stirring regularly.
Meanwhile, for the dough, pile the flour into a bowl with a good pinch of sea salt. Add up to 250ml of water, mixing until it comes together as a smooth, elastic dough. You want it to be pliable.
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for a couple of minutes, then form into a rough round.
Now, tip your topping out of the pan for a moment, returning the pan to a medium heat. Place the dough in the pan and - being careful not to touch the hot pan - use your fingertips to stretch out the dough to cover the base.
Spoon the topping back over the pizza, spreading it out and pushing the sausage into the dough, then grate over the cheese.
Turn the heat back up to medium-high and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the base has started to crisp up. Transfer to the oven for 10 minutes, or until golden, puffed up and sizzling. Serve with a nice salad, if you like


----------



## O2.0

Thank you @Lurcherlad ! Will have to try this week  Not tonight, we're religiously stuck to Taco Tuesday during the lockdown, seems bad luck to change that, but maybe tomorrow's dinner...


----------



## Jonescat

I am quite enjoying some aspects of this. We have switched to a delivered veg box for the interim, and therefore it is a bit like those cooking shows where you don't get to choose ingredients but have them thrust upon you. One of the effects is that we are eating far more fruit than usual as I don't normally bother until the berries are in season on the allotment. Another is that I have more radishes than is decent! But it is interesting and gives me a new way to look at deciding what to have for dinner - last night was mushroom and parsley risotto, and stewed plums. 

Not sure about today - Tuesday is delivery day so I have too much choice all of a sudden.


----------



## catz4m8z

You're lucky you found somewhere still delivering. All the places local to me just have waiting lists for deliveries.


----------



## rona

catz4m8z said:


> You're lucky you found somewhere still delivering. All the places local to me just have waiting lists for deliveries.


We order from these. Really good quality 
https://www.parrishfarms.co.uk/product/fruit-veg-box/


----------



## Magyarmum

Jonescat said:


> I am quite enjoying some aspects of this. We have switched to a delivered veg box for the interim, and therefore it is a bit like those cooking shows where you don't get to choose ingredients but have them thrust upon you. One of the effects is that we are eating far more fruit than usual as I don't normally bother until the berries are in season on the allotment. Another is that I have more radishes than is decent! But it is interesting and gives me a new way to look at deciding what to have for dinner - last night was mushroom and parsley risotto, and stewed plums.
> 
> Not sure about today - Tuesday is delivery day so I have too much choice all of a sudden.


No one delivers groceries or fresh vegetables or fruit to where I live and I'm reluctant to go shopping until I absolutely have to. As a result I'm having to be creative with what I've got in my fridge, freezer or cupboards. As a result I've had some, what one might call. interesting meals!

As for radishes, I'm well provided with them as the Mayor sent me a large bunch. I roasted some with garlic as a side dish ... delicious! Yesterday I made some potato flat bread, because bread is the one thing I run short of and although I have plenty of flour only a little yeast which is impossible to find in the shops.

https://therealfoodrds.com/garlic-roasted-radishes/

https://veggiesociety.com/vegan-pot..._Ts_hGTANX9CDhXZBwHFDZ8jfxh8ARYx3JeOmXmN6dee8


----------



## Magyarmum




----------



## catz4m8z

I know its cauliflower.....but it still looks too cute to eat!:Hilarious


----------



## Lurcherlad

Magyarmum said:


> No one delivers groceries or fresh vegetables or fruit to where I live and I'm reluctant to go shopping until I absolutely have to. As a result I'm having to be creative with what I've got in my fridge, freezer or cupboards. As a result I've had some, what one might call. interesting meals!
> 
> As for radishes, I'm well provided with them as the Mayor sent me a large bunch. I roasted some with garlic as a side dish ... delicious! Yesterday I made some potato flat bread, because bread is the one thing I run short of and although I have plenty of flour only a little yeast which is impossible to find in the shops.
> 
> https://therealfoodrds.com/garlic-roasted-radishes/
> 
> https://veggiesociety.com/vegan-pot..._Ts_hGTANX9CDhXZBwHFDZ8jfxh8ARYx3JeOmXmN6dee8


Did you see the recipe for cheats pizza I gave in post #3624?

I'm sure it could be used for flatbreads and no yeast required.


----------



## Magyarmum

Lurcherlad said:


> Did you see the recipe for cheats pizza I gave in post #3624?
> 
> I'm sure it could be used for flatbreads and no yeast required.


Actually the bread's not for me.

I cook every day for my drunken neighbour who has no money to buy food (not that he'd use it to buy food even if he had). I usually make soup and give him bread to go with it.

There's a saying in Hungary which is "Hungarians eat bread with bread" and he eats such large quantities I can't keep up!

I've started to make Irish Soda Bread which he seems to find acceptable - at least I've had no complaints


----------



## catz4m8z

You are extremely nice to your drunken neighbour @Magyarmum! All Ive ever done towards mine is tut disapprovingly when he set his garden on fire!LOL:Hilarious

Made a big batch of chilli today. Kidney beans, black eyed beans, toms, onion then (coz Im too lazy to bother with veggie sides!) carrots, peas, sweetcorn and celery plus spices. Should keep me going for a while.
Also made a gorgeous sammich filling today too. Mashed butter beans with mayo, garlic and nooch. Never tried butter beans before as a filling but they are really lovely.


----------



## GingerNinja

Morning everyone, I am looking for inspiration for the weekend!

I have spiralized butternut squash in my freezer and need some ideas of what to do with it rather than tomato based sauce. I was thinking along the lines of mushroom and puy lentils (as I have pre-cooked packet of them in my cupboard) but not sure if it would be a bit dry 

Thanks in advance.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Could you make a cottage pie with the lentils and mushrooms (any other veg you have) and a little gravy.

Cook and mash the butternut squash and spread on top with some breadcrumbs, garlic and herbs as a crunchy crust.


----------



## Lurcherlad

I’m cooking a load of chunky chopped veg and lentils in a saucepan with veggie stock and passata.

For lunch, I will add some herby dumplings made with veg suet - yum!


----------



## GingerNinja

Lurcherlad said:


> Could you make a cottage pie with the lentils and mushrooms (any other veg you have) and a little gravy.
> 
> Cook and mash the butternut squash and spread on top with some breadcrumbs, garlic and herbs as a crunchy crust.


That actually sounds lovely!
I have swede and carrots and can serve with broccoli and peas


----------



## catz4m8z

well, todays sammich filling was chickpea, beetroot, roasted onion, garlic and ginger spread. Tastes amazing so Im chuffed with that!

Really need to invest in a food processor though. I dont mind the chunky texture you get with a fork or masher but it would be nice to make a smoother paste.
Usually I just use vegan cheese or ham in my sandwiches but not wanting to go to the supermarket to buy them has made me more creative (plus...healthier!).


----------



## Lurcherlad

I love this sandwich:

Granary bread smeared with vegan mayo
Houmous
Grated carrot
A few spinach leaves
Salt & Pepper

It’s tasty and fresh


----------



## Lurcherlad

@catz4m8z I bought this hand blender from Argos:










Cookworks hand blender set £19.99

Brilliant gadget!


----------



## catz4m8z

Lurcherlad said:


> Granary bread smeared with vegan mayo
> Houmous
> Grated carrot
> A few spinach leaves
> Salt & Pepper


Boots used to do a sandwich like that which tasted amazing. I used to get it all the time (even before I knew what veganism was!!).



Lurcherlad said:


> @catz4m8z I bought this hand blender from Argos:
> Brilliant gadget!


looks good! Not sure yet if I want something that will chop larger amounts of stuff too. But I do like window shopping for kitchen gadgets!LOL

Corner shop fully stocked today so I have loads of salad bits, havent had a nice stonking big salad in ages. Also going to do a pasta bake for tea, lots of veg, wm pasta, tomatoey sauce and some cumberland sausages chopped up.


----------



## Lurcherlad

I'm a twonk!

Just made another batch of vegan scones as they were so tasty last time.

Even bought strawberry jam (and clotted cream for OH and DS).

But for some strange reason, used water instead of milk to make them!

They look OK - wonder what they'll taste like?


----------



## Lurcherlad

Surprisingly tasty! Thankfully


----------



## Magyarmum




----------



## Engel98

TOMATO SOUP

Free from gluten and milk
Suitable for vegans and vegetarians

Don't know if this has been shared but here you go

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/tomato-soup

It's quite tasty. Will need to blend it really well or use a strainer to remove big bits but if you like it slightly lumpy then you don't have to.

It's also quite cheap and easy to make.

I couldn't resist tasting it before taking the photo lol


----------



## Heather modq

Mary Berry lemon drizzle recipe substitute three teaspoons of ground flaxseed/linseed or a tablespoon apple sauce( you can purée an apple or two) plus a tsp more of baking powder instead of eggs Delicious


----------



## Lurcherlad

Saw this tip the other day for an egg alternative in baking:


Use half a very ripe mashed banana to replace one egg. 

Haven’t tried it in a cake, scone, or pancake recipe yet, but the banana bread I make doesn’t have eggs in.


----------



## Magyarmum

My dinner last night. Roast portobello mushroom, roast cabbage and tomatoes with (bought) potato pockets stuffed with feta!


----------



## GingerNinja

Roasted veggies for me too last night.

Cauli, broccoli, chickpeas with cumin garlic and chilli. Was lovely but wind picked up later


----------



## catz4m8z

Hey! I had roasted broccoli and cauliflower too!:Woot
Clearly roast veggies is a popular choice.:Smug


----------



## Magyarmum




----------



## Lurcherlad

Does anyone know if it’s possible to overdose on friendly bacteria supplements?

This plant based diet malarkey reeks havoc with my insides! 

Instead of one capsule a day (which does nothing) I’m tempted to down a handful!


----------



## O2.0

Lurcherlad said:


> Does anyone know if it's possible to overdose on friendly bacteria supplements?
> 
> This plant based diet malarkey reeks havoc with my insides!
> 
> Instead of one capsule a day (which does nothing) I'm tempted to down a handful!


Probiotics? 
Everything I read says they're mostly useless as most don't survive the stomach acid. So I don't imagine a handful will hurt you  
Pre-biotics - foods that encourage the growth of good bacteria can help. I hear homemade sauerkraut is easy. @Magyarmum makes it I think.

I find when my gut is being weird that pineapple helps, especially if I eat the core part too. It has something in it that helps digestion.


----------



## Lurcherlad

I’ve had a jar of Sauerkraut in the cupboard for ages ..... haven’t braved it yet!

I might risk a handful of Acidophilus bacteria capsules (it says they survive the trip the gut on the bottle) and cross my fingers ).

Got a jar and a 1/4 to use before end of May so .....

Just took 6 :Woot


----------



## Magyarmum

O2.0 said:


> Probiotics?
> Everything I read says they're mostly useless as most don't survive the stomach acid. So I don't imagine a handful will hurt you
> Pre-biotics - foods that encourage the growth of good bacteria can help. I hear homemade sauerkraut is easy. @Magyarmum makes it I think.
> 
> I find when my gut is being weird that pineapple helps, especially if I eat the core part too. It has something in it that helps digestion.


No I don't make sauerkraut but we can buy fermented veggies in any supermarket over here.

I was given PPI's after I'd had a ruptured peptic ulcer and told I would have to take them for the rest of my life. Me being me, said "Like hell I will" and proceeded to wean myself off them.

What I did was to keep a dairy of everything I ate during the day to find out what caused gas and acid reflux.Turns out one of the worst offenders was and still is paprika, which is rather ironic living in a country where everything is paprika flavoured! Having a pretty good idea what upsets me allows to plan my meals accordingly. It doesn't mean I don't eat dishes with chili or paprika in them but I am careful what I combine them with!

I don't whether it would help you but it might be worth giving it a go!


----------



## catz4m8z

huh, didnt realiese paprika could upset you! I love the stuff and would probably have ODed on it years ago if you could!LOL

I quite like kombucha when it comes to fermented things, it is quite hard to get sauerkraut round here and Im not brave enough to try and make it yet.:Shy
Im taking probiotics at the moment myself. I dont usually but when I had coronavirus it wiped out the good bacteria and ruined my digestion.:Shifty Its more or less back to normal now but I figure a couple of months of them will be an extra help.

Having a chilled out relaxed sunday today. I have a pile of trashy novels to read and a garden to sit out in, just made wholemeal seeded onion bread and chocolate and walnut loaf (banana is _so_ last month):Hilarious. 
Books and baked goods.....doesnt take much to keep me happy!:Smug


----------



## Lurcherlad

Magyarmum said:


> No I don't make sauerkraut but we can buy fermented veggies in any supermarket over here.
> 
> I was given PPI's after I'd had a ruptured peptic ulcer and told I would have to take them for the rest of my life. Me being me, said "Like hell I will" and proceeded to wean myself off them.
> 
> What I did was to keep a dairy of everything I ate during the day to find out what caused gas and acid reflux.Turns out one of the worst offenders was and still is paprika, which is rather ironic living in a country where everything is paprika flavoured! Having a pretty good idea what upsets me allows to plan my meals accordingly. It doesn't mean I don't eat dishes with chili or paprika in them but I am careful what I combine them with!
> 
> I don't whether it would help you but it might be worth giving it a go!


I should do a food diary but it usually only lasts a day or two.

I'll have a word with myself!


----------



## O2.0

catz4m8z said:


> I quite like kombucha when it comes to fermented things,


Oh I tried so hard to like kombucha but :Yuck:Yuck:Yuck tastes like feet!! 
Sauerkraut I'll eat all day though. I've found a brand that just has cabbage and salt (as it should, not the weird vinegar stuff they try to pretend is sauerkraut) but I do need to learn to make my own. It's supposed to be super easy.


----------



## Magyarmum

Has anyone made Burmese Tofu?

I don't tolerate soya very well and so many recipes contain tofu.so when I saw the how simple Burmese tofu is to make, thought I'd have a go. Last night for dinner I had rest of the rice, buckwheat, black bean and veggie risotto I'd made the night before with some battered courgettes, aubergine, cauliflower and the tofu. It was really delicious, crispy on the outside and soft and creamy inside.

Definitely something I'll make again!

https://www.veganricha.com/chickpea-flour-tofu/


----------



## Magyarmum

O2.0 said:


> Oh I tried so hard to like kombucha but :Yuck:Yuck:Yuck tastes like feet!!
> Sauerkraut I'll eat all day though. I've found a brand that just has cabbage and salt (as it should, not the weird vinegar stuff they try to pretend is sauerkraut) but I do need to learn to make my own. It's supposed to be super easy.


We can buy the grated cabbage ready to make sauerkraut from our local garden centre.

Here's a recipe to make your own which looks fairly simple

https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/recipe/natural-fermentation/sauerkraut/

*RECIPE: HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT*


----------



## Magyarmum




----------



## Lurcherlad

Running low on bread I‘ve just made myself a couple of wraps with gram flour and water. Added some salt and pepper and mixed a pancake batter then cooked in a frying pan.

Actually very yummy


----------



## Magyarmum

Lurcherlad said:


> Running low on bread I've just made myself a couple of wraps with gram flour and water. Added some salt and pepper and mixed a pancake batter then cooked in a frying pan.
> 
> Actually very yummy


Sounds good!

I made pita bread over the weekend and used one of them to make a pizza for myself and that was rather yummy as well.

When I couldn't get yeast I made soda bread instead which is delish but you have to eat it the same day as it doesn't keep very well.


----------



## O2.0

Spent half of the day packing produce bags for the community, and then as a reward, we got leftovers. I came home with 3 flats of beautiful, perfectly ripe strawberries, a huge bag of local peaches, grapes, bananas, and summer squash. 
Even we can't eat that much fruit, so I've spent the last two hours washing and cutting fruit up to freeze. My freezer is now full and we will be eating smoothies and banana nice cream all summer. 

And in other good news, the tomato plant I thought was going to die from water wild (I didn't even know that was a thing), has now 90% revived after some careful pruning, re-planting in to a pot so I can move it out of the rain that apparently isn't going to stop anytime soon, and general TLC. It took 3 days to give me hope, but I think it's going to make it. Which is good 'cause it has about 8 tomatoes on it already that need to grow and ripen.


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## Magyarmum

*TheDaily Mash*

*Man realises he's been invited to vegetarian barbecue*
5th June 2020








*A MAN realised to his horror that he had been invited to a barbecue for vegetarians.*

Tom Booker thought there must be some mistake after he was handed a meat-free burger, only to realise that everything else on the menu was made out of tofu, Quorn or salad.

Booker said: "When I asked the host for a beef burger everyone turned on me with these fixed grins. It was like something out of _The Twilight Zone_.

"They all said in unison that they didn't serve that sort of food here, and if I wanted a meat alternative I should've brought my own. It was weird, like they'd been waiting their whole lives to say that to a carnivore like myself.

"Then they force-fed me admittedly tasty Linda McCartney sausages until I left. Still, I got a few beers out of it.

"I can't see the point of vegetarian barbecues anyway. Isn't cooking a massive quantity of meat just a macho hunting substitute for unfit men who work in offices?"

Fellow guest Martin Bishop said: "Just like Tom I was disgusted by the vegetarian food on offer. But only because I'm one of those pompous vegans who thinks anyone who drinks milk is evil."


----------



## purringcats

A friend of mine who has an underlying health condition and doesn't eat red meat has had blood tests back to say her iron count is really low and is on iron tablets at the moment. After doing a couple of minutes searching online I forwarded these great recipes that are high in iron and plant based.

*Vegan Meals High In Iron*
https://tasty.co/compilation/vegan-meals-high-in-iron

I also forwarded this website on foods high in iron:-
*Top 10 High Iron Foods for Vegetarians and Vegans*
https://www.myfooddata.com/articles/vegetarian-iron-foods.php

I also suggested eating Bran Flakes for breakfast as they are also rich in iron as well (16mg of Iron per 100g of bran flakes that's 114% RI).

I thought I would share the links incase you are looking for meals high in iron.


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## catz4m8z

Just tried one of those 'realistic' burgers today. Not sure I get it TBH....I mean it did look like it was bleeding when it was cooking but how is that a good thing??
Even if you eat meat we discovered fire just so we could avoid the whole bloody mess!
Taste wise I dont think it was much different from the regular meat free ones.:Bored


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## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> Just tried one of those 'realistic' burgers today. Not sure I get it TBH....I mean it did look like it was bleeding when it was cooking but how is that a good thing??
> Even if you eat meat we discovered fire just so we could avoid the whole bloody mess!
> Taste wise I dont think it was much different from the regular meat free ones.:Bored


I've yet to find a bought burger that I like. I have though found a beetroot and bean burger that's really tasty and the beetroot gives the "bloody" look.

I do add more seasoning than in the recipe.

https://hodmedods.co.uk/blogs/recipes/bean-and-beetroot-burgers

I've been making "chicken" nuggets using oyster mushrooms. Absolutely delicious and even better tasting eaten cold the following day!


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## Guest

Hi everyone, hope you're all still around! 

I've decided to give a plant-based diet a(nother) try. I have previously been vegetarian and have dabbled with veganism, but I have fallen back into the 'easy' way of eating - meat, dairy and processed foods - and I feel like my health and certainly my weight are suffering. I think since moving to a farming area it's make it harder to ignore the reality of eating the beautiful animals around me.

As I live very rurally, 'fake meat' products like Quorn are difficult to get, as are things like tofu. I don't use dairy milk anyway (prefer soy for my drinks and almond for my weetbix). However, I do feel at the moment I need to keep using eggs. I buy local free-range eggs, so try to do the best I can there, and perhaps as I get more used to this way of eating I will be able to drop eggs too.

The problem, however, is I'm not a huge fan of vegetables :Hilarious I do love pretty much all root vegetables, but other veges not so much! In addition, I don't really know much about using lentils etc.

Any advice gratefully received!


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## catz4m8z

Glad to hear you are giving it another try @McKenzie ! I wouldnt worry about Quorn and tofu, they are pretty expensive and you can get most of what you need from beans/lentils and nuts/seeds. As for using lentils I just treat them as a mince substitute so any recipe calling for mince (like chilli, shepards pie, etc) gets the lentil treatment instead.
Im not great with veg either. Its not that I dont like veggies but I go through phases where I CBA and things I buy go off and have to be thrown out.:Shy Now I prep alot of my veg and keep it in the freezer (or just use frozen bags of veg). Its easy to just chuck it in a recipe and it will mostly get lost with other flavours!

Im trying to save money at the moment and a huge electricity bill and checking out my daily usage has made me realiese that my oven really does use alot of power....who knew!? So from now on I think Im going to be having a 'cooking sunday' and try and prep alot of stuff to be eaten in the week. (turns out slow cookers and microwaves use very little energy so Im happy to just zap stuff midweek).
Now the question is what kinds of things to make to last me the week? I figure I can roast some veg and bake potatoes, add plenty of rice and beans(plus that freezer veg!), maybe make a small vat of soup too. Best friend was horrified when I told her I was planning on living mostly on rice and beans for the foreseeable future....jokes on her, I really love rice and beans!!LOL:Hilarious


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## NaomiM

I'm trying to shift the lockdown weight gain, so back to WFPB for a while, or mainly anyway - I'm still having milk in my tea, the occasional egg from our own chooks, and I did use a non-veg stock in the last couple of soups I made. It makes it easier to sustain it for a more prolonged period!

I made a lemon and ginger chickpea tagine tonight that was really good  Chickpeas, cherry toms, onions, red peppers, a handful of sultanas and some finely chopped fresh ginger and garlic, seasoned with paprika, cumin, cinnamon and salt, tossed with lemon juice and basically blitzed in the microwave. I mixed in some fresh coriander (cilantro to those on the other side of the pond) and more lemon juice, and voila. Really easy and full of flavour


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## Jonescat

catz4m8z said:


> Now the question is what kinds of things to make to last me the week?:Hilarious


Have you got a pressure cooker? 500g chick peas in a pressure cooker will give you four plastic takeaway boxes of peas for the freezer and a portion of hummus. (or any other beans). Another "base" to use is this veggie mince substitute https://veggieconverter.com/whole-food-vegetarian-ground-beef-substitute-recipe/ allthough I would half the quantities as otherwise it makes an awful lot  It freezes well but make sure you add enough sauce when you do something with it or it will stick to the bottom of the pan.


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## catz4m8z

I dont have a pressure cooker, just a slow cooker....but I really do need to use dried beans more often. I usually go for tinned which probably works out more expensive coz Im being lazy!LOL:Shy
Not a fan of freezing meals though (even though thats kinda how batch cooking works best!). I find Im more likely to eat the same thing 4 times a week out of the fridge then pull something out of the freezer, freezer meals just take up space and are there so long I forget what they were to start with!
I like the mince recipe however, I must try that. While I dont prep meals for the freezer I do prep ingredients quite often. So freeze and chop up onions, mashed potato or tomato sauces for use later on. 

Honestly with trying to save cash and thanks to lockdown shopping habits Im probably eating more healthy and controlling my weight better then ever!


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## catz4m8z

woo hoo! Meal prep Queen today!!:Woot Just been slaving away so I dont have to cook for the week.:Smug
We have;

overnight oats (apple stewed with cinnamon and agave syrup, topped with oats, chia seeds and soya milk...will probably add crushed hazelnuts when eating)

cous cous, mixed with black eyed beans and mixed veg. Just seasoned with abit of garlic and salt so I can add different spices/sauces on serving.

Potato wedges (just salt and smoked paprika on these...very old potatoes that urgently needed eating!:Shy)

sandwich filling (mashed butter beans with spring onions and garlic mayo)

Also cooked a couple of vegan sausage rolls that I will cut up and have cold for snacks.



I think thats enough to cover most of the week! I'll probably do a soup as well when it gets colder but Im really not feeling soup in July.
(and can I just say how did I not know how much I loved beans before I became a vegan!!?):Banghead


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## catz4m8z

In a prep mood again today. (not sure why the mood always hits me when the weathers really hot though....).

bean chilli with a choice of brown rice or spicy potato wedges.

cous cous, mixed veg and spiced roasted chickpeas.

chocolate and walnut cake.

stewed gooseberries with soya yoghurt and homemade granola.

(I really think I need to eat more veg though, esp salad type things. Although as soon as I get payed Ive decided to experiment with quick pickled veg as Im pretty sure I'll like that!:Smug).


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## catzz

So, I’ve read through this entire thread now. Wow!
We’ve always liked vegetarian food but husband’s latest cholesterol test has made him realise that he really does need to do something about it. We’ve been doing more or less WFPB for around a month now. I’m loving it. He’s doing OK with it but still occasionally having butter or milk and the odd bit of meat (maybe once a week) I suppose anything he is doing right will make a difference and I guess I could just stop buying real milk- I’m using oat milk and that is mostly what he has. We’ve still got a block and a half of butter left and I won’t buy any more after that. I think with the meat, it’s the texture he misses. 

I made some black bean burgers from the Happy Pear cookbook the other day and whilst they were really nice, they were too mushy. Any advice on how to make firmer (chewier?) burgers / bean loaf type things would be very welcome. Also any stories of successfully lowering cholesterol using WFPB which might keep him motivated.
Great thread btw Thanks


----------



## NaomiM

catzz said:


> So, I've read through this entire thread now. Wow!
> We've always liked vegetarian food but husband's latest cholesterol test has made him realise that he really does need to do something about it. We've been doing more or less WFPB for around a month now. I'm loving it. He's doing OK with it but still occasionally having butter or milk and the odd bit of meat (maybe once a week) I suppose anything he is doing right will make a difference and I guess I could just stop buying real milk- I'm using oat milk and that is mostly what he has. We've still got a block and a half of butter left and I won't buy any more after that. I think with the meat, it's the texture he misses.
> 
> I made some black bean burgers from the Happy Pear cookbook the other day and whilst they were really nice, they were too mushy. Any advice on how to make firmer (chewier?) burgers / bean loaf type things would be very welcome. Also any stories of successfully lowering cholesterol using WFPB which might keep him motivated.
> Great thread btw Thanks


Hi @catzz! I guess I'm in a similar place to your husband, in that I'm eating mainly WFPB for health reasons (trying to lose weight is getting noticeably harder the older I get, and with a strong family history of diabetes I want to get it under control sooner rather than later). I do still have milk in my tea and the odd egg from our own hens (generally when we're running out of space to store them all!), and I tend to relax the whole thing for holidays and special occasions so I'm not sat there feeling sorry for myself when I'm surrounded by people eating chocolate cake! I have found WFPB to be the diet that works best for me for weight loss, and I do feel much healthier when I'm on it, though I do still have the occasional slip-up (last night's one involved a whole bar of Dairy Milk - whoops!)


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## Lurcherlad

@catzz There are some plant based meat alternatives which have a firmer texture that might satisfy your husband during transition?

Asda plant based burgers, Linda McCartney Lincolnshire style sausages, for example.

What the Cluck "chicken" is quite firm and I've used tinned Jack Fruit in a casserole.

Vegan frankfurters are indistinguishable imo too.

Obviously, any processed food should be kept to a minimum health wise, but on occasion (and if it keeps one on the PB path) it's ok imo


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## O2.0

catzz said:


> Also any stories of successfully lowering cholesterol using WFPB which might keep him motivated.


Check out the Forks over Knives website and if you're on FB, the FB group, tons of inspiring stories and support on there  
https://www.forksoverknives.com/success-stories/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/FOKPlantBasedCommunity/


----------



## O2.0

catzz said:


> I made some black bean burgers from the Happy Pear cookbook the other day and whilst they were really nice, they were too mushy. Any advice on how to make firmer (chewier?)


I haven't used the Happy Pear recipe, but IME you can add texture by not mashing the beans as much, add in something to absorb moisture and add texture, I find rolled oats do well, you may have to process them in the food processor a bit, depending on your preferences, but once added in, they help soak up moisture and add texture. If you're baking in the oven, bake them lower heat for a longer time to help get moisture out too.


----------



## Magyarmum

catzz said:


> So, I've read through this entire thread now. Wow!
> We've always liked vegetarian food but husband's latest cholesterol test has made him realise that he really does need to do something about it. We've been doing more or less WFPB for around a month now. I'm loving it. He's doing OK with it but still occasionally having butter or milk and the odd bit of meat (maybe once a week) I suppose anything he is doing right will make a difference and I guess I could just stop buying real milk- I'm using oat milk and that is mostly what he has. We've still got a block and a half of butter left and I won't buy any more after that. I think with the meat, it's the texture he misses.
> 
> I made some black bean burgers from the Happy Pear cookbook the other day and whilst they were really nice, they were too mushy. Any advice on how to make firmer (chewier?) burgers / bean loaf type things would be very welcome. Also any stories of successfully lowering cholesterol using WFPB which might keep him motivated.
> Great thread btw Thanks


This is a nice recipe for burgers and if you bake them in the oven they come out firmer than when you fry them I always add more spices than they give in the recipe.

https://hodmedods.co.uk/blogs/recipes/bean-and-beetroot-burgers

*BEAN AND BEETROOT BURGERS*

Have you tried making Schnitzels? They're a good alternative to meat especially when you make them with portobello or oyster mushrooms. Aubergine or celeriac schnitzel are also nice for a change. Oyster mushrooms you can use in most recipes using chicken like a stir fry.


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## catzz

Thank you for your suggestions everyone. Tried the oats suggestion in a nut and bean loaf last night and they worked a treat. The seasoning still needs some work but we’ll get there. Definitely going to try the schnitzel idea - I make a mean chicken schnitzel so I reckon I could use the same seasoning / coating for an aubergine or mushroom one. We do occasionally use meat replacements - I quite like the Linda McCartney sausages and meatballs. I’m on thyroxine tablets though so I need to avoid too much soya and I always reckon I could make them (not sure I really could ) 

Couple of successes though this weekend. We went to our local pub beer garden for something to eat on Friday. Husband ordered a Mediterranean roast vegetable toastie and I meant to order a felafel burger but pressed the wrong button on the ordering app and ended up with a normal burger instead. We cut both in half and husband actually said he preferred the taste of the vegetable toastie! Also, he’s taken a box of oat milk to work to use in his teas and has said he prefers it to normal milk. So we’re going in the right direction- just got to crack his cheese addiction now!


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## NaomiM

Just wondering if anyone on here can share any secrets to baking with aquafaba as a replacement for egg? As yet I haven't succeeded in doing it without them sinking and having a very wet texture!


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## Magyarmum

Hope the link works enjoy!




__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=669795786952993


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## Magyarmum




----------



## catz4m8z

Its amazing what they can do with alternatives these days. Just discovered vegan Applewood smoked cheese! Tastes amazing and melts just like cow cheese.:Smug
Also discovered vegan tuna last week and......have you ever wished you could untry something??:Shifty


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## Royoyo

catz4m8z said:


> Its amazing what they can do with alternatives these days. Just discovered vegan Applewood smoked cheese! Tastes amazing and melts just like cow cheese.:Smug
> Also discovered vegan tuna last week and......have you ever wished you could untry something??:Shifty


I've tried the vegan tuna..... The thought of it still makes me feel a bit sick.


----------



## Magyarmum




----------



## ustoon

looks nice. I like vegetables too


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## Jonescat

I have just signed up to the Happy Pear vegan baking course. Not quite sure who is going to eat all my experiments until this pesky isolation is over but when it is I will be ready for all the parties!

Also as it is winter, I am eating a lot of soup. Because the DD is home from Uni for an extended period I have the use of her soup maker rather than my usual saucepan and it does feel very luxurious, not to say decadent just to pop all the veg in and press a button. I can see why they are so popular. The last one we had was carrot and coriander (carrot, potato, lemon juice, orange 
juice, coriander, oat milk, onion, stock)

@NaomiM The only baking I have done with aquafaba so far has been royal icing for the christmas cake which worked beautifully but if I come across any tips on my course I will post here. I know one of the things you need to watch with vegan baking is the fat you use - a lot of margarine/butters have a higher water content than the dairy versions and that is one of the reasons that vegan recipes use oil, or else adjust the other ingredients to account for it.


----------



## Magyarmum

Jonescat said:


> I have just signed up to the Happy Pear vegan baking course. Not quite sure who is going to eat all my experiments until this pesky isolation is over but when it is I will be ready for all the parties!
> 
> Also as it is winter, I am eating a lot of soup. Because the DD is home from Uni for an extended period I have the use of her soup maker rather than my usual saucepan and it does feel very luxurious, not to say decadent just to pop all the veg in and press a button. I can see why they are so popular. The last one we had was carrot and coriander (carrot, potato, lemon juice, orange
> juice, coriander, oat milk, onion, stock)
> 
> @NaomiM The only baking I have done with aquafaba so far has been royal icing for the christmas cake which worked beautifully but if I come across any tips on my course I will post here. I know one of the things you need to watch with vegan baking is the fat you use - a lot of margarine/butters have a higher water content than the dairy versions and that is one of the reasons that vegan recipes use oil, or else adjust the other ingredients to account for it.


Happy New Year! Nice to see you back. Please don't disappear again


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## Jonescat

Magyarmum said:


> Happy New Year! Nice to see you back. Please don't disappear again


and to you @Magyarmum - I didn't mean to disappear but I have found the last few months hard and just hid from all media to manage the input. However I have worked out some better coping mechanisms now


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## NaomiM

I made lentil cottage pie for all the family tonight (I did put some cheese on everyone's but mine to tempt the kids to eat it!) Carnivore hubby enjoyed it, and DS said he prefers it to 'normal' cottage pie (and then proceeded to eat the potato and leave most of the filling :Banghead)

DD2 has massive food aversions and sensory issues and she won't eat 'mixed-up' food, so I blended up some of the filling mixture (lentils, carrots, onions and mushrooms), mixed in some flour, formed into balls and fried. She did try them but didn't eat much. However, DS and DD1 tried them and loved them! Veggie balls on the menu for another day, I think


----------



## catz4m8z

How's everybody doing in the thread!? Seems like its gone abit quite (veganuary probably less popular if you are worrying about a pandemic!).


Im just getting back into healthy eating after eating so much crap over xmas I turned myself into a human blobfish!:Shy:Hilarious
Have just started getting a vegetable box delivered weekly so I can eat locally grown seasonal produce (and it will hopefully encourage me to cook with more veg).
Seem to be working...today I have been practising the lazy single persons approach to cooking from scratch, which is of course batch cooking/meal planning. Today I made dinner for the next 4 days (lentil dhal/bombay potatoes, sausages/colcannon with a side of garlicky kale for whenever). Also still have some banana walnut loaf and cauliflower and butter bean chowder left from a few days ago so lunches and snacks sorted too!:Woot

Honestly sometimes I wish somebody would smack me on the head when I reach for the junk food. I enjoy cooking and love eating whole plant foods....got no excuse for all the take aways!


----------



## NaomiM

catz4m8z said:


> How's everybody doing in the thread!? Seems like its gone abit quite (veganuary probably less popular if you are worrying about a pandemic!).
> 
> Im just getting back into healthy eating after eating so much crap over xmas I turned myself into a human blobfish!:Shy:Hilarious
> Have just started getting a vegetable box delivered weekly so I can eat locally grown seasonal produce (and it will hopefully encourage me to cook with more veg).
> Seem to be working...today I have been practising the lazy single persons approach to cooking from scratch, which is of course batch cooking/meal planning. Today I made dinner for the next 4 days (lentil dhal/bombay potatoes, sausages/colcannon with a side of garlicky kale for whenever). Also still have some banana walnut loaf and cauliflower and butter bean chowder left from a few days ago so lunches and snacks sorted too!:Woot
> 
> Honestly sometimes I wish somebody would smack me on the head when I reach for the junk food. I enjoy cooking and love eating whole plant foods....got no excuse for all the take aways!


Veganuary was pretty much a necessity for me, as I put on so much weight in December! It's going well with one or two slip-ups (twice I've accidentally put cow's milk in my tea instead of oat milk!) but I've lost the December weight, so happy with that  I think next month I'll continue eating mainly plant-based, but be less strict and allow myself a few treats (I have two big boxes of Christmas Lindor to eat up, after all!), plus allow myself the eggs from our own hens as the fridge is now overflowing with them!


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## Magyarmum

Snowing heavily and miserable outside so I cooked comfort food for dinner tonight. A slight adaption of Hungarian Lesco. with chopped onions, garlic, celery, carrots, yellow peppers, pinto beans and chunks of potato cooked in a spicy paprika tomato sauce. Just before serving add chopped cabbage, and when cooked serve with crusty bread. Tastes better the next day.


----------



## loraonya

I have been a pesciterian for years now but I am slowly transitioning to vegetarian diet


----------



## catz4m8z

Making sprout top soup today! (never had sprout tops before but it came in my veg box this week so here we go!). Im thinking creamy so the tops with potato, onion, celery, salt, garlic and coconut milk...then I'll add butter beans once its whizzed up in the soup maker. 

Seems like the theory of healthy vegan eating coincides with my veg box usage too... meaning 'everything is edible if put in a soup or stir fry':Hilarious


----------



## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> Making sprout top soup today! (never had sprout tops before but it came in my veg box this week so here we go!). Im thinking creamy so the tops with potato, onion, celery, salt, garlic and coconut milk...then I'll add butter beans once its whizzed up in the soup maker.
> 
> Seems like the theory of healthy vegan eating coincides with my veg box usage too... meaning 'everything is edible if put in a soup or stir fry':Hilarious


I always used to wonder why in Hungary they sold veggies like turnips and kohlrabi with the leaves left on them. I already knew from living in SA that sauteed beetroot leaves are delish, but didn't realise all the really great dishes you can use with other veggie leaves, which I used to throw away.


----------



## catz4m8z

Magyarmum said:


> I already knew from living in SA that sauteed beetroot leaves are delish, but didn't realise all the really great dishes you can use with other veggie leaves, which I used to throw away.


I used to be way more picky about what I threw away and consequently wasted alot of food. Now everything goes in!! If you can eat the peel or leaves then I eat them, and bug damage just means a vinegar rinse in the sink and its all good!
Today Ive been batch cooking for the week. Got a date, walnut and chocolate loaf cake, and chickpea and roasted cauli korma with sides of brown rice and sprout top, kale, spring onion and dulce with a tahini dressing. I feel like I have achieved 'adult' status when it comes to cooking!LOL:Smug


----------



## Guest

This is my Earth Bowl made from green pitted olives, curly kale, roasted red potatoes, yellow and red baby plum tomatoes, steamed green beans and roasted mashed chickpeas.


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## catz4m8z

ooohh, that looks tasty @rawpawsrus  (although it kinda looks more like a spoonful of a bowl rather then an actual bowlful! but then Im a pig!!:Hilarious).

Going morrocan today! Making carrot and chickpea tagine, cous cous, red salad(as somebody mentioned on my recipe thread in general!:Shy), roasted brussels/potatoes and springreens/PS broccoli with garlic and seaweed. 
Also doing a purple soup (well I had beets, purple broccoli and kale and red onions so what else would I do!??LOL) and an apple cinnamon cake.
Sounds alot but its for the week and will probably mix and match the main into buddha bowls as I fancy.

Besides I have way too much veg in! Have just change my veg box delivery to fortnightly after receiving a box containing potatoes, red onions, cucumber, bunch of kale, bunch of purple sprouting broccoli, tons of sprouts, cauliflower, huge reed cabbage....def more then I can eat in a week!


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## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> ooohh, that looks tasty @rawpawsrus  (although it kinda looks more like a spoonful of a bowl rather then an actual bowlful! but then Im a pig!!:Hilarious).
> 
> Going morrocan today! Making carrot and chickpea tagine, cous cous, red salad(as somebody mentioned on my recipe thread in general!:Shy), roasted brussels/potatoes and springreens/PS broccoli with garlic and seaweed.
> Also doing a purple soup (well I had beets, purple broccoli and kale and red onions so what else would I do!??LOL) and an apple cinnamon cake.
> Sounds alot but its for the week and will probably mix and match the main into buddha bowls as I fancy.
> 
> Besides I have way too much veg in! Have just change my veg box delivery to fortnightly after receiving a box containing potatoes, red onions, cucumber, bunch of kale, bunch of purple sprouting broccoli, tons of sprouts, cauliflower, huge reed cabbage....def more then I can eat in a week!


I'm making Moroccan(ish) risotto tonight with red and yellow peppers, carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, mixed beans, rice and Ras el Hanout to flavour. Only for me tonight and for my neighbour's lunch tomorrow - I cook for him every day


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## Guest

catz4m8z said:


> ooohh, that looks tasty @rawpawsrus


It was delicious


----------



## NaomiM

After letting myself go a bit last month, I'm back on mainly WFPB this month.

I went shopping yesterday to stock up on everything, then left hubby to unpack while I nipped out to the chippy for him and the kids as I'd promised them a takeaway as a treat. Came back, made myself a nice chickpea tagine, all good. I didn't realise till this afternoon that hubby had put away my frozen Linda McCartney sausages in the fridge instead of the freezer - doh!

So I abandoned my plans for tonight and had a stir fry with mixed grains, onion, red pepper, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and chopped vegan sausages. I also chucked in half a bag of babyleaf that needed using up, and it was pretty nice 










So... can anyone tell me how long the remaining defrosted sausages will keep in the fridge? They were only intended as a backup for when I needed something quick and easy, but obviously that plan's now out the window!


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## Lurcherlad

I’d say 3 days uncooked in the fridge but if you cook them they could go in the freezer imo.

So long as they are reheated fully there shouldn’t be any problems.


----------



## Magyarmum

NaomiM said:


> After letting myself go a bit last month, I'm back on mainly WFPB this month.
> 
> I went shopping yesterday to stock up on everything, then left hubby to unpack while I nipped out to the chippy for him and the kids as I'd promised them a takeaway as a treat. Came back, made myself a nice chickpea tagine, all good. I didn't realise till this afternoon that hubby had put away my frozen Linda McCartney sausages in the fridge instead of the freezer - doh!
> 
> So I abandoned my plans for tonight and had a stir fry with mixed grains, onion, red pepper, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and chopped vegan sausages. I also chucked in half a bag of babyleaf that needed using up, and it was pretty nice
> 
> View attachment 463738
> 
> 
> So... can anyone tell me how long the remaining defrosted sausages will keep in the fridge? They were only intended as a backup for when I needed something quick and easy, but obviously that plan's now out the window!


Make them into vegan sausage rolls and then you can freeze them after you've cooked the,


----------



## catz4m8z

Fridge leftovers soup today! All the veg that was going bendy/wilty (so spring greens, kale, celery, tomatoes, potato and onion) plus some garlic, tomato paste and half a jar of tagine sauce that needed to get eaten. Then I added a couple of tins from the cupboard (sweetcorn, lentils and butter beans).
Extremely yummy and it should last me for days.
Its weird but I hate smoothies and dont see the point of them at all and yet you could pulverize any and all veg into a soup and I'll wolf it down!:Wacky:Woot


----------



## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> Fridge leftovers soup today! All the veg that was going bendy/wilty (so spring greens, kale, celery, tomatoes, potato and onion) plus some garlic, tomato paste and half a jar of tagine sauce that needed to get eaten. Then I added a couple of tins from the cupboard (sweetcorn, lentils and butter beans).
> Extremely yummy and it should last me for days.
> Its weird but I hate smoothies and dont see the point of them at all and yet you could pulverize any and all veg into a soup and I'll wolf it down!:Wacky:Woot


I can't drink smoothies because for some reason the thought of them turns my stomach. Soup is different though. My DIL on the other hand hates "lumps" in her soup so she always purees them.

Tonight I'm having a celery, carrot, leek, mushroom red pepper and pinto bean risotto. My if you don't know what to cook stand by.


----------



## Jonescat

Mine is "pasta and bits" which covers almost anything but gives me somewhere to start. Tonight's meal though is pinto bean (snap!) chilli and potato wedges.


----------



## NaomiM

I did a bit of inventing tonight and made mushroom 'quinotto' (like risotto but with quinoa instead of rice!) I added some nutritional yeast at the end to stand in for the parmesan I'd normally put in a risotto, plus a little bit of soya cream, and it was very nice


----------



## catz4m8z

Its sunday so its 'batch cook for the week' day!:Woot

Just put an apple cinnamon cake and a herby soda bread loaf in the oven (was going to do regular bread but my yeast is massively out of date:Shy). Also had some smoked tofu that was going off so that is baking in the oven after which it will be added to a chilli (also doing some brown rice, spicy potato wedges and a big bowl of greens as well).
That lot should last me!!:Smug (The curry, sides and cake I made last week did in fact last the whole 7 days!:Wideyed).


I am yet again cursing mid twenty something me for having a kitchen installed for somebody who didnt cook and never planned on doing more then microwaving things!:Banghead:Hilarious


----------



## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> Its sunday so its 'batch cook for the week' day!:Woot
> 
> Just put an apple cinnamon cake and a herby soda bread loaf in the oven (was going to do rgular bread but my yeast is massively out of date:Shy). Also had some smoked tofu that was going off so that is baking in the oven after which it will be added to a chilli (also doing some brown rice, spicy potato wedges and a big bowl of greens as well).
> That lot should last me!!:Smug (The curry, sides and cake I made last week did in fact last the whole 7 days!:Wideyed).
> 
> I am yet again cursing mid twenty something me for having a kitchen installed for somebody who didnt cook and never planned on doing more then microwaving things!:Banghead:Hilarious


Gosh you are busy! I went to bed last night full of good intentions of spending today cooking. Didn't turn out like that because I didn't wake up until nine this morning and only then because a great fat lump of Schnauzer sat on me! Only got round to making soup out of lots of bits and pieces of veggies I cleared out of the freezer. Have added a tin of tomatoes, some cannellini beans and Berbere spice. Enough for my dinner tonight with a bruschetta of some sort, and for my neighbour's lunch tomorrow.

Tomorrow I'm going to make my favorite Kasha Varnishkes but will add some mushrooms and onions to the recipe. Love Buckwheat .... yummy!

https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/kasha-varnishkes-kasha-and-bows/


----------



## catz4m8z

Magyarmum said:


> Gosh you are busy!
> Only got round to making soup out of lots of bits and pieces of veggies I cleared out of the freezer.


Some of the tastiest soups are made out of leftovers Ive found though!

Also Im only busy today so I can be extremely lazy and just reheat stuff the rest of the week!LOL:Smug


----------



## NaomiM

catz4m8z said:


> Its sunday so its 'batch cook for the week' day!:Woot
> 
> Just put an apple cinnamon cake and a herby soda bread loaf in the oven (was going to do regular bread but my yeast is massively out of date:Shy). Also had some smoked tofu that was going off so that is baking in the oven after which it will be added to a chilli (also doing some brown rice, spicy potato wedges and a big bowl of greens as well).
> That lot should last me!!:Smug (The curry, sides and cake I made last week did in fact last the whole 7 days!:Wideyed).
> 
> I am yet again cursing mid twenty something me for having a kitchen installed for somebody who didnt cook and never planned on doing more then microwaving things!:Banghead:Hilarious


@catz4m8z what recipe did you use for soda bread that doesn't involve buttermilk or yogurt? Or did you use a yogurt substitute?
I just experimented with trying to make some soda bread rolls using my rye flour, with oat milk and then white wine vinegar to react with the bicarbonate of soda. I think I must have overdone the bicarb, though, as they were horrible and inedible and I've just had to bin the whole lot!  Such a shame as they'd risen beautifully (and getting rye to rise is always tricky!)


----------



## Magyarmum

NaomiM said:


> @catz4m8z what recipe did you use for soda bread that doesn't involve buttermilk or yogurt? Or did you use a yogurt substitute?
> I just experimented with trying to make some soda bread rolls using my rye flour, with oat milk and then white wine vinegar to react with the bicarbonate of soda. I think I must have overdone the bicarb, though, as they were horrible and inedible and I've just had to bin the whole lot!  Such a shame as they'd risen beautifully (and getting rye to rise is always tricky!)


I make Irish soda bread and instead of buttermilk or yoghourt I add lemon juice to oat milk (or any plant milk you normal drink)


----------



## NaomiM

Magyarmum said:


> I make Irish soda bread and instead of buttermilk or yoghourt I add lemon juice to oat milk (or any plant milk you normal drink)


Thanks, I'll give it a try. I'm out of lemon juice but it's already on my shopping list for my weekly shop tomorrow.


----------



## NaomiM

I made a small test loaf (pumpkin seed and rye) and, while it could maybe have used a few extra minutes in the oven, it's a definite improvement on yesterday's disaster - so thanks @Magyarmum for the tip! It went nicely with my homemade mushroom soup for lunch


----------



## Magyarmum

NaomiM said:


> I made a small test loaf (pumpkin seed and rye) and, while it could maybe have used a few extra minutes in the oven, it's a definite improvement on yesterday's disaster - so thanks @Magyarmum for the tip! It went nicely with my homemade mushroom soup for lunch
> View attachment 464429
> View attachment 464430


That looks good. So pleased it worked out and I must start to add some seeds to mine.

I've just made a vegan shepherds pie for dinner tonight. I haven't made one for a long time and thought it would make a nice change.


----------



## catz4m8z

NaomiM said:


> @catz4m8z what recipe did you use for soda bread that doesn't involve buttermilk or yogurt? Or did you use a yogurt substitute?
> I just experimented with trying to make some soda bread rolls using my rye flour, with oat milk and then white wine vinegar to react with the bicarbonate of soda. I think I must have overdone the bicarb, though, as they were horrible and inedible and I've just had to bin the whole lot!  Such a shame as they'd risen beautifully (and getting rye to rise is always tricky!)


I used plant milk and vinegar but TBH it wasnt that great, very solid! I'll have to make sure I have yeast in for the future!:Shy

Am wondering today if there is such a thing as too much garlic??:Bored My stir fry last night had garlic cloves in, wild garlic leaves and garlic puree in the sauce! Also had wild garlic in my soup for lunch today and in my tomato and cream cheese sammich!
Honestly I blimmin' love garlic:Smug....the fact it can also work as a people repellent is just an added bonus!:Hilarious


----------



## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> I used plant milk and vinegar but TBH it wasnt that great, very solid! I'll have to make sure I have yeast in for the future!:Shy
> 
> Am wondering today if there is such a thing as too much garlic??:Bored My stir fry last night had garlic cloves in, wild garlic leaves and garlic puree in the sauce! Also had wild garlic in my soup for lunch today and in my tomato and cream cheese sammich!
> Honestly I blimmin' love garlic:Smug....the fact it can also work as a people repellent is just an added bonus!:Hilarious


It also wards off vampires and evil spirits so having consumed vast quantities of garlic you can sleep peacefully knowing that Dracula won't be along in the middle of the night to drink your blood

I bought some yesterday from the supermarket so soon will be joining you, repelling members of the general public with my garlicky breath.


----------



## Jonescat

Hmm - it will be interesting meeting everyone again after lockdown and seeing who has just ramped up the garlic seeing as they were on their own and not commuting  I rather suspect I will be in that category too.

I want to share these gorgeous beans which go by the name of Calypso beans and according to the packet are from Uzbekistan. I expected them to lose their colours in cooking and end up a murky brown but turns out they keep both colour and pattern. I love them  Apparently they also come in black and white and are a variant of the red kidney bean.

Cooked here with tomato, fennel, peppers, chilli, basil, onion, garlic and mushrooms.


----------



## catz4m8z

Oooooh, pretty! I shall have to keep an eye open for them. (Ive never met a bean I didnt love!!LOL):Woot


----------



## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> I used plant milk and vinegar but TBH it wasnt that great, very solid! I'll have to make sure I have yeast in for the future!:Shy
> 
> Am wondering today if there is such a thing as too much garlic??:Bored My stir fry last night had garlic cloves in, wild garlic leaves and garlic puree in the sauce! Also had wild garlic in my soup for lunch today and in my tomato and cream cheese sammich!
> Honestly I blimmin' love garlic:Smug....the fact it can also work as a people repellent is just an added bonus!:Hilarious


Knowing how you're hooked on wild garlic I thought you might like this recipe I've just found.

https://whereismyspoon.co/vegan-wild-garlic-sunflower-spread/


----------



## Magyarmum




----------



## catz4m8z

Magyarmum said:


> Knowing how you're hooked on wild garlic I thought you might like this recipe I've just found.
> 
> https://whereismyspoon.co/vegan-wild-garlic-sunflower-spread/


I really have to get myself a food processor, that sounds lovely!

Veggie scramble/hash for tea last night! Cooked up a load of cabbage and broccoli then added all the stuff in the fridge that needed eating (so chopped up some roasted cauli, garlic and onions I had in and crumbled the last 2 slices of nut roast left!). Then I mixed that with tahini and Everything bagel seasoning and sprinkled tons of nooch on top. It was gorgeous!
(why is it that some of the tastiest things are the most basic?)


----------



## NaomiM

I'm currently alternating a month of WFPB (apart from eggs from my own hens) with a month of my usual diet (meat 1-2 times per week, mainly healthy food but allowing myself a few treats). This month is WFPB. I'm eating loads of fruit and veg, wholegrains, nuts and pulses, no added sugar or refined carbs.

The problem is that I've found I tend to have some digestive issues when I'm eating WFPB - stomach pain, bloating and constipation. Also, one of my main reasons for doing it is to lose weight, and while this worked for the first few months, it's completely plateaued now. I could still do with losing about a stone to get within a healthy BMI range.

I can only think that it's the beans and pulses causing the digestive issues, and that these are slowing my metabolism down which is why I've stopped losing weight despite eating no sugar, low fat and loads of fibre. Is it common for beans and pulses to cause this sort of digestive issues? Any tips for minimising the issues and speeding up my metabolism?


----------



## baubbles

I used to have these issues too. I'm not sure if it's coincidence or if it really did work, but I took a probiotic called VSL3 a few years back and all issues disappeared. It seemed pretty good in a lot of ways including my memory seemed sharper too. It was pricey at about £45 for 1 months worth and I only took it for 1 month. May be worth a try.


----------



## Lurcherlad

Too many beans, pulses, veggies, etc. can cause issues.

Quantities should start low and build slowly to allow the gut to adjust.

Eating much more fibre also requires an increase in fluids to keep everything soft and mobile 

Rather than chop and change, why not just eat all the foods you like all the time but smaller amounts or more spread out?


----------



## NaomiM

Thanks for the responses 


Lurcherlad said:


> Quantities should start low and build slowly to allow the gut to adjust.


I do eat beans and pulses the rest of the time, too, just in smaller amounts, and I've always eaten a lot of veggies.


Lurcherlad said:


> Eating much more fibre also requires an increase in fluids to keep everything soft and mobile


I drink probably around 600ml water + 1200ml tea per day (yes I drink a lot of tea!)


Lurcherlad said:


> Rather than chop and change, why not just eat all the foods you like all the time but smaller amounts or more spread out?


I find it harder to do that tbh - I'm an all-or-nothing kind of person! If I haven't set myself very strict and well-defined boundaries, I find myself 'cheating' a lot and putting weight on as a result. When I'm doing my non-WFPB month, I will eat healthy meals but then snack a lot in the evenings


----------



## catz4m8z

NaomiM said:


> I do eat beans and pulses the rest of the time, too, just in smaller amounts, and I've always eaten a lot of veggies.


yup, I think alot of people have trouble with pulses/beans. You might just have to build up the amount very slowly to avoid issues.

Sunday today, which means cooking for the week! Last week was chilli bean loaf, roasted veggies and lemon and ginger cake. (the bean loaf made a surprisingly nice sammich filling for toasties!).
This week Im doing a curried vegetable and butter bean soup, then mains is chickpea tagine with brown rice and little roasted potato cubes (seasoned with paprika and za'atar to keep with the morrocan vibes!). No side veg today but the tagine has tomato, onion, pepper, spinach, dulse and carrots.
Shocked I actually put the pepper in there coz I normally dont like them but veg box company accidentally sent me some and Id never tried this type, turned out I kinda liked it!:Shy
This weeks cake is an apple and berry loaf cake.:Smug

I think I should be good for the week now!


----------



## karenmc

I have been eating healthier for a couple of weeks and doing more exercise (jogging and boxing on my son's boxing bag) to try to lose a few pounds that have crept on. I am not vegetarian or vegan but eat lots of meat free meals in the week. Today I made a lovely lentil and vegetable Ragu type meal and it was delicious! I was going to make it with pasta or rice but changed my mind and had it as a meal in itself. It could be eaten with rice, pasta or as a jacket potato filling.
Lentil and vegetable Ragu
Half an onion chopped
1 carrot sliced then chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic
1 red pepper chopped
Handful of button mushrooms sliced
Half a bag of spinach
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tin of green lentils.
Tomato puree a good squeeze
Oregano
Dried parsley
Paprika
Ground black pepper
Salt
I cooked the onion and carrot in a little oil in a medium saucepan then as they softened added the garlic. I put in a bit of water and left to allo the carrots to cook. Part way through, I added the red pepper, mushrooms and the herbs/salt/pepper. Then after a few minutes I added the tinned tomatoes and shortly after the spinach. I then added the green lentils (drained and rinsed).
I cooked until fully heated through and all vegetables cooked through. Served in a bowl with black pepper on top.


----------



## Magyarmum

karenmc said:


> I have been eating healthier for a couple of weeks and doing more exercise (jogging and boxing on my son's boxing bag) to try to lose a few pounds that have crept on. I am not vegetarian or vegan but eat lots of meat free meals in the week. Today I made a look lentil and vegetable Ragu type meal and it was lovely! I was going to make it with pasta or rice but changed my mind and had it as a meal in itself. It could be eaten with rice, pasta or as a jacket potato filling.
> Lentil and vegetable Ragu
> Half an onion chopped
> 1 carrot sliced then chopped
> 1-2 cloves of garlic
> 1 red pepper chopped
> Handful of button mushrooms sliced
> Half a bag of spinach
> 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
> 1 tin of green lentils.
> Tomato puree a good squeeze
> Oregano
> Dried parsley
> Paprika
> Ground black pepper
> Salt
> I cooked the onion and carrot in a little oil in a medium saucepan then as they softened added the garlic. I put in a bit of water and left to allo the carrots to cook. Part way through, I added the red pepper, mushrooms and the herbs/salt/pepper. Then after a few minutes I added the tinned tomatoes and shortly after the spinach. I then added the green lentils (drained and rinsed).
> I cooked until fully heated through and all vegetables cooked through. Served in a bowl with black pepper on top.[/QUOTE
> 
> Sounds nice. I often make "one pot" meals for myself.


----------



## karenmc

I have just found a website called thevegan8.com while looking for lentil and vegetable recipes. You may all already know of it but thought I would share as it has some lovely looking recipes that I am definitely going to try.


----------



## Magyarmum

karenmc said:


> I have just found a website called thevegan8.com while looking for lentil and vegetable recipes. You may all already know of it but thought I would share as it has some lovely looking recipes that I am definitely going to try.


Thank you. I'm always looking for new recipes.

Do you like Indian vegetarian food? If so this is a website I can really recommend.

https://hebbarskitchen.com/


----------



## karenmc

Magyarmum said:


> Thank you. I'm always looking for new recipes.
> 
> Do you like Indian vegetarian food? If so this is a website I can really recommend.
> 
> https://hebbarskitchen.com/


I love Indian food. Thank you, I will have a look.


----------



## baubbles

karenmc said:


> I have just found a website called thevegan8.com while looking for lentil and vegetable recipes. You may all already know of it but thought I would share as it has some lovely looking recipes that I am definitely going to try.


didn't know about this site - thanks!


----------



## karenmc

Lentils are my new best friend!! I have lost 5lb. Loving doing boxing on my son's bag but my goodness it is tiring!!


----------



## karenmc

baubbles said:


> didn't know about this site - thanks!


The white bean stew and the soups look delicious!


----------



## karenmc

Has anybody ever used cornmeal in their recipes? I want to try making these sweet potato and chickpea burgers and they have cornmeal in them. I haven't used it before. I couldn't see any in Asda today though it does show up on supermarket websites. I think it helps to give the burgers a crispy exterior when they are baked. They look very nice.


----------



## karenmc

Sorry posted twice!


----------



## baubbles

karenmc said:


> Has anybody ever used cornmeal in their recipes? I want to try making these sweet potato and chickpea burgers and they have cornmeal in them. I haven't used it before. I couldn't see any in Asda today though it does show up on supermarket websites. I think it helps to give the burgers a crispy exterior when they are baked. They look very nice.
> View attachment 473746


i use it all the time. I buy it at Tesco or you could substitute polenta. https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/255575078https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/255575078


----------



## karenmc

baubbles said:


> i use it all the time. I buy it at Tesco or you could substitute polenta. https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/255575078https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/255575078


Thank you @baubbles. I wondered if it might be similar to polenta. However I couldn't find the polenta to compare!!


----------



## karenmc

I made a red lentil and spinach soup tonight. I looked at a few recipes online including The vegan 8.com and BBC Good Food then tweaked according to ingredients that I had available. It was really hearty and delicious. Our son had a bowl too and loved it! Here is my recipe (sorry there are not specific measures as I chopped and threw in!!)
Red lentil and spinach soup
1 carrot finely diced
1 onion finely chopped
Red lentils
2 cloves of garlic chopped
Half a bag of spinach
Tin of chopped tomatoes
Vegetable stock
Oregano
Parsley
Paprika
Smoked paprika
Black pepper and salt

I cooked the carrot, onion and shortly after the garlic in a little oil then when onion softened, added a little boiled water.
I added the parsley, oregano, paprika and smoked paprika, stirred and cooked for a couple of minutes.
I then added the tinned tomatoes and vegetable stock. As they came to the boil, I added the red lentils (a good amount this soup had a good consistency). I seasoned with salt and pepper and left to cook.
When the lentils were cooked, I added hlthe spinach and stirred through until wilted.
I then served with black pepper on top. I will definitely make this soup again. It was delicious!


----------



## Magyarmum

baubbles said:


> i use it all the time. I buy it at Tesco or you could substitute polenta. https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/255575078https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/255575078


i often use Cornmeal as well, I love Polenta as a change from rice which apart from Arborio rice I'm not very keen on.

I also make cornbread which goes nicely with chili.

https://www.noracooks.com/the-best-vegan-cornbread/


----------



## catz4m8z

Magyarmum said:


> I also make cornbread which goes nicely with chili.


Im really not sure about corn bread....I made a batch once and ate the whole thing but still couldnt decide if I liked it or not afterwards!


----------



## catz4m8z

well, fornightly veg box delivered this week so all weekend I have been batch cooking for the freezer. Made;
roasted caulie and chickpea curry
chilli (made with kidney beans, black beans and roasted aubergine)
bubble and squeek fritters
gooseberry crumble

and I have another big aubergine left so am roasting it with red onion and smoked tofu and will add garlic and a tin of tomatoes to make a nice chunky pasta sauce.


only thing I dont know what to do with is the fennel.:Bored I got some last week and roasted it but it was really stringy and kinda inedible. I might have to tell them no fennel unless I can figure out how to cook it!:Shy


----------



## Magyarmum

catz4m8z said:


> well, fornightly veg box delivered this week so all weekend I have been batch cooking for the freezer. Made;
> roasted caulie and chickpea curry
> chilli (made with kidney beans, black beans and roasted aubergine)
> bubble and squeek fritters
> gooseberry crumble
> 
> and I have another big aubergine left so am roasting it with red onion and smoked tofu and will add garlic and a tin of tomatoes to make a nice chunky pasta sauce.
> 
> only thing I dont know what to do with is the fennel.:Bored I got some last week and roasted it but it was really stringy and kinda inedible. I might have to tell them no fennel unless I can figure out how to cook it!:Shy


I very often use it in a risotto with celery, red peppers, spinach and beans. Also it's nice raw in a salad or put into coleslaw. Some recipes. not all vegan to give you some ideas.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/fennel-recipes


----------



## Beth78

Made this stew yesterday, was very tasty and I will definitely make it again.


----------



## Jonescat

My OH had his bloods done six months ago, and the bad cholesterol level that was fine last year triggered a call from the doctor to warn him, that although it was still fine, he was a year older, had hit a magic number, and it was now showing as higher risk..... I was affronted to start with but then realised perhaps we had got lazy about some of the things we ate, particularly treat foods over lockdown, and so took it as a challenge. He is now under the desired number (a whole 1 point less!) in six months of pulling it back and I am mightily relieved that it was so straightforward. So - for those that are interested - read the labels, choose very low or no saturated fat products, ditch "butter" as a spread if you can, eat a few more nuts, use cold pressed rape seed oil if you are going to use oil, filo pastry if you must have a pie, try pretzel and popcorn snacks, cocoa not chocolate as a flavouring, plant milk, tofu and miso sauces on lasagne and other baked dishes, plant milks in general, and get a soupmaker (which stopped me sauting the veg first). We were already whole food and mostly vegan so these are just the tweaks.


----------



## catz4m8z

Dammit.....Papa Johns doing a 50% off their vegan menu deal.
Goodbye diet, I shall think of you fondly.:Shy


----------



## catz4m8z

Is it just me or does it seem like there is alot less options around this christmas for vegan food?

I def remember seeing more stuff last year.....its probably covids fault. (when in doubt, blame covid!LOL).


----------



## baubbles

catz4m8z said:


> Is it just me or does it seem like there is alot less options around this christmas for vegan food?
> 
> I def remember seeing more stuff last year.....its probably covids fault. (when in doubt, blame covid!LOL).


There's actually loads! Follow vegan_food_uk on Instagram they've got a lot of post over the last couple months with pics of stuff available in all the stores and online. Also accidentallyveganuk has a lot on Instagram too


----------



## catz4m8z

baubbles said:


> There's actually loads!


Must just be my local shops that are abit crap then!
I def had more options last year. Although TBF my high street has lost one health food shop and the other has greatly reduced its range.
Plenty of butchers and fishmongers about though....:Shifty


----------



## baubbles

catz4m8z said:


> Must just be my local shops that are abit crap then!
> I def had more options last year. Although TBF my high street has lost one health food shop and the other has greatly reduced its range.
> Plenty of butchers and fishmongers about though....:Shifty


Here's hoping you can get some things online


----------



## catz4m8z

baubbles said:


> Here's hoping you can get some things online


I do most of my shopping online but am thinking of changing supermarkets. Sainsburys either dont have much or things are out of stock. I only use them as its the only supermarket in my town centre so familiar.

What supermarket do people find the best for a vegan range??
I pretty much have most of them about 2-3 miles from me but I never go as I CBA shlepping my shopping trolley that far!LOL


----------



## baubbles

If it's Christmas food you're looking for I'm not really sure but my Sainsbury's is pretty good for most every day vegan.

I know Marks & Spencer have some nice things in and someone said Asda have a good turkey roast but not been lately. Tesco has some lovely stuff as well but is sometimes hit or miss especially the Wicked Kitchen range.

I think closer to the day, most stores will have the Christmas range out I think about the 18th, but you can check the Christmas range out for each store online and pre order.

For Turkey, I've just made the recipe from 86eats it's very good and will make it again.

https://www.86eats.com/recipes/vegan-deli-sliced-turkey-breast?rq=deli turkey


----------



## LittleFox

Bit of a zombie thread, I know!

I've been (very) slowly moving towards a vegetarian/vegan diet. I currently eat chicken, which I would like to phase out, but it makes up a significant part of my diet at the moment. I eat eggs occasionally when my neighbours give me some from their own hens, and I'm ok about that. I have milk only in cafe coffee, and eat a small amount of cheese.

I'm wondering if it might be easier to drop the chicken if I have something to directly replace it with, and I'm thinking of tofu. However, I've never eaten it in my life, have no idea which 'type' to buy, or how to cook it. Help please!


----------



## Lurcherlad

@LittleFox I've never been overly fond of tofu…. it's very soft on the palate.

I have found the smoked version by Cauldron to be ok in a stir fry as it has a firmer texture.

I bought Tofoo brand and squeezed it dry, cubed and rolled in seasoned corn flour and fried off in a little sprayed oil to crisp and firm up, which improved the texture.

I've marinated it before too to get some flavour in.

It does need lots of added flavour ime.

Quorn offer various chicken alternatives… some veggie, some vegan.

Here, there are quite a number of meat alternatives but I limit them to occasional use as they are processed.

Tinned jackfruit works well in a casserole. I keep meaning to try them minced up with lentils, onions, herbs etc. to make my own burgers, sausages, etc.


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## Lurcherlad

The sausages I ate in the B&B yesterday were really good.

Tesco plant based sausages.

I think I could get away with using them in a vegan sausage pasta dish for OH, DS and I and I doubt they’d notice 

That’ll be handy and save messing about with 2 different versions


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## LittleFox

Lurcherlad said:


> @LittleFox I've never been overly fond of tofu…. it's very soft on the palate.
> 
> I have found the smoked version by Cauldron to be ok in a stir fry as it has a firmer texture.
> 
> I bought Tofoo brand and squeezed it dry, cubed and rolled in seasoned corn flour and fried off in a little sprayed oil to crisp and firm up, which improved the texture.
> 
> I've marinated it before too to get some flavour in.
> 
> It does need lots of added flavour ime.
> 
> Quorn offer various chicken alternatives… some veggie, some vegan.
> 
> Here, there are quite a number of meat alternatives but I limit them to occasional use as they are processed.
> 
> Tinned jackfruit works well in a casserole. I keep meaning to try them minced up with lentils, onions, herbs etc. to make my own burgers, sausages, etc.


That's good to know about tofu. I guess I just have to try it and find out! Someone else mentioned jackfruit to me (which I had never heard of) which I will certainly try!

I had actually forgotten about quorn because last time I looked it up on my WW app it was quite high in points, but it seems with the whole revamp it's come down significantly so I'll get some of that too


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## Magyarmum

LittleFox said:


> Bit of a zombie thread, I know!
> 
> I've been (very) slowly moving towards a vegetarian/vegan diet. I currently eat chicken, which I would like to phase out, but it makes up a significant part of my diet at the moment. I eat eggs occasionally when my neighbours give me some from their own hens, and I'm ok about that. I have milk only in cafe coffee, and eat a small amount of cheese.
> 
> I'm wondering if it might be easier to drop the chicken if I have something to directly replace it with, and I'm thinking of tofu. However, I've never eaten it in my life, have no idea which 'type' to buy, or how to cook it. Help please!


I've been vegetarian for nearly 6 years. I do eat dairy products such as cheese, butter and eggs but not in large quantities.

I hate tofu and soya granules and chunks! I will sometimes buy things like vegan chicken schnitzels which depending on the make can be a good substitute for the real thing. The Tesco range is good. Beyond Meat I definitely don't like. Their sausages are horrible! My local Spar has just started stocking a make called The Vegetarian Butcher and I bought a packet of their Chickened Out Chunks which I was quite impressed with.

Most of the time though I find if you season them accordingly Portobello or Oyster mushrooms make a good substitute for meat. Thinly sliced Aubergine or Diakon, marinated with a dash of liquid smoke can taste like bacon. Thick cuts of Kohl Rabi or Celeriac properly prepared can make a good schnitzel or burger.

Basically you just have to be adventurous and keep experimenting to find what suits your taste buds best.

https://www.thevegetarianbutcher.co.uk/products/retail.html


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## OrientalSlave

LittleFox said:


> Bit of a zombie thread, I know!
> 
> I've been (very) slowly moving towards a vegetarian/vegan diet. I currently eat chicken, which I would like to phase out, but it makes up a significant part of my diet at the moment. I eat eggs occasionally when my neighbours give me some from their own hens, and I'm ok about that. I have milk only in cafe coffee, and eat a small amount of cheese.
> 
> I'm wondering if it might be easier to drop the chicken if I have something to directly replace it with, and I'm thinking of tofu. However, I've never eaten it in my life, have no idea which 'type' to buy, or how to cook it. Help please!


I hate the mock meat products. If I want a meat-free meal I use fish or pulses. Tofu is quite expensive and needs plenty of flavouring otherwise it's just so bland.

If you want dairy, the best is from the few cow-with-calf farms for example Mossgiel in Scotland.

https://mossgielfarm.co.uk/about/our-campaigns/calf-with-cow/

https://www.cowcalfdairies.co.uk/


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## GingerNinja

I'm not veggie but don't want to eat meat every day. I like the Cauldron Lincolnshire and Cumberland sausages. I use them in roasted vegetable & butterbean tray bake and also "Spanish" sausages (just in tinned tomatoes, thyme, paprika, cannellini bean casserole type thing). The Lincolnshire ones would also be good as a breakfast sausage 

@LittleFox I have used jackfruit as a substitute in my usual pulled pork chili recipe and it was pretty good!


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## LittleFox

Magyarmum said:


> I've been vegetarian for nearly 6 years. I do eat dairy products such as cheese, butter and eggs but not in large quantities.
> 
> I hate tofu and soya granules and chunks! I will sometimes buy things like vegan chicken schnitzels which depending on the make can be a good substitute for the real thing. The Tesco range is good. Beyond Meat I definitely don't like. Their sausages are horrible! My local Spar has just started stocking a make called The Vegetarian Butcher and I bought a packet of their Chickened Out Chunks which I was quite impressed with.
> 
> Most of the time though I find if you season them accordingly Portobello or Oyster mushrooms make a good substitute for meat. Thinly sliced Aubergine or Diakon, marinated with a dash of liquid smoke can taste like bacon. Thick cuts of Kohl Rabi or Celeriac properly prepared can make a good schnitzel or burger.
> 
> Basically you just have to be adventurous and keep experimenting to find what suits your taste buds best.
> 
> https://www.thevegetarianbutcher.co.uk/products/retail.html


Oh dear, tofu isn't getting a good reputation here! I was 'full vege' about 10 years ago but I think there's a lot more meat alternatives now then there was then, or here at least. I tried Kohl Rabi for the first time a few months ago (and liked it) but can't imagine it as a burger!



OrientalSlave said:


> I hate the mock meat products. If I want a meat-free meal I use fish or pulses. Tofu is quite expensive and needs plenty of flavouring otherwise it's just so bland.
> 
> If you want dairy, the best is from the few cow-with-calf farms for example Mossgiel in Scotland.
> 
> https://mossgielfarm.co.uk/about/our-campaigns/calf-with-cow/
> 
> https://www.cowcalfdairies.co.uk/


Thanks, I'm ok about the very small amount of dairy I have, it's more just wanting to go full vegetarian by finding alternatives for chicken. I'm not really a big fish eater (unless it's battered with chips!).



GingerNinja said:


> I'm not veggie but don't want to eat meat every day. I like the Cauldron Lincolnshire and Cumberland sausages. I use them in roasted vegetable & butterbean tray bake and also "Spanish" sausages (just in tinned tomatoes, thyme, paprika, cannellini bean casserole type thing). The Lincolnshire ones would also be good as a breakfast sausage
> 
> @LittleFox I have used jackfruit as a substitute in my usual pulled pork chili recipe and it was pretty good!


Oh good, definitely want to try the jackfruit!


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## BarkieMcDogface

I am pescatarian (10 years) and the hubby is a vegan (5 years).

When we dine out, I opt for the vegan option because I am lactose intolerant and alot of vegetarian meals tend to have diary ingredients.

I am running out of ideas what to cook as I mainly do stews and curries. We use the 'chicken' pieces and soya chunks - the ones you have to soak overnight. I then marinade the pieces in herbs and spices overnight. The only thing I do not really like is the Quorn fillets, to me they have a synthetic taste to them. I do eat alot of salads and mediterrean veg trays. I love my seafood. I could not go full vegan, I feel I would be missing out on protein. I do eat alot of tofu as well and a new thing I have found is the bare noodles that are protein packed by have hardly any carbs (somehow!) 

I think I went off meat when I went past a meat wagon and the carcass was on the floor of the vehicle. This may shock some people but when I used to eat meat, I have to wash it first, I do not know who has handled it beforehand, I could not eat meat that had blood oozing out of it while cooking. I ate a KFC chicken thigh many mons again, and what I think was the congealed blood in the crevice of the bone - that put me off completely! 

I do feel guilty when I eat burgers that are plant based and they taste so real! I am just waiting for the makers to come out saying they ballsed up!


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## Beth78

This is what I'm cooking later, ive substituted the mince with green lentils and it was just as tasty. And if you don't like spice you can leave out the chilli flakes, it doesn't make much difference.


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## Deguslave

I'm a veggie, have been for nearly 40 years, but regularly run out of ideas.

I'm protein intolerant so I can't have anything thats meat, fish, eggs or nuts. Dairy is the only protein I can tolerate, and have to be careful with pulses. 

Any ideas for simple, cheap recipes?


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## catz4m8z

Ive been living on cold pasta salads most of the summer!
I cook up a big batch of wholewheat pasta, then roast lots of cubed veggies and smoked tofu with spices (I like paprika and Everything Bagel seasoning) then get a whole bunch of salad veg in.
Then I just mix and match !


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## Kate876

When I decided to lose weight, I thought becoming a vegetarian would be the best solution. I changed my nutrition but understood pretty fast that it wasn't for me. So, I just avoided the most fattening food products (French fries, fast food, takeaway pizza, alcohol, chips, sugary drinks, white bread, and sweets), I found the detailed info and a list of such products here https://bettеrme.world/articles/fattening-foods/ After that, I finally saw the result.


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## Cleo38

Kate876 said:


> When I decided to lose weight, I thought becoming a vegetarian would be the best solution. I changed my nutrition but understood pretty fast that it wasn't for me. So, I just avoided the most fattening food products (French fries, fast food, takeaway pizza, alcohol, chips, sugary drinks, white bread, and sweets). After that, I finally saw the result.


This isn't a weight loss thread but more for giving people ideas if they wish to follow a plant based diet or eat more plant based dishes


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## O2.0

I don't know why I've never done this, but I made granola - it's SO good, and so easy! Plus the house smells amazing when you cook it! 

Just mixed oats with nuts, seeds, cinnamon. Add maple syrup, oil (I used flaxseed for the omega 3s) and vanilla extract. 

Throw it all in the oven, and bake for about 20 minutes. Delicious!


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## Magyarmum

O2.0 said:


> I don't know why I've never done this, but I made granola - it's SO good, and so easy! Plus the house smells amazing when you cook it!
> 
> Just mixed oats with nuts, seeds, cinnamon. Add maple syrup, oil (I used flaxseed for the omega 3s) and vanilla extract.
> 
> Throw it all in the oven, and bake for about 20 minutes. Delicious!


I put toasted dessicated coconut, in mine and use honey as maple syrup is extremely expensive and difficult to find over here. In addition to nuts I also add raisins and dried fruit such as apricots, cranberries or apples.


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## Cleo38

O2.0 said:


> I don't know why I've never done this, but I made granola - it's SO good, and so easy! Plus the house smells amazing when you cook it!
> 
> Just mixed oats with nuts, seeds, cinnamon. Add maple syrup, oil (I used flaxseed for the omega 3s) and vanilla extract.
> 
> Throw it all in the oven, and bake for about 20 minutes. Delicious!


Problem is, I would eat the lot as soon as it was ready!

I tried my making my own rice milk a few months ago but the mess I made I decided I would rather buy it. Although the way prices have risen I might attempt it again but try really hard not to be so messy 🙄


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## Magyarmum

Cleo38 said:


> Problem is, I would eat the lot as soon as it was ready!
> 
> I tried my making my own rice milk a few months ago but the mess I made I decided I would rather buy it. Although the way prices have risen I might attempt it again but try really hard not to be so messy 🙄


If you've got £80 to spare you could buy yourself a Salter plant milk maker.😆 

i've always preferred oat milk until a couple of months ago when I found a brand of rice mik that I like better. I'm not sure what happened though because the last 4 cartons I bought the milk tasted "gritty" when used in tea or coffee. When I cut the carton open found a thick sludge at the bottom. I've written to the makers complaining,









Plant M!lk Maker, 1.6L


Salter is one of UK's oldest consumer brands and the market leader for kitchen and bathroom scales. Explore our range of houseware goods & products online.




salter.com


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## Cleo38

Magyarmum said:


> If you've got £80 to spare you could buy yourself a Salter plant milk maker.😆
> 
> i've always preferred oat milk until a couple of months ago when I found a brand of rice mik that I like better. I'm not sure what happened though because the last 4 cartons I bought the milk tasted "gritty" when used in tea or coffee. When I cut the carton open found a thick sludge at the bottom. I've written to the makers complaining,
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Plant M!lk Maker, 1.6L
> 
> 
> Salter is one of UK's oldest consumer brands and the market leader for kitchen and bathroom scales. Explore our range of houseware goods & products online.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> salter.com


I like oat milk (or other plant based milks) in coffee but I only have the odd coffee, I'm a real builders tea drinker so rice milk seems to go much better with tea as it's not so creamy.

Sounds like you got a dodgy batch, none of mine have had any 'grit' or sediment. I usually buy Rice Dream which has gone up alot on price so am always looking at how to cut costs but it really has to be practical. The mess I made trying to make my own rice milk really wasn't going to happen again ... I have enough to do without clearing up rice slop!

That plant milk maker sound bloody brilliant tho, thanks so much @Magyarmum. Going to have a better look at it now


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## O2.0

How did you make a mess @Cleo38 ? We make oat milk and cashew milk. Blend, strain, done. Do you have to cook rice milk or something? 

I've looked in to the milk makers, they look good but I'm cheap and it's easy enough to make your own with a good blender


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## Cleo38

O2.0 said:


> How did you make a mess @Cleo38 ? We make oat milk and cashew milk. Blend, strain, done. Do you have to cook rice milk or something?
> 
> I've looked in to the milk makers, they look good but I'm cheap and it's easy enough to make your own with a good blender


Because I'm a clumsy oaf! Yes, you have to cook the rice, then blend it, which obviously I then couldn't find my blender so had to turn the cupboards out trying to find it. I didn't have a jug to transfer the rice to the blender so ended up pouring loads all over the worktop .... 

Then I needed to strain the liquid but again didn't have anything so had to go rooting round in my cupboards for a pair of tights to use. Had to cut them up, then poured too much rice slop in to it so again it went everywhere. Kato was jumping up trying to eat the rice slop I had spilt so I was telling him off. Marnie & Archer were wrestling with each other right behind me so I fell over as I went to move  

All of a sudden buying it from a shop regardless of the price seemed a much better option


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## O2.0

Cleo38 said:


> All of a sudden buying it from a shop regardless of the price seemed a much better option


Yes, I agree!


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