Passover and Vegan! Like I need more dietary restrictions #funWithMatzo #eatandlose #ChametzFree

Passover food gets old fast unless you get your creative hat on. This is my 3rd Vegan Passover. Truth be told, I'm ready to go Chametz-ing and leaven something in the oven. I plan on making it to the end of this holiday on sundown this Saturday. As long as I'm fed, I'm good! This year for our Seder, we had quite the crowd at my niece's house. To ensure that there would be something for me to eat, I made spicy "Zoodles" baked in a "cheezy" sauce and topped with Matzo Farfel. It was a hit! Drastically different from 2 Passover's ago when I was a beginner. Now I'm seasoned, as was my casserole...with a Habanero pepper blended in. Did I mention spicy? 

Matzo

Goodies over the Matzo, baked

Five minutes under the broiler

 I may have left out a few steps. It doesn't matter since it all got eaten!

Today I needed a lunch and I had some of that spicy "Cheezy" sauce left. I made a Matzo sandwich. It spreads easily and tastes like a party in my mouth. I even added parsley - the bitter herb!

 It didn't even break the Matzo!
So no excuses. I filled my tummy, used no animal products and no oil with no Chametz!
It's a Passover miracle!!!  The fun continues...

Pictures of ME over a 2 year period!! #crazyvegan #eattolose #foodismedicine #eatlikeagorilla

So you aren't sure if a plant based whole foods diet would work?
You haven't been paying attention!
So here it is in pictures for you:

Me September 2013 - 274 lbs

September 7, 2015 - 180 lbs

      

Me 2/1/2016 - 178 lbs.

Color me happy!
Any questions?  ;-)

26 Months A Vegan!! #wholefoodsplantbased #foodismedicine #eattolose

Me with Dr. T. Colin Campbell

     I have always said that the destination is not my favorite part of the trip. It's the journey. Along the way you get to meet the most interesting people. A few weeks ago I was asked by Paul Chatlin from PBNSG.org to pick up Nelson Campbell at Detroit's airport and drive him to East Lansing, Michigan where he and his father, Dr. T. Colin Campbell (The China Study), were scheduled to speak at Michigan State University's medical school. The drive took 3 hours. Normally it is less than 90 minutes, but this day happened to include 10 inches of fresh snow. The extra time gave us an opportunity to discuss Nelson's movie, Plant Pure Nation (now on Netflix) and to get acquainted. Nelson is a friendly, unassuming man who shares his father's passion of spreading the message regarding the health benefits of a Whole Foods Plant Based diet.

     Whether you are looking to lose weight and keep it off, lower your cholesterol without medication, protect your heart, brain and kidneys by lowering your blood pressure naturally, prevent or eliminate the need to take medication for type 2 Diabetes or you are just a compassionate person and curious about a plant based lifestyle this really, truly works and works remarkably fast; generally within 2 weeks! If you are currently on medication for any of the above conditions, ask your Doctor if you can try this for 2 weeks! You AND your doctor will be shocked!

     Try the 21 Day Kickstart Diet advocated by the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine. This is free, online guidance and also connects you with free reading material. To be clear, the Whole Foods Plant Based Diet is a Vegan diet, but all Vegan diets are not necessarily Whole Foods Plant Based. For example, here is the label on a box of corn flakes:

Nutrition Facts Serving Size 1 OZ Calories 102     Calories from Fat 2 *Percent Daily Values (DV)  are based on a 2,000  calorie diet. Amount/Serving %DV* Amount/Serving %DV* Total Fat 0.2g 0% Tot. Carb. 24.7g 8%   Sat. Fat 0g 0%   Dietary Fiber 0.7g 3%   Trans Fat - - - g   Sugars 3g Cholesterol 0mg 0% Protein 1.9g Sodium 205mg 9% Vitamin C   10% Calcium   0% Vitamin C   10% Iron   55%

ALLERGENS:  Gluten

INGREDIENTS:  Corn Flakes (Milled Corn, Sugar, Malt Flavoring, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Salt, Iron, Niacinamide, Sodium Ascorbate And Ascorbic Acid, (Vitamin C), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Thiamin Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1), Vitamin A Palmitate, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12, And Vitamin D. To Maintain Quality, BHT Has Been Added To The Packaging.) As you can see, this is a highly processed food with lots of additives. Most of the things on the above list are relatively innocuous with the exception of BHT.      BHT stands for butylated hydroxytoluene, a hormone disruptor. It is not allowed to be used as a food additive in Europe, yet it is commonly used as a preservative in the U.S.A. I would not include this highly processed food as part of a Whole Foods Plant Based Diet. Reading the label on your food is important. If you see something on the label of ingredients that you don't understand or can't pronounce, don't eat it!      In contrast, take a look at the label on a package of oatmeal:      The only thing in there is Rolled Oats! Take a look at the nutritional values. Compare the above 2 products for fiber, Sodium, sugar and protein. The 2 labels tell the story. Both are Vegan, but Oatmeal is a whole food and is plant based. You can add fruit, milled flax seed, dates, raisins, dried cherries, blueberries, strawberries, a banana along with almond, soy, rice, oat, coconut or cashew milk and a little maple syrup and you stay within the guidelines of whole foods plant based.      This really isn't that hard. Once you get past the 1st four weeks and over your food addictions, it becomes second nature. In order to lose weight, which was my main goal, you will learn to cook without any type of oil and to limit your intake of nuts and seeds. Start thinking about the last thing you ate instead of thinking about what you are going to eat next. In doing that, I find that I'm not really hungry.      Whatever is motivating you to change your ways, it's time to get started! You can do this. I am the only person in my family that is on a whole foods plant based diet. I work full time, spend time with my family, eat at restaurants, travel and have been maintaining this diet for 26 months.     No more excuses! Get started!!!!

25 Months a Vegan - Before and Current Photos! #EatHealthy

 

   It has been 25 months since I changed my life and learned to eat healthy. Desire for weight loss was the thing that motivated me. But once I got started, I learned that a "Plant based whole foods diet" was the one best diet option supported by the medical literature.
     If reading medical journals isn't your thing try sitting down with some air popped popcorn, no (butter or oil) and watch a movie. Forks Over Knives and/or Plant Pure Nation are both excellent. If you would prefer to curl up with a good book, go get The Whole Heart Solution by Joel Kahn M.D.
     I wrote about keeping track of what you eat using a food diary. Train your brain to recognize how much and what you are currently eating.
     It's simple to remember the rules:
1) No animal products or processed food
2) Eat whole foods, plant based, no oil.
Get started. One day at a time.
I eat like a horse!

Before

Current 2/1/2016

Testimonial

I was interviewed about my decision to become plant-based!

Click or Cut and paste the link:

Me in September 2013

http://www.pbnsg.org/testimonial-collection/2016/2/2/wr97ymuombwk42ai928daraid65s5h

Me on 2/1/16

Crazy Vegan Diet #MaxHealth #EatToLose

   

Dr.Allan Kalmus
Vegan

    I had a 4 month appointment with my Physician this week. Funny, because when I weighed 274 lbs, had high blood pressure and high cholesterol and was talking pills for those things, he only wanted to see me once a year. Now that I weigh 178 lbs, my blood pressure is 105/72 and my total cholesterol as of 2 days ago is 147 (WITHOUT ANY MEDICATION!) he needs to see me every 4 month's. I think he's afraid that the change in me is temporary and he wants to monitor me closely to make sure I don't explode or something.  I don't mind. Every time I go, my resulting feedback is that everything points to me being healthier than the previous visit, and the one before that, and the one before that, etc.

 
     In his words: "Anyone who thinks a vegan diet doesn't make a difference is crazy!"

I used to be crazy.
I am no longer crazy.
How about you?

Vegan Macaroni and "Cheese", Version 4.0. #CrazyGood #VeganMacCheeseDream #LactoseFree #KosherPareve

     I've been told that when you are trying to come up with an new recipe it generally takes 6 tries to get it right. I've come up with my 4th version and while they are all pretty darn good this one is just plain wonderful!  It has the flavor, the color, the texture and the stretchiness of nacho cheese sauce but with no animal products, no oil, no nuts, no gluten and no regrets. When mixed with elbow or rotini macaroni of your choice (whole wheat, regular or gluten free) you get macaroni and cheese that is out of this world! Pay attention all you lactose intolerant readers who miss macaroni and cheese comfort food. This is for you too! 

     I gave out some samples and submitted the recipe to my friends at Plant Based Nutrition Support Group.  I'm so proud that they published it! Not just as a side dish but as a main dish as well! 

Vegan Macaroni and Cheese with chopped salad and cooked Italian pearled farro

    The recipe is pretty simple. You probably already have most of the ingredients. If you don't they are easy to find and inexpensive. It even keeps well in the fridge. I stored the sauce in a glass bowl with a lid and warmed it up in the microwave on power setting 8 for 1 minute. It went right back to being its delicious, gooey self. I haven't had a chance to store it for more than 3 days because none is ever left to worry about!

     Questions? Comments? I'm looking forward to them!
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Was that so hard?

Enjoy!