cookbook recommendation ie. protein?

Hi Julie,

I was a lacto-ovo vegetarian for over 20 years. Then last summer I read "The China Study" by T. Colin Campbell, which convinced me that even dairy and eggs are neither necessary nor beneficial for health.

You can get all the protein you need from vegetable sources. Peanuts and other legumes are high in protein -- and surprisingly, even vegetables such as spinach are good sources.

You can increase the protein in whole legumes by sprouting them before cooking. Soak them overnight, and then put them in a colander. Rinse and drain a few times a day. When sprouts develop, they're ready for cooking. Depending on the variety of bean and the weather, sprouting typically takes 2 or 3 days.

You can get several types of legumes in regular grocery stores, but I find the best source is the Indian grocery. Indian legumes are the most varied, and most delicious!

Another great source of protein is soaked peanuts. Indian stores sell whole raw peanuts with the skins (not the shells). Soak them for a few hours, and they're ready to munch. My husband and kids love them. Alternatively, you can roast them in the oven or microwave.

If you decide to try a vegan diet, don't worry about getting enough protein -- but do make sure you get enough vitamin B12, which occurs naturally only in animal-based foods. Some prepared vegetarian foods such as soy milk are enriched with B12 -- but I find it simplest to take a vitamin supplement.

This diet has been wonderful for my whole family. If you do try it, please let us know how it works for you. I hope it brings you good health!

Naomi

Hi granolamom,

Yes - it is hard to come up with new ideas, because our meat-centered Western cuisine does not give us many ways to use beans. I think it's much easier to be vegetarian or vegan if you know a few Indian recipes - not the complicated ones that you find in restaurants, but simple dishes that Indians typically serve at home. They are quick to prepare and very flavorful.

Naomi

I've been mostly vegan for 5 months now. I will have fish once every other week or so, and once in a while I'll eat something made with eggs. I also get low blood sugar jitters if I don't eat well. I snack alot on sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews. I do take a B12 supplement too. I've been eating lots of whole grains, beans, nuts, etc and feeling well. I don't really count up the grams of protein, I just eat what my body seems to want.
I do find it hard coming up with new ideas for dinner. lately I've just been having lots of soup and whole wheat pita.

thanks for the tip, Naomi. I'll have to do a search for Indian food.

Hey Granolamom. I thought of you when I tried this recipe. Check this out, it is from the book, "Raw Food Made Easy for 1 or 2 People", by Jennifer Cornbleet. Not Tuna Pata. Soak in water 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds and 1/4 cup raw almonds for 6 hours. Drain and put in a food processor with 2 T of water, process into a paste then put into a bowl and add the following: minced celery, onion, parsley and 1 T of fresh lemon juice. Serve on a leaf of lettuce with tomato, advacado, or whatever. Squirt some fresh lemon juice on it and sprinkle with Celtic salt. Roll everything up in the lettuce leaf and enjoy. Yum.
I hope this gives you a boost in the meal department.
mare

Hi Mare! It's so good to hear from you. It's been such a long time... I thought of you often and hoped all was okay and that you were still riding your bike safely. Mare, were you able to completely quit caffeine? Just curious...I still enjoy my little cups of green tea, but would probably be better off without it.

Christine

Yes, July 17 was the big quit date and I can't tell you how good I feel w/o the coffee. Six weeks after the big quit, I had my cholesterol tested and was amazed to find it had dropped 40 points and my LDL had dropped 54 points. I think dairy played a huge role in my ongoing high cholesterol but I never would have guessed that its role was that strong. I understand I will not be able to have even ice cream as it so upsets my system.
However, I still ride my bike and run Waldo canyon every Saturday. Except for this Saturday as I have injured my foot and although I have been pushing it, I had a cortisone shot for a nerve condition (I tied my shoe too tight and irritated one of the nerves on the top of my foot while running a two mile loop) and am expected to be off from it for a little while. Next week I will be back in business and running Waldo once again.
I have continued with your exercises and am happy to report that my prolapse although still there does not keep me from running around the countryside or riding my bike.
Thanks so much for all your hard work as I have benefited greatly from it! :)

mare

thanks Mare. sounds easy and delicious. I just have to remember to soak the nuts and seeds 6 hrs before I get hungry!
and I wanted to mention that I have been caffeine free for almost 6 months now and I no longer crave the boost. so it is possible!!!! to be honest though, I do sometimes miss a good cup of coffee and think about having 'just one because I can quit any time I want to' but thus far I've been strong.

Use the S blade in your food processor and I forgot to tell you to add a little celery to the mix. That recipe book also has a great Marinara sauce that you would declare must have simmered for hours. I hope you get a chance to look at it.
It is amazing what a hold caffeine can have on us. For me, the chlorella powder really helped in the energy department. I also make a green drink in my Vita-Mix that includes a handful of spinach, one kale leaf, and one collard leaf. To this I add, one orange and three medjool dates and some water. After this is whizzed until smooth, I add five strawberries and one banana. Yum. I sip it throughout the day and have more energy than I can use. Good luck! :)

mare

I just realized that I failed to tell you to drain the water from the soaked seeds for the pate. And discard it. Sorry.

mare

thats ok, I figured you'd drain the water. I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but I found a really good bean-burger recipe in the NYTimes last week. dh even liked it. slowly slowly we are replacing the animal protein in our diet. we're down to two meals a week. the kids are still drinking milk occasionally and eating eggs, but at least now they are also eating beans, lentils and rice.