April Musings
I write this on a very blustery "spring" day. In the last 72 hours, we've had snow, rain, sun, hail, wind, cold, wet, & so on. While I wait for some sustained warmth & sun, I share various articles, books, recipes, and news with you.
First, a wonderful article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Plant-based diet can reverse chronic diseases like diabetes, some cancers, mounting evidence shows. The filling that Judi and I were cooking is actually White Veggie Lasagna filling in Kim Campbell's PlantPure Nation Cookbook, p. 241. We used Engine 2 Sprouted Ancient Grains Tortillas. Before eating, Judi put the assembled wraps in her air fryer -- they were so delicious!! (My husband, who rarely cooks, now wants to buy an air fryer!)
Kim Campbell's White Veggie Lasagna filling:
2 T. minced garlic
1 onion, diced
1/2 c. veggie stock
3 c. fresh spinach
1 c. shredded carrots
1 c. broccoli florets
1 c. chopped fresh tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, seeded/diced
1 14-oz. extra-firm tofu, crumbled
2 T. nutritional yeast flakes
2 T. tahini
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
Over medium high heat, saute' garlic & onion in veggie stock 'til tender. Add remaining vegetables; cook 'til tender. Add crumbled tofu, nutritional yeast, & tahini. Season with salt, pepper, & nutmeg.
The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest by Dan Buettner is both informative & readable. Buettner describes six global “Blue Zones,” that is, places where a high percentage of people enjoy unusually long and full lives.
He shares these 9 Longevity Lessons:
1) Move naturally and regularly.
2) Cut calories (by 20%).
3) Plant-centered eating.
4) Red wine or other sources of poly-phenols (tea, fruit, cocoa, veggies).
5) Daily purpose.
6) Downtime.
7) Like-minded community of faith.
8) Family and loved-ones as priority.
9) Surround yourself with health-minded people.
How many of these lifestyle practices do you regularly incorporate in your life?
According to Buettner, "beans, grains, and greens are all cornerstones of the diets of centenarians." Here are two simple Blue Zone-friendly recipes from my book, Beyond Cancer: The Powerful Effect of Plant-Based Eating.
SLOW COOKER RICE & BEANS by Roberta Woodfork
1 lb. dry red kidney beans
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 tbsp. Cajun seasoning
7 c. water or vegetable broth
Combine ingredients in crockpot. Cover. Cook on high 7 hours until beans are tender. Serve with cooked brown rice and chopped kale greens.
EASY BEAN DIP by Brittany Jaroudis, who has a lifestyle blog.
1 15-oz. can cannelloni beans, drained/rinsed
1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, drained/rinsed
3 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. ground dill
1 tsp. paprika
Puree all ingredients in blender or food processor, until smooth. Serve with raw vegetables, baked corn chips or pretzels, or use as a spread on sandwiches or wraps.
Titled "The Last Conversation You’ll Need to Have About Eating Right" (though I doubt it!) from Grub Street. Mark Bittman & Dr. David L. Katz "patiently" answer questions about healthy food. A good resource to share with friends and family still not buying into plant-centered eating.
p.s. For Pittsburgh-area folks: if you are reading this and haven't signed up for my separate Pgh. e-newsletter, add your name/email here: Pittsburgh page. The newsletter is sent monthly and highlights local meetings, events, recipes, & information.
p.p.s. For those who've read to the end -- here's a contest!! I have an extra copy of The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer... to send to someone. To enter: by 4/15, email me your original WFPB recipe for posting in my May blog.
Best wishes for a ...
