He Can't Eat Meat, He's a Vegan

One of the most frustrating things I encounter (over and over and over) is unhealthy (fat, obese, high sugar, out of control cholesterol, high blood pressure, etc) people always giving me unsolicited health advice.  I've answered the same questions over and over again.  The answers typically don't stick because these same people have been brainwashed by the government and special interest groups on what to eat.  However, there is usually an occasional person that grasps a sliver of the concept of a plant-based diet.

Unfortunately, what they retain is only "he can't eat meat because he's vegan."  Or they want to bad-mouth only meat.  In their mind it's perfectly okay to eat dairy, pre-packed foods, sugar, and endless desserts as long as they're meat free. You know the person that grasps just enough buzz words to be dangerous in any area.  Allow me to give a very common example.  Plant-eater and omnivore want to go out for the evening. 

"Does pizza sound good?" 

"Uh, I guess."

Sit down at your favorite pizza joint and she orders.

"Can we have a large vegetable pizza and a house salad?"

One be wondering "what the heck is wrong with that?  Lot's of oil and contrary to the Mediterranean Diet groupies, it really isn't good for you.  Pizza slathered in cheese which is one of the worst things for us.  Salads in restaurants are usually iceberg lettuce (useless) cheese and a very bad salad dressing. 

It's nice that people try and they seem to be accommodating but in many cases they are not.  I'm not a plant-based evangelist attempting to convert people to the world of veganism.  Honestly, it's too much work and effort to care that much.  I've learned that people are going to do what they want, when they want and don't care about truth.  Short-term satisfaction has usurped long-term health and well being and it probably will never change. 

I'll be the first to admit that change is difficult even when armed with facts.  Our bodies like things that are bad for us and it takes discipline to change.  If you're not onboard but are attempting to be accommodating remember that meat is not the #1 enemy.  There are plenty of obese vegetarians.  The enemy is man-made food. 

If it can be planted & pollenated and then picked, plucked, or pulled it's most likely healthy. If it comes from a box, bag or bottle it probably is not good for you.

Veggie Burgers: The Beginning

Early in venture of eating a plant based diet I used pre-made vegetarian food.  I remember buying spicy black bean burgers and giving them a stamp of approval.  The more I ate them, however, they began to taste processed and kind of like solidified oil.  Maybe it's the law of declining marginal utility or maybe they just aren't that good but I stopped buying them.  Plus, at $4.00 for a box of 4 that's pretty salty.

I began experimenting with my own version of a veggie burger.  I don't want my veg burger to taste like dead cow - but I want it to taste good.  Most of my efforts have failed miserably and end up getting deep sixed.  The good thing about making veg burgers is that the mixture can be tasted during the process and adapted without waiting until the cooked product.

Last night I got decent reviews from my family on a new burger.  If I were to rate them I would give them 3 out of 5 stars but I am really picky about how my food tastes.  Both my children ate their entire burger and didn't complain because their were serves sans cheese. 

Here is the basic recipe:

Ingredients

2/3 cup rolled oats

2/3 cup cooked and cooled quinoa

1 can rinsed and drained (very well) chick peas and then smashed

1 tablespoon hummus

1 tablespoon fresh diced parsley

2 tablespoons finely diced jalapenos

1 tsp each, chipotle powder, garlic salt, chili powder, onion powder, and coriander

Directions

Blend all ingredients together thoroughly.  Wet hands and gather a handful of mixture and roll into a ball and then flatten into a patty.  I prefer thinner patties.  Fry in a skillet until browned and cooked through.  Serve immediately and top as you like.

I will continue to work to perfect the veg burger.  There are an unlimited amount of combinations that should be tried, such as beet burgers, pecan burgers, use black beans, different herbs and spices.  These will only get better. 

Good Enough Is Just Not Good Enough

I've been wanting to try a trendy snack but just haven't got around to it.  I've viewed several recipes and didn't find one that I thought sounded good. I finally found one that sounded pretty tasty and thought I'd give it a shot on New Years Eve.  What's the snack? Kale chips.

For the record, I like kale.  Kale is my green of choice for smoothies.  I love its versatility, hardiness, and blendability (I don't have a Vitamix, yet).  I'm a big fan of other greens as well.  I grew up primarly on turnip greens but I also enjoy collards, dandelion, and mustard.  I wanted to be clear on my greens affinity before proceeding. I like greens. 

I hated the kale chips.  First of all it took F-O-R-E-V-E-R to cook them.  Prepping kale is laborious enough but cooking something in the oven on 200 degrees for 2+ hours is way too much work for me.  Strike one.  Then the end result was sub-par.  I don't believe it's the way I cooked them.  I'm pretty competent in the kitchen.  They just weren't good.  Strike two.

I've been eating a plant-based diet for a few years now and if something is "good enough" because it's plant based it should be discarded from my recipe rolodex.  There are so many excellent tasting dishes that are plant based why would one settle for something that was just okay. And that's exactly what the kale chips were that I had  -- only okay.

I've heard many people talk about how yummy they are and even their little kids want them.  I can't imagine them tasting good after having them.  If I want a snack I guess I'll stick with carrots, celery, or bite-sized sweet peppers. 

Kale chips are a no go for this guy.