All plant foods are not created equal when it comes to your heart
In last week’s post, I wrote about the dangers of saturated fat for heart health… including for vegans who have enthusiastically embraced the coconut oil craze! The article I referenced in that post – ‘Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association’ – cautioned that replacing saturated fat with refined…
Choc-Berry Buckwheat Pudding
After my first foray into blending soaked buckwheat (see my Buckwheat Breakfast Parfait) I was hooked! I’ve been experimenting with other buckwheat combos, and this one is my current favourite. Ingredients: 2 cups raw buckwheat groats, soaked overnight or for at least 8 hours, in plenty of water 1 cup pitted dates 1 cup fresh…
Saturated fat is still bad for you… and coconut oil is not exempt
One of the most disturbing trends I’ve witnessed in recent years is the number of vegans who have fallen for the ‘saturated fat is good for you’ propaganda. Every week, I see multiple comments in vegan Facebook groups that I belong to, claiming that “The dangers of saturated fat have been exaggerated”, “You need saturated…
4 B Burgers
Beetroot, basil, black beans and bourghal make up the 4 ‘B’s in these burgers. Keeping a supply of baked vegetables – beetroot, sweet potato, potato and pumpkin – in the fridge, and bulk cooking legumes for fridge or freezer storage, is one of my key secrets for easy meal preparation. If you already have these…
The purple pill that kills
The chances are high that right now, you or someone you know is taking an acid-suppressing drug. Over 20.5 million prescriptions for proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as Nexium (esomeprazole), Somac (pantoprazole), Prevacid (lansoprazole) and Prilosec (omeprazole) were filled in Australia in 2014, with esomeprazole alone ranking as the 10th most often-dispensed prescribed drug in…
Fennel, Eggplant and Chick Pea Stew
If you’ve never cooked with fennel, it’s time to change that. Fennel has a delicious mild aniseed flavour that develops beautifully with braising. I combined it with eggplant, kale and chick peas and served it with Crispy Polenta Wedges for a hearty, warming winter meal. Ingredients: 1 onion, peeled and diced 2 cloves garlic, peeled…
How not to die of heart disease, stroke or diabetes if you’re vegan
A US study has shed light on which foods to eat, and which to avoid, if you don’t want to die of heart disease, stroke or diabetes… and vegans, vegetarians and plant-based eaters should take note. The study took data from 4 sources: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a government-run…
Polenta Pizzas
Ready-made gluten-free pizza crusts are, on the whole, a bit of a nutritional nightmare. Making a pizza crust from polenta solves the problem of making a healthy gluten-free pizza crust in a way that’s so delicious, you don’t have to be gluten intolerant to enjoy it! The polenta crust recipe was lightly adapted from one…
Making the shift from vegetarian to 100% plant-based – an interview with Caitriona Reed
Serving on the expert panel at the Canberra premiere of the enlightening new documentary, What the Health, gave me more than the opportunity to answer questions and witness the powerful effect that the film had on persuading many in the audience to try out a plant-based diet. (If you haven’t already, you can listen to…
Vegan Nachos With the Works
Regular readers will be familiar with how much my family LOVES Mexican food! Now that I’ve discovered the best corn tortillas on the planet, I’ve been going berserk with all manner of Mexican creations. Ingredients: Corn chips Corn tortillas (preferably from La Tortilleria) Aquafaba (cooking/canning liquid from chick peas) Mexican beans 1 onion, peeled and…