Savory Seitan from American Vegan Kitchen

Yesterday I made the Savory Seitan recipe from the book American Vegan Kitchen. I do not currently own this cookbook but if you click on "search inside this book" at amazon you can look at the recipe. I have heard a lot of good things about this book and if the other recipes are as good as the seitan recipe I think it might be a good one to own!

The recipe was pretty clear and list of ingredients was pretty much stuff I had on hand. For those things I didn't have I made minor modifications. I substituted garbanzo bean/fava flour for the soy flour, Braggs Liquid Aminos for the browning liquid, and I used un-chicken broth in place of the veggie broth not because I didn't have veggie broth but because I thought it would give more of a chicken-y flavor which my family would love. I am so glad I did. These cutlets rock! I took pictures before baking in the broth and after and you can see the difference in size. They suck up a huge amount of broth and become so tender and juicy. My head is reeling with the endless possibilities for these little babies. You should give them a try. : )

Savory Seitan Cutlets before baking

Savory Seitan Cutlets after baking

The Truth About Protein

When people are starting a vegan diet one of their biggest concerns, along with everyone they tell they are starting a vegan diet, is how will they get enough protein. The main reason for this is that people believe that all protein comes from meat and other animal products. Actually all plant foods contain protein to some extent. If they didn't they couldn't grow. Legumes, beans, nuts and seeds, vegetables and grains are all great sources of protein. A healthy vegan diet is based on whole plant based foods so in reality it can be higher in protein than a diet that is based on processed foods, sugary sodas and snacks and other junk foods. Some people believe that animal proteins are of a higher quality than plant proteins but there is no scientific proof for this belief. This belief is also no longer supported by current medical opinion.

Animal protein contains all 10 of the amino acids necessary for proper health while plant foods do not. For this reason it is very important to eat a diet containing a wide variety of high protein foods daily and not to become stuck in a dietary rut. The old rule of combining certain foods in every meal is not necessary. If you are eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans or beans products everyday you needn't worry about not getting enough protein.

Protein Content of Many Vegan Foods

Description Weight (g) Measure Content per Measure (g) Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw 33 1 cup 1.32 Artichokes, (globe or French), cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 120 1 medium 4.18 Asparagus, canned, drained solids 72 4 spears 1.54 Asparagus, cooked, boiled, drained 60 4 spears 1.55 Asparagus, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 180 1 cup 5.31 Avocados, raw, California 28.35 1 oz 0.60 Avocados, raw, Florida 28.35 1 oz 0.45 Beans, baked, canned, plain or vegetarian 254 1 cup 12.17 Beans, baked, canned, with pork and tomato sauce 253 1 cup 13.05 Beans, black, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt 172 1 cup 15.24 Beans, Cowpeas (Blackeyed), immature seeds, boiled, without salt 165 1 cup 5.23 Beans, Cowpeas (blackeyed), immature seeds, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 170 1 cup 14.43 Beans, Cowpeas, common (blackeyes, crowder, southern), mature seeds, 172 1 cup 13.30 Beans, Kidney beans, red, mature seeds, canned 256 1 cup 13.44 Beans, Kidney beans, red, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt 177 1 cup 15.35 Beans, Lima beans, large, mature seeds, canned 241 1 cup 11.88 Beans, Lima beans, large, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt 188 1 cup 14.66 Beans, Mung beans, mature seeds, sprouted, cooked, boiled, without salt 124 1 cup 2.52 Beans, Mung beans, mature seeds, sprouted, raw 104 1 cup 3.16 Beans, Navy beans, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt 182 1 cup 15.83 Beans, Pinto beans, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt 171 1 cup 14.04 Soybeans, mature cooked, boiled, without salt 180 1 cup 22.23 Beans, Snap beans, green, canned, regular pack, drained solids 135 1 cup 1.55 Beans, Snap beans, green, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 125 1 cup 2.36 Beans, White beans, mature seeds, canned 262 1 cup 19.02 Beet greens, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 144 1 cup 3.70 Beets, canned, drained solids 170 1 cup 1.55 Broccoli, raw 88 1 cup 2.62 Broccoli, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 156 1 cup 4.65 Beets, cooked, boiled, drained 170 1 cup 2.86 Beets, cooked, boiled, drained 50 1 beet 0.84 Cabbage, Chinese (pak-choi), cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 170 1 cup 2.65 Cabbage, Chinese (pe-tsai), cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 119 1 cup 1.79 Cabbage, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 150 1 cup 1.53 Cabbage, raw 70 1 cup 1.01 Cabbage, red, raw 70 1 cup 0.97 Carrots, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 156 1 cup 1.70 Carrots, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 146 1 cup 1.74 Carrots, raw 110 1 cup 1.13 Cauliflower, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 124 1 cup 2.28 Cauliflower, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 180 1 cup 2.90 Cauliflower, raw 100 1 cup 1.98 Celery, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 150 1 cup 1.25 Celery, raw 120 1 cup 0.90 Corn, sweet, white, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 77 1 ear 2.56 Corn, sweet, yellow, canned, vacuum pack, regular pack 210 1 cup 5.06 Corn, sweet, yellow, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 77 1 ear 2.56 Corn, sweet, yellow, frozen, kernels cut off cob, boiled, drained, without salt 164 1 cup 4.51 Corn, sweet, yellow, frozen, kernels on cob, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 63 1 ear 1.96 Cucumber, peeled, raw 119 1 cup 0.68 Cucumber, with peel, raw 104 1 cup 0.72 Dandelion greens, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 105 1 cup 2.10 Endive, raw 50 1 cup 0.63 Garlic, raw 3 1 clove 0.19 Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt 198 1 cup 17.86 Lettuce, cos or romaine, raw 56 1 cup 0.91 Lettuce, iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw 55 1 cup 0.56 Lettuce, looseleaf, raw 56 1 cup 0.73 Mushrooms, canned, drained solids 156 1 cup 2.92 Mushrooms, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 156 1 cup 3.39 Mushrooms, raw 70 1 cup 2.03 Mustard greens, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 140 1 cup 3.16 Okra, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 160 1 cup 2.99 Okra, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 184 1 cup 3.83 Olives, ripe, canned (small-extra large) 22 5 large 0.18 Onions, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 210 1 cup 2.86 Onions, dehydrated flakes 5 1 tbsp 0.45 Onions, raw 110 1 whole 1.28 Onions, spring or scallions (includes tops and bulb), raw 100 1 cup 1.83 Parsley, raw 10 10 sprigs 0.30 Parsnips, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 156 1 cup 2.06 Peas, edible-podded, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 160 1 cup 5.23 Peas, edible-podded, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 160 1 cup 5.60 Peas, green, canned, regular pack, drained solids 170 1 cup 7.51 Peppers, hot chili, green, raw 45 1 pepper 0.90 Peppers, hot chili, red, raw 45 1 pepper 0.90 Peppers, sweet, green, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 136 1 cup 1.25 Peppers, sweet, green, raw 119 1 pepper 1.06 Peppers, sweet, red, raw 119 1 pepper 1.06 Potato, baked, flesh and skin, without salt 202 1 potato 5.05 Potatoes, baked, flesh, without salt 156 1 potato 3.06 Potatoes, boiled, cooked in skin, flesh, without salt 136 1 potato 2.54 Potatoes, boiled, cooked without skin, flesh, without salt 135 1 potato 2.31 Potatoes, hashed brown, home-prepared 156 1 cup 3.78 Pumpkin, canned, without salt 245 1 cup 2.70 Pumpkin, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 245 1 cup 1.76 Radishes, raw 4.5 1 radish 0.03 Spinach, canned, drained solids 214 1 cup 6.01 Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 180 1 cup 5.35 Spinach, frozen, chopped or leaf, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 190 1 cup 5.97 Spinach, raw 30 1 cup 0.86 Squash, summer, all varieties, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 180 1 cup 1.64 Squash, summer, all varieties, raw 113 1 cup 1.33 Squash, winter, all varieties, cooked, baked, without salt 205 1 cup 1.82 Squash, winter, butternut, frozen, cooked, boiled, without salt 240 1 cup 2.95 Sweet potato, canned, vacuum pack 255 1 cup 4.21 Sweet potato, cooked, baked in skin, without salt 146 1 potato 2.51 Sweet potato, cooked, boiled, without skin, without salt 156 1 potato 2.57 Tomatoes, red, ripe, canned, stewed 255 1 cup 2.42 Tomatoes, red, ripe, canned, whole, regular pack 240 1 cup 2.21 Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average 180 1 cup 1.53 Tomatoes, sun-dried 2 1 piece 0.28 Tomatoes, sun-dried, packed in oil, drained 3 1 piece 0.15 Watermelon, raw 286 1 wedge 1.77 Description Weight (g) Measure Content per Measure (g) Buckwheat flour, whole-groat 120 1 cup 15.14 Buckwheat groats, roasted, cooked 168 1 cup 5.68 Bulgur, cooked 182 1 cup 5.61 Bulgur, dry 138 1 cup 11.70 Cornmeal, degermed, enriched, yellow 140 1 cup 17.21 Cornmeal, whole-grain, yellow 122 1 cup 9.91 Noodles, chinese, chow mein 45 1 cup 3.77 Oat bran, cooked 219 1 cup 7.03 Oat bran, raw 94 1 cup 16.26 Peanut butter, smooth style, with salt 16 1 tbsp 4.03 Quinoa, cooked - 1 cup 11 Rice, brown, long-grain, cooked 125 195 5.03 Rice, white, long-grain, regular, cooked 158 195 4.25 Spaghetti, cooked, enriched, without added salt 140 1 cup 6.68 Spaghetti, whole-wheat, cooked 140 1 cup 7.46 Tempeh 225 1 cup 31 Tofu, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride 81 1/4 block 6.51 Wheat flour, white, all-purpose, enriched, bleached 125 1 cup 12.91 Wheat flour, whole-grain 125 1 cup 16.44 Wheat flour, white, bread, enriched 125 137 16.41 Whole wheat bread 2 slices 2 slices 5 Veggie burger 1 patty 1 patty 5-24

*Chart is borrowed from Fatfreekitchen.com

What would you like to see?

I am curious. I can see that many, many people read this blog. The stats say that readership is actually steadily increasing but very few people leave comments or feedback. Is there anything in particular you would like to see, read about, have more information on, an omni recipe veganized, a particular food in a recipe, info about vegan nutrition, etc?

Please take a moment and tell me what you think or would like to see. I am pretty sure you can just log in with facebook...look for box above and to the right ----> Or maybe you don't even have to log in at all...I am not sure.


Thank you for reading my blog and hopefully giving me some insight as to what you like, dislike or would like to see. Enjoy your Thursday. : )

Yum Yum Yummy Night of Food!

Tonight was our Spring Equinox Celebration Feast. I know most people would have celebrated last night but we were at my dh's grandfather's house visiting yesterday so we saved it for tonight. I made a veggie frittata, brown rice, asparagus with spring herb gremolata and a delicious triple layer carrot cake with the middle layer being a cheese cake. Everybody is happily stuffed and now watching House. ; )



Veggie Frittata

2 T olive oil
1 1/2 cups diced potatoes
1 med onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1 small zuchinni, chopped
1/2 cup chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 lb x-firm tofu
1/2 cup soy creamer
1/4 cup arrowroot
1 T parsley
1/2 t salt
3/4 t black salt
1/2 t turmeric
1/8 t pepper
2 T nutritional yeast (optional)
pinch nutmeg

preheat oven to 375f

In cast iron frying pan heat oil and saute onions and garlic until onion starts to soften. Add potatoes and continue to saute. Add remaining veggies and cook till they are tender. Process tofu with remaining ingredients in a food processor until very smooth. Add to veggies in frying pan and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Smooth with spoon and bake 35 to 45 minutes. Frittata should be golden and cooked through. Let cool for 10 minutes or so before cutting. Serve hot, warm or cold.



* I added artichokes to my frittata tonight but it is not something I generally add. Be creative with your veggies and spices. If you have an abundance of fresh basil and tomatoes by all means incorporate them into you fritatta. Use whatever is in season or sounds good to you.



Carrot Cake with a Cheesecake Filling

Cheese Cake

preheat oven 350f

2 8oz containers of Better Than Cream Cheese
1 cup sugar
2 ener-g egg replacer eggs, prepared
4 T flour
1/2 t cinnamon
1 t vanilla

Combine all ingredients in food processor until completely smooth and creamy. Pour into greased 9" spring form pan. Bake for 50 minutes or until golden and no longer jiggly. Let cool and then refrigerate over night.

Carrot Cake

2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 cups finely shredded carrot
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
2 t cinnamon
1/4 t each allspice, nutmeg and ginger
1/2 t salt
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
3 T flax meal combined with 1/2 cup plus 1 T water
3/4 cup plain soy yogurt
3/4 cup oil
1/4 cup soy creamer
2 t vanilla
1 cups chopped nuts (optional)

preheat oven to 350f

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add all wet ingredients, carrots and nuts (if using) to dry ingredients. Stir to combine well. Divide between two greased 9" pans. Bake in preheated oven for 35-38 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly pressed with your finger. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes and then remove to let cool on wire rack.

When cakes are cool, layer with the prepared cheesecake and frost with Cheesy Buttercream Frosting.



Cheesy Buttercream Frosting

1 cup non-hydrogenated shortening
1/2 cup Earth Balance margarine
1 8oz container Better Than Cream Cheese
7 cups powered sugar
1/2 cups soy creamer (adding only what is needed, 1 T at a time, until desired consistency)
2 t vanilla

Add all ingredients except soy creamer to a large bowl. Starting on slow speed, beat with an electric mixer. Add soy creamer 1 T at a time, increasing speed as frosting ingredients are combined. Beat for at least 10 minutes until light and fluffy. Enough to frost and decorate a double layer 9" cake.

Heartily Scrumptious Corn Muffins - Oh My.

My darling husband was having a hankering for some good old fashion corn muffins. I was happy to oblige with this easy peasy and spectacularly tasty recipe.





Hearty Corn Muffins

1 1/2 cups Stone Ground Corn Meal
2 Cups whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
2-4 T sugar depending on the how sweet you like your corn muffins. I prefer the 2 T for a less sweet muffin.
4 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
2 T flax meal mixed with 6 T water (set aside)
2 cups almond milk mixed with 1 T apple cider vinegar (set aside)
1/4 cup oil

Grease muffin pan
Preheat oven to 400f

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add wet ingredients and mix quickly and well. Fill muffin cups evenly with batter. It will just about fill the cups and make good size muffins. Cook for 20 minutes. Serve hot or warm with margarine or jam. Can also be served along side a hearty soup, stew or chili...YUM!

Spotted Dog - aka Irish Soda Bread (at least by Americans)

Traditionally in Ireland soda breads consisted of flour, baking soda and soured milk and that's it. It was not something only made on special occasions or feasts but something they ate everyday and had to be baked at least every couple of days. When a recipe for soda bread contains raisins, currants or caraway seeds it is no loner considered and an Irish Soda Bread but instead a "Spotted Dog." Because I love the currants and caraway seeds, mine will be called Spotted Dog from now on.



Irish Spotted Dog

4 cups flour
2 T sugar
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1/2 T caraway seeds
3/4 cup currants or raisins
1 3/4 cup almond milk mixed with 1 T lemon juice or apple cider vinegar (set aside)
1/4 cup plain soy yogurt

preheat oven to 425f

grease a cast iron skillet

Add flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, seeds and currants or raisins to a large bowl. Add the soured almond milk and yogurt to the bowl and stir to make a sticky dough. Place dough on a floured surface and knead lightly. Shape dough into a round, flattish loaf and place in skillet. Cut a cross into the top of the loaf and bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Bread is done when golden brown and sounds hollow when gently tapped on the bottom.

A Few New Recipes For You.

The first one is part of the Spring Holidays menu that I posted about earlier in the week, the second is part of our St. Patrick's Day Celebration and third is a sweet little Lemon Cupcake recipe - just because I felt like a sweet little lemon cupcake. I hope you enjoy.




Roasted Asparagus with a Spring Herb Gremolata

A gremolata is a chopped herb condiment added to foods to give a fresh flavor punch. In this recipe I have included dried breadcrumbs, which are not traditional in a gremolata, for a more homey and rustic feel.

1 pound asparagus, trim woody ends
3 T extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
4 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste


Mix parsley, lemon peel, garlic, and bread crumbs in small bowl, this is the gremolata. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Cut off woody ends of asparagus and toss with oil. Place on large cookie sheet and season with fresh ground black pepper and salt. Roast until slightly softened and edges are starting to brown slightly, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with gremolata and roast 5 to 10 minutes more. Serve hot.

Irish Whiskey Cake

Pan
1/4 to1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Cake
1 1/3 cups almond milk
2/3 cup oil
1/3 cup Irish whiskey (Jameson works well)
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons coffee
2-2/3 cups flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon baking soda

Glaze (optional)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Irish whiskey
2 tablespoons vegan margarine
1 teaspoon water

Hard Sauce (optional)
1 1/2 cups powered sugar
1/2 cup vegan margarine
2 tablespoons Irish whiskey

Directions:

You can serve this cake plain, with the glaze, with the hard sauce, or both.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle nuts, if using, onto bottom of pan.

In a medium bowl combine wet cake ingredients: almond milk, oil, Irish whiskey, and coffee. In a larger bowl combine dry cake ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients and add wet, mix very well. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 60 minutes.

When done place pan on rack for 10 minutes then remove cake from pan and place on rack. Either proceed to glaze or hard sauce preparation or let cake cool and eat as is.

Glaze: Place all glaze ingredients in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 2 to 3 minutes. Poke still warm cake all over with a skewer or fork. Then slowly pour glaze over cake. Let cool and enjoy or add a dollop or hard sauce and enjoy.

Hard Sauce: Cream together sugar and margarine until light and fluffy. Add whiskey and beat until blended. Serve a dollop on each slice of plain cake or glazed cake.





Sweet Little Lemon Cupcakes

1 1/4 cups flour
3 T arrowroot
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
pinch of salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 t lemon zest
1 t vanilla
1/3 cup oil
1 T lemon juice added to a measuring cup and then almond milk to equal 1 cup (set aside to curdle)

Preheat oven to 350f. Either grease cupcake pan or add liners.

Place sugar in a big bowl and add lemon zest. Mix it very well so that all the sugar turns sort of yellowish and smells lemony delicious. Add the rest of the dry ingredients to the sugar and mix well with a fork. Add all liquid ingredients to dry and stir well to incorporate. It mixes together very quickly. Do not over stir. Fill cupcake pan two thirds full and bake for about 20 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack. When completely cool dip tops in Lemon glaze and let dry. Garnish with a piece of candied lemon. Yum!

Lemon Glaze

1 cup powered sugar
2 T lemon juice
1/4 - 1/2 t lemon zest
1/2 t vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix until no lumps remain.

Share this with your vegan curious friends or vegan skeptics.

Veganism 101: Vegan Nutrition Vs Animal Agriculture Spin

Preparing for the Spring Holidays

Whether you are celebrating the Spring Equinox, Ostara or Easter your feast should be grand as you welcome in the Spring. We have had such a long and dismal winter that I am ready for Spring in a really big way. Fresh warm air, green grass, colorful flowers and delicious fruits and vegetables are all on my mind. Keep in mind which fruits and veggies are in season and freshest as you prepare your celebration menu.

Lots of Fresh flowers and pretty spring colors will help set the tone for your celebration. Delicious and colorful fruity juices and spritzers are good choices for beverages. For the main dish a vegetable quiche or frittata would be very appropriate. Traditionally they would both be made with eggs which are a symbol of rebirth. As vegans our menu will fore go the eggs but still hold the same symbolization. To go along side the "egg" dish maybe a nice whole grain pilaf with dried apricots, cranberries and pine nuts, a wonderful leafy salad with baby spinach and strawberries, and roasted asparagus with garlic and herbs. Of course a freshly baked whole grain bread would be a welcome addition to any celebration. For dessert a spicy-sweet carrot cake and some light and delicious lavender cookies would be good choices, as well as chocolates and other types of candy.

I will be posting some recipes in the next couple of days to coincide with my menu choices. I hope you will check them out.

Is MimicCreme worth the expense?

A while back I decided to try the MimicCreme brand non dairy cream substitute. I tried the non-sweetened version because I always use non-sweetened non-dairy milks. I was a little excited as I thought about all the uses I could find for this product. Ultimately that was not to be the case. It was not at all pleasing. It has a gritty weird texture and very unpleasant taste. I think I ended up using less than half of the container and throwing the rest away. Something I absolutely hate doing but couldn't bare to use it and ruin a perfectly good recipe. Fast forward a year or so and I am shopping at my local health food store. They have the small containers of MimicCreme Coffee Creamers on sale. I love cream in my coffee and currently use a tablespoon of soy creamer for that rich indulgence. The ingredients listed on the label are almonds and cashews and only 10 calories per serving, soy creamer has 15. You certainly can't go wrong there. Maybe I was too hasty in judging it disgusting the first time I tried one of the products or just maybe the coffee creamer is better than the cream version. What ever the case I bought it on sale and waited till morning to try some in my coffee. Well it is done. I tried it. I ended up drinking half of my coffee and throwing the rest away. It is nasty. It is gritty and lumpy just like the first time even though I shook the bloody heck out of it and the flavor is bland and unpleasant. When you leave your coffee sitting untouched for a period of time you can actually see the cream in it because it sort of separates. Besides being visually unappetizing it has a bad texture and taste. I don't know how they can claim these products are anything at all like real cream. I can only speak for the varieties I have tried of course, but I won't be trying the others. In this vegan's honest opinion this product is not worth any price let alone the high price it actually costs.

Healthy Weight Loss Power Foods

Trying to lose weight can be a test on your willpower, emotional well being and sanity. Ok, maybe that was a bit dramatic but it certainly seems as though it could be testing all three, with particular emphasis on sanity.

Basically it is purely science, calories in vs calories out. Exercise of course ups the calories out and makes the whole process more efficient. But there are certain foods that you can eat that will also aid in the process. You may be thinking 100 calories from a doughnut or from a mango is still 100 calories. That of course is true but there is a bit more to it. Processed carbohydrates like doughnuts, for example, cause your blood sugar to fluctuate wildly, first increasing dramatically and then plummeting, which cause cravings for the same types of foods. Leading many people to the ever dreaded dieters binge. It is a perpetual cycle of frustration. There are foods, like those listed below, that are high in fiber,nutrient dense and not processed. In the world of a person trying to shed unwanted pounds, dietary fiber is a great thing! It keeps you full and satisfied and your blood sugar stabilized. Incorporating these healthy foods into your diet can actually eliminate cravings, keep you full and therefore help with your overall weight loss plan. Remember to drink plenty of pure fresh water everyday, and eat organic whenever possible as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Beans or Legumes- High in fiber and protein beans are a dieters food powerhouse. The phytoestrogens contained in certain beans can block the activity of estrogen, which is known to promote breast cancer making them a good anti-cancer food as well. You can buy beans already cooked in cans and frozen so meal prep is quick and easy. You can also cook them dry, it is more time consuming but preferable to many people and by far more economical. Beans are a great protein food that should be an important part of any healthy diet...weight loss or not.

Kale - A green vegetable for the Gods and Goddesses! I love kale. It is truly one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat! It is loaded with cancer fighting properties, high in fiber, packed with nutrients, and low in calories. The isothiocyanates (ITCs) made from the glucosinolates in kale can help regulate detox at a genetic level, the reason kale is now recognized as providing comprehensive support for the body's detoxification system, making it ideal for the liver and any weight loss plan. Some people think that kale can be a tad bitter but it is easy to sneak into soups or smoothies so that even picky eaters can benefit from it.

Blueberries - Blueberries are a Maine favorite. Not only are they delicious but they are loaded with fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and low in calories! Blueberries as well as other berries are a delicious must in your weight loss plan! Throw them in smoothies, yogurt, breakfast cereals, salads or eat plain.

Apples - Another Maine favorite, the phytonutrients in apples can help you regulate your blood sugar and the fiber content can keep you full and satisfied. Making them great for weight loss! They are most beneficial in there natural whole form, meaning skin and all. Eating apple sauce or juice will not give the satiety of eating a whole apple.

Green Tea - Not only is green tea a delicious beverage on its own merit, loaded with anti-oxidants, it is a wonderful beverage for weight loss. Studies indicate that the components in green tea, stimulate metabolism as well as oxidation of fat. Green tea has also been shown to reduce appetite. A definite plus in the weight loss department. Green tea does contains caffeine although it seems to be less stimulating than coffee.

Pumpkins and Winter Squashes - Pumpkins and winter squashes are not only high in fiber but loaded with beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is one of the plant carotenoids converted to vitamin A in the body. It is extremely versatile, you can use it, pureed, straight from the can, frozen or fresh. I use pumpkin a lot. Go through my recipes for ideas. Keep in mind anytime sweet potatoes are used you can generally replace them with pumpkin. Pumpkin seeds have many health benefits as well. They are a good source of protein, zinc, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and phytosterols, and are even said to lower cholesterol. Don't wait for Halloween to enjoy these delicious vegetables.

Whole Grains - Eating a diet rich in whole grains has been linked with lower cholesterol levels, lower risks of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and also healthy body weights. Whole grains are nutrient and fiber dense. They are also high in phytochemicals and minerals making them far superior to stripped down refined grains. Because of the fiber content they help maintain a feeling of fullness for a longer period of time therefore you eat less and feel more satisfied then with refined grains.

Nuts - Nuts contain the essential fatty acids linoleic and linolenic acids. They are also, in general, good sources of vitamins E and B2 (riboflavin, an antioxidant), and are loaded with protein. Up to 15% of the healthy oils that naturally occur in nuts are lost during the roasting process making them most healthy in their raw form. They are high in fat so a little goes a long way. A small handful can make a healthy and satisfying snack or tasty addition to a stir-fry or noodles.

Flax seeds - Flax seeds are a great vegan source of the healthy omega-3 fats which usually come from fish. Studies have shown that people with a diet rich in omega-3's have a reduced rate of bone loss and lower blood pressure. The little buggers are also very high in fiber making them a must for our list of weight loss power foods. Flax seeds themselves can be added to many foods such as salads and veggies. They can also be ground up and added to grains, cereals or smoothies. The ground flax seeds can also be mixed with water to use as vegan "eggs" in baking. They have a delicious nutty flavor.

Gladiators Were Vegan -- John McDougall MD