My family is missing out on something good and I just can't seem to convince them otherwise. They simply refuse to consider eating eggplant. I do not know why this should be so - it isn't like they came to near-poisoning or anything like that. No, they all conceived a dislike for this humble veggie before ever trying it out.
Well, too bad for them. Eggplant is a very good source of potassium, manganese, copper as well as vitamins B1, B3 and B6. It has antioxidant properties that really help the fight against cancer. And it is good to add to your list of foods that help to lower cholesterol.
Oh, and it tastes good :)
Also, the eggplant is fairly versatile when used in cooking. While it does not have a strong flavor of its own, it absorbs sauces very well, which is what makes eggplant parmigiana so wonderful!
Fried eggplant is actually very good on whole wheat with mayo, romaine and swiss cheese.
Two of my favorite ways to use eggplant are:
1. Peel and cube the fruit, place in a saucepan with water to cover. Add a pinch of salt and cook until eggplant is tender. Drain, mash and add to cooked rice, finely chopped celery, onions and mushrooms and seasonings of choice, spoon into a baking pan, bake about 30 minutes or until veggies are tender.
2. Prepare as above, but after draining the cooked eggplant, mash or puree and add to a simmering pot of stew or vegetable soup. This will provide excellent thickening and flavor to your soup pot!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Olives Are Fattening - NOT! (Do Veggie People Get Fat?)
Question: Can a vegetarian be overweight?
Answer: Yes!
Q: How?
A: Well, just because a meal is vegetarian does not make it healthy. Is it full of pasta or bread, sauces, or lots of cheese? Is it essentially junk food? Too many sweets? Also, one has to consider how much exercise he/she gets....
For veggie people, the villain that causes fattening-up is usually too many simple carbs on the plate and not enough real veggies and fruits.
Of note, we are often told that olives, avocados, nuts and other such foods are too fattening to eat very often. Not true!
Yes, these foods are high in fat content, but it is PLANT fat, not animal fat. Animal fat is bad for you and makes you fat, plant fats are good for you.
I say again, animal fat is bad.
Animal-based foods put fats in your body that clog your arteries and cause heart disease and other problems. It makes us battle constantly against weight gain and loss of health.
Plant fat is good.
Plant-based fats are proven to lower cholesterol which helps blood pressure, and to lower blood sugar levels. Yep - true!! And the nutrients and fiber content of these foods makes them a valuable addition to the veggie plate. Also, these fats add a "satisfaction" factor to a meal that inhibits cravings later.
So feel good about having a big, thick olive salad sandwich (on whole grain bread, please) for lunch, or avocados prepared your favorite way. Put nuts in your salad and in your snack pack, along with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Just be careful about bread and pasta choices and selective about sauce or other condiments.
Answer: Yes!
Q: How?
A: Well, just because a meal is vegetarian does not make it healthy. Is it full of pasta or bread, sauces, or lots of cheese? Is it essentially junk food? Too many sweets? Also, one has to consider how much exercise he/she gets....
For veggie people, the villain that causes fattening-up is usually too many simple carbs on the plate and not enough real veggies and fruits.
Of note, we are often told that olives, avocados, nuts and other such foods are too fattening to eat very often. Not true!
Yes, these foods are high in fat content, but it is PLANT fat, not animal fat. Animal fat is bad for you and makes you fat, plant fats are good for you.
I say again, animal fat is bad.
Animal-based foods put fats in your body that clog your arteries and cause heart disease and other problems. It makes us battle constantly against weight gain and loss of health.
Plant fat is good.
Plant-based fats are proven to lower cholesterol which helps blood pressure, and to lower blood sugar levels. Yep - true!! And the nutrients and fiber content of these foods makes them a valuable addition to the veggie plate. Also, these fats add a "satisfaction" factor to a meal that inhibits cravings later.
So feel good about having a big, thick olive salad sandwich (on whole grain bread, please) for lunch, or avocados prepared your favorite way. Put nuts in your salad and in your snack pack, along with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Just be careful about bread and pasta choices and selective about sauce or other condiments.
Nuts To It!
Well, I have just spent a couple of days looking at articles about almonds and other nuts and WOW - they are a powerhouse of good things for the body.
Eating a handful of nuts as few as 3-4 times a week for even 2 weeks can do all of this:
Lower blood sugar
Lower blood pressure
Lower LDL cholesterol (even the worst ones)
In addition, there are antioxidant benefits, digestion and elimination benefits, and more. In as little as 2 weeks.
Also, eating a handful of nuts a day will go a long way toward killing cravings for junk food - this I know from my own experience. Recommendation: dry roasted nuts rather than oil roasted (they cost more but are worth it).
If you have problems chewing nuts, then by all means, bring on the peanut butter and jelly sandwich! Or you can try almond butter or hazelnut butter.
All nuts are good choices, though the nutrient content varies a bit between them for mineral levels. Just pick your favorite!
Resources: Mayo Clinic.com, Harvard.edu, lots of others.
Eating a handful of nuts as few as 3-4 times a week for even 2 weeks can do all of this:
Lower blood sugar
Lower blood pressure
Lower LDL cholesterol (even the worst ones)
In addition, there are antioxidant benefits, digestion and elimination benefits, and more. In as little as 2 weeks.
Also, eating a handful of nuts a day will go a long way toward killing cravings for junk food - this I know from my own experience. Recommendation: dry roasted nuts rather than oil roasted (they cost more but are worth it).
If you have problems chewing nuts, then by all means, bring on the peanut butter and jelly sandwich! Or you can try almond butter or hazelnut butter.
All nuts are good choices, though the nutrient content varies a bit between them for mineral levels. Just pick your favorite!
Resources: Mayo Clinic.com, Harvard.edu, lots of others.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
On a scale of vegginess....
All vegetarianism is good.
I tried to figure out if I am a vegetarian or a vegan, which would be better and what each one entails. There are more subcategories out there too: ovo, lacto, ovo-lacto. Good grief! Let me bottom line this for you, folks. Any step down the road to vegetarianism is a step in the right direction - so keep doing what you are doing, and maybe even take another step forward! Here's why:
God may have said we could eat the animals (after the Great Flood of Noah's time - see Genesis chapters 6-9), but he did not say it would be particularly good for us. After all, he designed us to be herbivores (Genesis 1:29).
It follows that the more we stick to the OEM's plan, the better off we will be! So, if you feel like having a veggie plate when you are out with friends, go for it. If you feel like turning down that big slab of meat in favor of a baked potato - hurrah! If you feel that you could not possibly consume any part of any animal, then that is okay too. Don't let anybody tell you that you will not be a healthy person - it just is not so.
Stay tuned....
I tried to figure out if I am a vegetarian or a vegan, which would be better and what each one entails. There are more subcategories out there too: ovo, lacto, ovo-lacto. Good grief! Let me bottom line this for you, folks. Any step down the road to vegetarianism is a step in the right direction - so keep doing what you are doing, and maybe even take another step forward! Here's why:
God may have said we could eat the animals (after the Great Flood of Noah's time - see Genesis chapters 6-9), but he did not say it would be particularly good for us. After all, he designed us to be herbivores (Genesis 1:29).
It follows that the more we stick to the OEM's plan, the better off we will be! So, if you feel like having a veggie plate when you are out with friends, go for it. If you feel like turning down that big slab of meat in favor of a baked potato - hurrah! If you feel that you could not possibly consume any part of any animal, then that is okay too. Don't let anybody tell you that you will not be a healthy person - it just is not so.
Stay tuned....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)