Optimal Health Journey

[Chile]

Mmm, mac and cheese. That's on my dinner menu tonight, but made without coconut milk. I'll make it with half oat milk/half water. (Cheaper and lower fat to halve it with water - doesn't affect the taste/texture either.)

Can you do the pics medium? I don't like when they are so big they widen the box but yours could be a little larger. That's one advantage of blog format. You just click on the photo in a blog and it often gives you a larger version if that's what the blogger posted with.

Oh, I knew I had another question. Was that veggie sausage grain based or soy? I can't do soy anymore, which is just as well since those fake meats are tempting and Dr. McDougall advises against soy protein isolate products. I've got a couple of field roasts in the fridge now that we're trying to see if one will work well with Thanksgiving dinner. Usually I get the Celebration Roast but it contains oil and these ones don't. (Website with the grain roast info.)

[StarchBeet]

oh, yes, the sausage was soy. http://www.lightlife.com/product_detail ... eansausage

But the book with the recipe the lady made at the Adventist Health Food store was made out of oats the lady said. So if I can get the book someday I'll share the recipe.

Yes, I got this recipe from mcdougall...the Louisiana Red Beans and Rice suggested the above sausage in the recipe. I think I've eat the textured soy twice in 1.5 years so I know its not a regular sort of thing.

I am not a blogger but I suppose I should be. I will see what other options there are with sizes of pictures. I thought I chose the size one smaller and I dunno why it makes them too wide.

That grain site is fantastic, so thanks Chile

[Loveskale]

You can make a FlickR account and direct people to the pictures.

[Gramma Jackie]

Can you post the recipe for the Mushroom Strogonoff? Thanks.

[StarchBeet]

I'm up too many pounds. I made the best sorbet for the daughter, that I pigged-out on too, while waiting for the stupid stove top that's starting to die to cook this dish. It was supposed to be fabulous but the yellow peas are too tough. I made some lentils like that about a year ago, too. This stew should be mind-blowing. I may get some more peas to see if that helps it or not. I let my daughter eat some chips her brother brought in and she's not stopped up so I made this sorbet. What heaven it was.

Migraine today, with peri-menopause leaving me like a younger woman of many years ago. I haven't had two months in a row in ages. I think the cold is gone and so is the other thing and I'm just tired as can be. I think I need a lift-up.

I feel too fat.

[carollynne]

Love the pictures.. looks so good!

[eri]

Hey SB, what did you tweak on the snack cake? It's SusanV's recipe, right? I made it about a month ago & subbed apples for the cherries, but mine looked nothing like yours. Mine was kinda gummy in the middle, too. Oh well, I probably shouldn't eat stuff like that on the regular anyway.

[StarchBeet]

gramma here's the link to the recipe for mushroom stroganoff:
http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2006nl/july/recipes.htm

eri, my tweaking will have to remain my secret for now but I wish I could share some with you. I do play a lot with muffins and so that cake was easier for me to attempt because of that. I may make some more this winter. I love treats once a month or so. I remember last winter when I made home made soy chai. I loved that warm, tasty, spicy drink and was glad I made it once.

I'm glad you enjoy the picture carollynne

I made this nice strawberry and jicama salad with mango dressing:


Strawberry jicama salad with mango dressing by jewelsadk1, on Flickr

[StarchBeet]

Today Dr. Watkins hosted a show on our pacifica station. He asked for people to call in to tell about the health benefits they'd experienced by eating vegan. I was the second caller after some weird caller. Maybe I was the second weird caller.

But I tried to talk about what my situation was when I started eating starchitarian or plant-strong and how I'd lost about 60 pounds and loved every minute of it. I told him I needed to reflect on the changes that I've gone through and I appreciated his offer to allow me to think and talk about the many benefits.

He's hosting a showing of Forks Over Knives this month so I said that I had the pleasure of meeting Rips family and I was moved by the movie and would like to join the group to watch it again. I also said that the McDougalls' would hold a pot luck to keep in touch with patients because their patients got well and I wondered if he'd thought of doing something monthly to bring people together, help us learn and share together, etc. He said he was working on it.

I had the best oatmeal this morning. I had oatmeal, apples and plantains cooked with cinnamon and then put frozen cherries on top. It doesn't get much better than that.

For dinner we had Sloppy Mexican Casserole with salad.

[sksamboots]

Sounds like some good food to me. Keep on keepin on

[StarchBeet]

So when I prepared for the weekend at the beach I made an E2 recipe, Matt Moore's Enchiladas. I made a couple baking dishes of enchiladas. I also made some sweet potato medallions to munch on during the ride. The local fresh ripe apples were helpful also. Then there was the three bean salad. These things kept me happy.

On Sunday, when we went to the traditional Crab Feast, I did eat hushpuppies, cole slaw and then I cheated a few bites of other things that clog you up. But I'm home and this morning I had another pot of plantain, apple, cinnamon oatmeal topped with cherries. I'm going to fix salad this afternoon and then make risotto for dinner.


Old Mill Crab House by jewelsadk1, on Flickr

[Rosey]

How do you cook the plantains I tried cooking them and they didn't turn out very good. I know they are good because I've had them at my favorite restaurant.

[StarchBeet]

Yes, the trick, Rosey, with plantains is that you have to get almost black ones. And I found this brand...TURBANA, from Columbia to be the sweetest plantains. So what I do is peel it, cut it lengthwise then in bite size pieces, and I put it in the water (along with apple pieces) and let the water come to a rolling boil. Then I add the cinnamon and oatmeal and cook it for 15 or 20 minutes. If I have a real cinnamon stick and vanilla bean I throw those in too. But the type of plantain does matter, as well as it being very very ripe. They are a very good starchy fruit.

Traditionally they are fried, I think. I also throw them into the Polynesian Stew recipe in the McDougall book. I forget if its in the New McDougall Cookbook.

[Rosey]

Yes, the trick, Rosey, with plantains is that you have to get almost black ones. And I found this brand...TURBANA, from Columbia to be the sweetest plantains. So what I do is peel it, cut it lengthwise then in bite size pieces, and I put it in the water (along with apple pieces) and let the water come to a rolling boil. Then I add the cinnamon and oatmeal and cook it for 15 or 20 minutes. If I have a real cinnamon stick and vanilla bean I throw those in too. But the type of plantain does matter, as well as it being very very ripe. They are a very good starchy fruit.

Traditionally they are fried, I think. I also throw them into the Polynesian Stew recipe in the McDougall book. I forget if its in the New McDougall Cookbook.

Thank you. I'll give it a try again and I'll look through my books and see if I can find it. I have almost all his books.

[StarchBeet]

B: bowl of life with almond milk
S: apple, wethers candies
L: left-over enchilada
S: apple
D: risotto primevara

Wow dinner was fantastic. I added pearl onion, carrots, mushrooms and a few other things to the risotto.

I need to make a salad tomorrow. I need more salad.