Monday, February 23, 2009

Health for Life in March
















Increasing the consumption of whole plant foods including vegetables, legumes, fruits, raw nuts and seeds and whole grains, and decreasing the consumption of animal products, offers a profound increase in longevity due to the life-extending phyto-chemicals that a plant-based diet offers!

Here is what's cookin' at Health for Life cooking for the month of March. Vegetable Tacos w/ fresh guacamole, Spicy Southwest Corn, Wheat Berry Chili, and Citrus Delight. While visiting my home town of Redlands California, my cousin and I had dinner at a great place called Oscars Cafe'. Any place that makes an effort to cater to the growing veggie crowd, and especially if they provide a healthy vegan entree, is a "great place" in my opinion. These veggie tacos stuffed with onions, garlic, peppers, tomatoes, spinach, and black beans were not only high in nutrients but also very delicious. After thoroughly enjoying this meal I knew I needed to take it home to my kitchen and give it a try! The Spicy Southwest Corn is a simple dish that I've been making for years. My teenage daughter loved it served with black bean enchiladas. The Wheat Berry Chili has got to be my favorite chili. Wanting to incorporate more whole wheat berries into my diet, I decided to add them to chili to provide a hearty meaty texture. And that it does! With Oranges in peek season, I wanted to make a citrus fruit drink to top off the meal. This smooth and creamy Orange Delight is a perfect way to cool down the palate after a spicy (but not too spicy) meal.

Here is a great article that tells us why it's so important to Eat for Health instead of depending on multi vitamins to keep us healthy. See you in March!

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/02/10/multivitamins.cancer/index.html?eref=rss_health



Thursday, February 19, 2009

February 18th Health for Life cooking class

The theme for my Health for Life cooking class for the month of February was "Keep Your Heart Healthy for Life." Studies show that a plant based diet rich in fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds is the most effective cholesterol-lowering dietary approach in medical history! Wow! That is exciting news since heart disease is the #1 killer in our country. It just doesn't have to happen. We can dramatically reduce our risk! That is why I'm so excited to teach others how to prepare delicious meals that will help you to become heart attack proof! Speaking of "Heart Attack Proof," be sure and visit http://www.heartattackproof.com/ and learn more about this from Dr. Caldwell Essylstine, the director of preventive cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic.

OK, back to my class....I was excited about the menu for this months class. I prepared a special menu in honor of Valentines Day which included Eggplant Lasagna Roll-Up w/ a home made marinara sauce, Stuffed Mushrooms, Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette w/ a basic romaine salad, and Raw Fudge made with both carob and cocoa powder.

My first class was Tuesday February 3rd with four in attendance and my second class was last night, February 18th, with 3 in attendance. It took me about 70 minutes to prepare the four menu items and then we all sat down for a feast! It was very yummy if I do say so myself and the three wonderful ladies who attended seemed to enjoy it as well. They all took left-overs home. That is always a good sign! Thanks so much for coming Kathleen, Kim, and Lisa.

Stay tuned for next months menu that I will be posting soon. I'm hoping to include some pictures to entice you just a bit!

Best of Health! April


100% Plant Based 100% Nutritious 100% Delicious

Health for Life cooking will demonstrate how to incorporate the wonderful plant foods that nature provides into delicious meals that are rich in phyto-nutrients, protein, calcium, and taste! Processed flours and sugars are rarely used and processed oils are never used! To purchase my cookbooks and find out when my next cooking classes are, visit www.health4lifecooking.com.