It’s a salad and a stir-fry all at the same time! Leafy greens kale and bok choy are steam-fried along with cabbage and carrots in this oil-free kale salad.
I’m on a diet healthy eating plan. Those of you who just stumbled on this blog are probably now looking at its name and going, “Well, duh!” But the fact is, I never really talk about my struggles with my weight here because that’s a long and personal discussion, and my writing style is fast and breezy and cut to the chase, er, recipe.
So let’s just suffice it to say that though the recipes I post here are low-fat and most are suitable for any healthy diet plan, there are things in my pantry that aren’t fat-free or low in sugar or unprocessed, and they’ve been known to find their way out of my pantry and into my mouth. (I’m looking at you, Boca Chik’N and Fruitful O’s!) No matter how healthy my dinners are (and they really are what you see on this blog), I don’t make any progress losing weight if I eat junk for lunch and between meals. So I’ve cut out all processed foods, including flour and sugar, which always cause me to crave more processed food.
And I feel great! My new motto is “If I didn’t cook it myself and it doesn’t fit on my blog, I don’t eat it.” That’s a long motto, but you get the idea.
I’m basically following Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s Eat to Live (I have my own little tweaks), and one of its main precepts is “Thou Shalt Eat a Mega-Huge Salad for Lunch.” Mega-Huge means take the salad bowl you use to make salad for dinner parties and fill it up with lettuce, spinach, kale, and various other leafy greens and top them with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, peas, and whatever other raw vegetables you can find. Finally, top that with an ounce or two of raw nuts and some cooked beans, and then eat the entire thing.
My main problem with this main precept is that I get tired of salads every day, especially during the winter when the thought of cold salad often leads me to heat up the beans before pouring them over the salad. So yesterday I opened my fridge and took out all the “remnants” of other recipes–the cabbage and kale I’d chopped for a photo shoot, the white beans leftover from Roasted Parsnip Soup, two baby bok choy that I didn’t use in my last stir-fry–added some onions and carrots, and made a hot salad out of them:
Then I posted the photo above to Facebook with the caption, “I just ate almost this entire stir-fry pan full of food–the kind of lunch that happens when I get tired of salads!” So many people wanted the recipe (though one wanted to chastise me for my “gluttony”) that I posted the ingredients. But since ingredients do not a recipe make, I figured I’d better give you the full run-down here on the blog.
What follows is exactly what I used and what I did, but since I was cleaning out my own fridge, not yours, feel free to use the vegetables that you need to use up. Chopping time aside (and I was lucky to have most of this pre-chopped), this cooks very quickly: Be sure you use a deep enough skillet that you can cover because steaming is necessary to get the veggies cooked fast without oil.
And note the number of servings. The recipe made about 4 of the salad-plate-sized servings in the plated photo, but if you’re following Eat to Live, you’ll want to eat more than that (or even the whole pan!) so I’ve set the nutritional info up for 2 servings. You could also serve it as a side dish for 4; just divide the nutritional stats in half.
Hot Skillet Salad
Ingredients
- 2 baby bok choy
- 1/4 cup red onion chopped
- 3 ounces baby carrots about 6, slivered
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup red cabbage sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cups sliced kale
- 1 cup cooked great northern beans
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fat-free balsamic dressing or balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Wash the bok choy well. Slice the white stems into 1/4-inch slices and set aside. Slice the green leafy tops thinly and keep separate from the stems.
- Preheat a non-stick wok or deep skillet. Add the red onion and cook until it begins to soften. Add the carrots, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook for another minute. Add the bok choy stems, cabbage, basil, oregano, and 1/4 cup water. Cover tightly and steam for about 3 minutes, stirring several times. Stir in the bok choy leaves, kale, and beans and add another splash of water if it’s too dry. Cover and steam until the kale is tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in salad dressing or vinegar just before serving.
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
Eat to Livers Unite!
What do you eat when you don’t want salad? Leave your ideas and recipes in the comments below. And see Hidden Cashew Ranch Dressing Plus Tips for Eating Salads When You Really Don’t Want To for more ideas.
Looking for other Eat to Live-able recipes? Check out my ETL sections both here and on the main website. Looking for support? Join us in the Eat-2-Live Group on Yahoo!
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pb
February 9, 2011 at 12:03 amThis is gr8..i have struggled with the ‘raw’ part of ETL.. sometimes its just easier to consume things you dont hv to chew a lot..
i think i can easily go over the 1 lb cooked veggies, but can hardly hit half of the ‘raw’ 1 lb..other than fruits..
Thanks for sharing this great new ‘salad’!
Deborah
February 9, 2011 at 12:26 amAnd after you eat this for a month along with other totally healthy food maybe you can try this like I just did. Vegan Chocolate Avocado Icing. For a very quick, convenient vegan birthday, I whipped up the icing, bought a frozen Amy’s brand vegan pound cake (includes oil) and mounded with blueberries and some strawberries. Everyone (vegan and non-vegan alike) loved the icing (and everything else)and it feels so great to have a go to sweet that I don’t feel badly about and tastes so great. http://www.avocadocentral.com/recipes-and-entertaining/view/28779/Vegan-Chocolate-Cake-with-Chocolate-Avocado-Icing?hq_e=el&hq_m=1169279&hq_l=8&hq_v=7505f3c45e
Leilani
February 9, 2011 at 12:52 amWhen I don’t want a salad I eat a blended salad: a vitamix filled with spinach, packed, one huge carrot, 5 frozen strawberries, one cup of frozen blueberries, 1 Tablespoon of ground flax seed. If you blend it for a long time, the carrot gets really finely chopped.
Ada
February 9, 2011 at 1:14 amThat looks awesome!
If it feels too cold for a lunch salad (and it often does lately), I make something that I simply call “meal” for lack of a better name. It’s a mix of roasted vegetables (plenty of root veggies at this time of year!) and cooked beans (usually chickpeas or lentils) or quinoa. I dress it with a simple vinaigrette and throw in some nuts, and even the boyfriend likes it.
Or, I make a slaw from raw fennel, apple, pear, celery root, etc. and add beans and nuts and vinaigrette. I used to have a hard time having just *veggies* for lunch, but I find that if I dress it up a bit, it works out well.
Good luck with eating healthy! I look forward to your ETL recipes. 🙂
Donna
February 9, 2011 at 4:15 amThank You!! I too, make salads in the family salad bowl and then was kind of embarrassed because I eat the whole thing, but after your blog I’ll never feel that way again. I’m going to have break down and try Kale, too. I had not tho’t of stir frying the salad! Thanks! What a great idea. Keep up the good work.
donna
wendy (healthy girl's kitchen)
February 9, 2011 at 5:31 amCheers to that Leilani! Green Smoothies are a fundamental component of my Eat to Live “practice” (I hesitate to call it a diet!).
What my experience has been with Eat to Live and Engine 2/Esselstyn is that they work if you work them “correctly” . . . that is MOSTLY vegetables, then fruit and then beans. Everything else is really condiment–including all of the wonderful and healthy whole grains. If I stick with a green smoothie for breakfast, a big salad (with beans) and soup (also with beans) for lunch, a huge salad and or some wonderful sauteed greens recipe (again with some beans!) for dinner with a small side of some fat free vegan deliciousness (which we all love to make) then my weight is not a problem. When I veer off of this and slack off on my salad/sauteed greens consumption and rely too heavily on the other (really healthy but not low calorie) stuff, my weight creeps back up. It has taken me some time to figure this out, but there it is in all it’s honesty . . .
thoughts everyone? your experiences?
Elle
February 9, 2011 at 10:17 amYour meal plan is inspiring because it sounds delicious and doable, not to mention nutritious. I’m going to take a page out of your book and try it out!
Molly @ mollyrunsfresh
February 9, 2011 at 7:32 amThis was one of my favorite posts so far because I could not agree with you more! Just because I eat healthy 70-80% of the time, does not mean that my family doesn’t leave their junkfood goodies out on the counter tempting the heck out of me! I love your quote, “if it doesn’t belong on the blog, don’t eat it”. This will definitely help me stick to more wholesome foods. Have an awesome day girl!
Krista
February 9, 2011 at 7:37 amThis salad looks delicious! When I saw it on Facebook I was hoping you would post the recipe, I can’t wait to give it a try 🙂
Like many other people who have commented I too found you after reading “Eat to Live”. I continue to follow the principals of eating a HUGE salad or steamed veggies. The comment about gluttony on Facebook is something I can also relate to as I have been eating this way. (My mother in particular thinks its crazy that I eat such a large amount of veggies and it’s kind of hurtful to feel judged.) I thought your response back (on Facebook) was very tactful while still sticking to your guns (such a terrible analogy). Anyways I think you are very brave to share your struggles on here openly and honestly. I definitely support you on your quest to eliminate processed foods 🙂
Georgia
February 9, 2011 at 7:54 amI have weight issues too. When I cut out dairy, I lost 30 pounds within 6 weeks, but nothing since then really. It’s not as hard to be an overweight vegan as people may think it is. Sugar and salt cravings are my nemesis, too.
It’s hard to find good enough fresh vegetables to make an appetizing salad this time of year for me, and I am the bean queen anyway, so I generally make a beans & greens dish. I don’t eat enough veggies though, overall.
Elle
February 9, 2011 at 10:22 amWhen I saw this photo, I wanted to reach through the computer screen and grab a giant forkful. What I’m particularly excited by is the fact that this would make an amazing portable lunch, something I’m always on the lookout for as an adult student. Seriously, this justifies me finally ordering the glass “Tupperware” I’ve had my eye on. Thanks for the delicious recipe and for saving me money on lunches! 🙂
Liga
February 9, 2011 at 10:31 amWhen I want a huge plate of food, I make the sauce in this recipe and put it over any vegetables I have- “steam” cooked like in your salad recipe. Soooo good and fat free. Love it. Just made a huge pot of sauce to freeze because all that mincing takes a while.
http://thaifood.about.com/od/quickeasythairecipes/r/stirfriedveggie.htm
kc
February 9, 2011 at 10:32 amLately I’ve been heating up the beans with a little leftover hearty pureed soup, and pouring that over the salad. It warms the whole thing up and acts as a dressing too.
Kristi
February 9, 2011 at 10:40 amWe had this for supper last night. The concept was the same, the ingredients were somewhat different. Ours had leeks, parsnips (must put them in earlier next time or slice them thinner), carrots, cremini mushrooms, scallions, cannelini beans, herbes de provence, leftover no-fredo sauce, (ffv recipe), kale, swiss chard and mustard greens. Awesome! Looking forward to having the last of it for lunch today on top of my salad!
janet
February 9, 2011 at 11:39 amI am so happy you posted the recipe, because it sounded so tantalizing on FB. 🙂 I am not a fan of diets, rather smaller, healthy meals spaced out 4-5 times a day, but you can never go wrong with a salad. 🙂
If you are in a salad rut, I definitely recommend this black bean, apricot and cilantro salad (hopefully it is ok for your diet!): http://tastespace.wordpress.com/2011/02/03/black-bean-cilantro-and-apricot-salad/
SusanV
February 9, 2011 at 11:47 amThat’s funny–I’m a fan of the opposite: fewer, larger meals 2 or 3 times a day. There’s evidence that shows that the body doesn’t have time to heal itself if it’s always working on digestion, which it would be if we eat too often. It’s a goal that I’m still working on, and for now, I do tend to have a mid-afternoon healthy snack.
Jill
February 9, 2011 at 2:31 pmWhen we don’t want a salad, we have a stew with a bunch of kale finely chopped in it or a bag of pre-washed spinach. Any stew or stew-like dish will do. Just remove from heat and add spinach or kale or both and when they are wilted serve it up. Sometimes I add frozen peas and that cools the stew down to eating temperature. The veggies added after removing stew from heat are barely heated and don’t lose many enzymes or nutrients due to the heat, so it’s as good as a raw salad.
Sometimes I chop up lots of spinach-3 or more cups per serving, and pour the stew on it as dressing. Then I add chopped fresh tomatoes or fresh fruit-whatever goes well with the stew on top plus cilantro or parsley to taste.
Lisa
February 9, 2011 at 3:26 pmThank you for your honesty – not to trivialize your situation, but I think we all struggle with our weight, and it’s nice to know that we aren’t alone. Although I eat healthy food, I generally over eat. Portion-size-what? Or eat when I’m not hungry.
Love the salad and can’t wait to try it myself.
You also have me interested in this Eat to Live business.
shopway.com
February 9, 2011 at 4:09 pmSusan, thanks for the share. Another recipe I love!
Alexia @ Dimple Snatcher
February 9, 2011 at 4:16 pmI’m trying to lose weight, too, Susan. I’ve actually never heard of “Eat to Live,” but I have been recently doing the BIG salad thing for lunch. It’s gets old quick so I’m trying different vegetables/toppings/etc. Thank you for posting this recipe and for sharing your weight-loss with us, Susan. I don’t know about you, but people assume that assume that vegetarians/vegans wouldn’t have a weight problem. I’ve been embarrassed in the past, but I realized how ridiculous that kind of thinking is.
Stef
February 9, 2011 at 5:10 pmYour salad looks delightful! So bright, so colorful, so tasty. And I’m with you – during the winter, one of the last things I want to eat is a cold salad. But a warm salad – a whole different experience. Yum!
Good luck with your renewed commitment to healthy eating at all meals. It’s good stuff. 🙂
Stef
http://savorysundays.wordpress.com/
http://smilekiddo.wordpress.com/
Sara
February 9, 2011 at 6:35 pmI’m actually having a cold salad right now, despite the crushingly freezing temperatures on the east coast! I’ve been feeling like if I eat more salad, it will feel more like spring to me.
As for when I go back to reality, I love soups. Dr. Fuhrman’s Anti-Cancer Soup is fabulous, and I’ll be making my vegan chili recipe to take for lunch the rest of the week. (That one always confuses the omnivores! “Are you sure this doesn’t have meat?”) I’ve also been big on split peas and lentils this winter.
I think I go overboard on the beans in the winter, but they are so comforting, and they are the only thing that fills me up in the right way so I don’t crave simple carbs all the time. To make up for it, I have a green smoothie every morning for breakfast (carrot juice, banana, a date, kale, a cup of mango and a cup of mixed frozen berries). It has a ton of calories in it, but it’s the best way to start the day, and you are so right. We don’t need to eat at 1200 calories to be healthy! We all have weights we naturally fall into. It’s the one thing I really disagree with Dr. Fuhrman about, his recommended weights.
Dragonfly Jane
February 9, 2011 at 7:24 pmI just finished a huge “clean out the fridge” salad. Started with mixed lettuces and spinach. Then carrots, onions, tangerines, blueberries, celery, carrots, cranberries, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and sliced almonds. Topped with a bit of Cranberry Balsamic dressing. Absolutely delicious! I am full but not stuffed. Sometimes I add beans, fish, or chicken.
stephanie
February 9, 2011 at 7:29 pmIt really has been such a cold winter here in Delaware that I haven’t had a cold salad in a couple of weeks. One version of a “hot salad” is a vegan headdupbap, a Korean dish that is salad, seaweed, raw fish, rice and a spicy sauce. Adding hot brown rice to lettuce, bean sprouts, seaweed salad and topped with either wasabi and soy sauce or headdupbap sauce (if you can find it) is a really delicious alternative to a regular salad. I also have been eating your roasted cauliflower soup for lunch this week.
stephanie
February 9, 2011 at 7:30 pmAs for avoiding junk food, my rule is to NEVER buy junk food. EVER. I will encounter it enough — the candy dish at work, the cookies that someone brought to work (I’m vegetarian, not strict vegan). I know I’ll indulge, and it makes me feel ok about doing it, when I know that the meals I eat at home are always going to be healthy. That said, I’ve got an extra 10 lbs. I’m trying to lose, so I guess it doesn’t work that well!
Iris Miller
February 9, 2011 at 7:50 pmLove your writing Susan and thanks for the recipes!I will also check out the eat to live group, and I agree, I’m not always excited about having salad every day either, so I made salad soup! I did the same thing as you, cleaned out my fridge of all produce one day in October 2010. and made up this recipe that was so good I lived on it for many days. It is delicious and very satisfying.
Grandma Iris’ Salad Soup:
This is a healthful and very delicious meal, a colorful fresh vegetable based soup.
My sister couldn’t believe it, Lettuce in soup? Yes, you can and should cook lettuce, it is delicious! The variety of textures of all the vegetables make this an enjoyable meal. First I made a nice big salad for dinner using at least nine washed and drained vegetables (or more) and saved at least 2 quarts of salad vegetable leftovers for the soup.
My choice of vegetables were dictated by what I knew my grandson would eat, (without picking anything out of his salad).
1/2 head Romaine Lettuce torn in bite sized pieces
1/2 head green leaf lettuce torn
1/2 C.raddichio torn in bite sized pieces
2 medium tomatoes cut in bite sized cubes
3 medium carrots sliced and diced
2 large ribs celery with leaves, sliced and diced
1/2 English cucumber peeled, scoop out seeds and cut in cubes
1/2 red bell pepper remove seeds and ribs sliced and diced
1/2 green bell pepper sliced and diced
1/2 Cup cut up small bite sizes pieces of broccoli
Saute on medium high heat in a 6 quart soup pot with 2 Tbs. olive oil until ,soft and clear about 2 minutes stirring frequently:
1 small onion chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
add to the pot from the salad vegetables,
carrots,celery,peppers,and1/4 tsp. salt, continue saute’ 3 minutes,
then add add the tomatoes, cucumbers, all the lettuce, broccoli and radichio. Stir and add herbs, 1/4 tsp.salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 tsp. mixed dried Italian seasoning, or basil and oregano, plus 1/2 tsp.tarragon, 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper and 1 tsp.dried parsley, stir.
Add: 4 Cups low sodium (mock broth if you’re Vegan) chicken broth or stock and 2 cups water, bring to a boil and lower heat to medium low, partially cover pot and let simmer 35 minutes or until *potatoes are done (if added, see suggested addition below).
suggested additions to the soup as it simmers:
1 Cup of leftover bits of meat, chicken, 1/2 Cup chopped spinach,1/2 can drained and rinsed garbanzo beans,1/2 can drained and rinsed kidney beans,
1/2 Cup peeled and cubed *sweet potato, 1/2 Cup cubed yellow *potatoes,
1/2 Cup sliced and ciced zuchini, 1/2 Cup rough chopped mushrooms
(if you add all of these or other veggies, add more liquid as needed.)
A Vegetarian version would be meatless, using vegetable or mock soy “chicken flavor” broth flavoring, or soy based flavorings, and cubed saute’d tofu and 1/2 Cup noodles, rice.barley or 1/2 C.any pre-cooked grain.
ENJOY!!! G’ma Iris
Kelly A
February 9, 2011 at 7:54 pmI must say I’ve loved many of your meals but for my taste this looks like the best one ever! I’ll make it next week and report back 😉 Thanks, Susan, you are my hero!
Kelly A
February 9, 2011 at 8:02 pmWhat I eat when I don’t want a salad (although I always want a salad, just with warm toppings). I saute an onion, then add TONS of garlic and grape tomatoes (or chopped plum tomatoes). When the tomatoes are somewhat cooked I throw in a giant amount of baby spinach. I think some beans would work too although I just usually eat the veggies with a bit of brown rice. For some reason this is the perfect dish to go with my stir fried tofu and bean sprouts in black bean sauce.
Tina
February 9, 2011 at 10:45 pmI want to be a vegan if I eat delicious salad as the one in the picture above.
Shell
February 10, 2011 at 3:44 amI find in the winter it’s the idea of having a meal out of the fridge that puts me off. So I often make my salad when I get up and leave it out of the fridge to warm up naturally. By lunch time it’s no longer cold and I put a hot topping on. This is usually beans, as you already mentioned, or cooked mushrooms, hot tofu chunks or a scoop of hot grains like millet or brown rice. In this way it’s no longer a cold meal. Thanks for your recipe site and blog, it’s one of the best resources on the net.
Stephanie
February 10, 2011 at 6:10 amWe love Eat to Live. I also love your blog so I am excited to get both in one. I mainly follow you on facebook, whatever I see there I then come to your blog. Neither hubby, myself nor our 5 kiddos have weight issues but it is really about eating the best you can and if you do that the rest will take care of itself. My kiddos love his “ice cream” recipes and sorbet recipes. They think it is a treat when in reality they could easily have it for breakfast. They rarely want junk even though I allow them to “cheat”. When at friends houses they are offered the normal junk kids eat these days they ask for grapes or apples. Friends are always dumbfounded. It is thanks to Eat to Live and lovely bloggers like you. I am not a great cook so I rely on others to help me. I want to thank you so much for all the hard work you do! God bless!
Wendy
February 10, 2011 at 7:00 amHi Susan, Been reading your blog for a few years and a lot of our family favorites are your recipes. They don’t know its vegan, Shhhhh, LOL. Just wanted to say loved this recipe, it was perfect for a mid week clean the fridge. Lunch yesterday was nutritious and vibrant. Its a winner!
Em
February 10, 2011 at 8:38 amHello Susan,
As always -This looks good! My DD loves all the vegan junk& I sometimes cave and buy it & of course some of it inevitably ends up in my mouth!
During the winter months I crave warmer food too & I have bean soups into which I will throw finely cut up greens such as kale or chard or….and then throw that on top of salad.
It certainly is more work than a couple of handfuls of cereal or heating a couple of processed vegan “nuggets” of some kind BUT it tastes better &gives you the EDGE of good health!!!
Plus look at all the lovely colors!
Em
Julia OConnor
February 10, 2011 at 9:43 amSusan,
I’ve come to think of your blog as my “vegan bible”. I became a vegan in earnest a little over a year ago, following the diet prescribed by Dr. Esselstyn in his book, “Prevent and Reverse Hear Disease”. I cut out all dairy, sugar, and wheat…feel like a million bucks and have lost over fifty pounds. Wheat and sugar were the two culprits that fed my cravings. Once I got rid of them, the weight started to fall off. Exercise is another very important component to weight loss.
Since I found your blog, I’ve become a regular visitor and all the recipes I’ve tried have been a huge hit. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and your personal journey.
Marissa
February 10, 2011 at 10:54 amSusan, I love your blog. It really helped me over the summer when I started ETL, and it’s still making my meals more interesting.
I totally understand the feeling about salads in the winter–it’s 3 degrees right now where I am–I need warm food! What I’ve been doing for lunch is making a salad and then water-sauteeing, roasting, or braising some vegetable (I’ve been using mushrooms and asparagus) with some balsamic vinegar and then putting that over the salad. There’s warmth, but still all of my raw veggies for the day.
ginica
February 10, 2011 at 1:27 pmI have been doing a similar Hot Salad Teqnique when craving warm food on cold days. I have the basic greens at room temperature, but then I heat the beans, grains in a small amount of water that is spiced up with spicy garlic hot sauce that is fat-free and low sodium and pour it over the top of the greens. I still have crunchy veggies, but hat bean & grains. I top it all with seeds & nuts.
erica
February 10, 2011 at 2:36 pmeveryone is a glutton sometimes 😉 those that are never are liars! i like to cook up a frozen homemade vegi patty and add it to my salad, then put mustard on top instead of salad dressing. i call it “burger salad”… pretty original, i know.
Joy
February 10, 2011 at 5:17 pmOh my gosh. I want this now!
donna
February 10, 2011 at 8:50 pmSusan – Please blog a bit about your typical breakfast. As a recent vegetarian —> vegan, breakfast seems to be my biggest challenge. I seem to want more protein at the morning meal than most vegan breakfasts offer.
Ellani
February 11, 2011 at 5:33 amThis was fabulous! I grated zucchini and carrot into the skillet, used lots of Kale, and let some cherry tomatoes steam on top. Also, I topped this with Gena’s (www.choosingraw.com) Sunflower Seed Dressing with Herbs, and it tasted like a dream.
Ruthcarol
February 11, 2011 at 6:29 amWanted to share my salad strategy – in the AM (I am an early riser), I make my salad – a double portion and put half away for the evening meal. I too follow Fuhrman/ETL. I make a salad out of kale, spinach, brocolli sprouts and red cabbage – the trick for me is to chop it finely! I toss it with a homemade dressing (apple cider vinegar, tahini, avacado, carrot, tomato, garlic, ginger, lots of parsley or cilantro, tumeric, oregano – in a blender, batch lasts a week) and then toss in the “extras” – 1/4c lentils cooked with onions/garlic/mushrooms, shredded carrot, chopped tomato, chopped celery or cukes, sunflower seeds, currants. It is so yummy and filling. I also have a 3/4 c serving of gluten free hot cereal (Bob’s) that I make in batches but add walnuts, blueberries, unsweetened vegan cocoa and cinnamon. About an hour later I have a green smoothie – watercress, pomag. juice, flax, 1/2 banana, frozen cranberries. This massive amount of healthy foods keeps me happy for hours – I walk dogs for about 5 hours a day and need the energy. Eating vegan (and now gluten free) helped me loose 65 pounds 2 years ago and keep it off. Another favorite trick is a quick soup – kept in the car in a thermos for after the walks – microwave low sodium V8 and a big dollop of pumpkin till hot. Sooooo good! My kids make fun of me – my palms and soles of my feet are quite orange but I love being a healthy oompaloompa!
Emma
February 11, 2011 at 3:06 pmThis looks delicious!
While I applaud your endeavors (and successes!) in eating healthily, I wonder about your drive to lose weight. You see, I’m under the impression that diets/ “healthy eating plans”/ eating plans involving restriction simply encourage more weight gain and desire for the very thing that is being denied. I agree with you wholeheartedly about trying to avoid preservatives/processed food, etc., but really what I’m questioning is why weight has to be the focus. In my opinion, the main goal should be health, with peace with food (and not attempting to restrict foods that you actually want to the point that you think of them as being better than they actually are) as part of that. I’m a firm believer in intuitive eating.
I certainly don’t mean to preach, and I don’t want to step on your toes, it just makes me a little sad when weight struggles cause so much consternation.
Best of luck, and lots of health!
SusanV
February 11, 2011 at 3:16 pmHmmm. I really don’t get your point. I agree that the most important thing is health, and though you didn’t say this, I also believe that you can be healthy but overweight. But what about when being overweight is causing you to not be healthy? Or even if healthy, that it’s causing you other problems, such as not being able to do all the things you wish you could because of weight? And what if what you “intuitively” want to eat has been influenced by the food industry’s use of sugar, salt, and fat to cause you to crave the very things that are leading you to lose your health? And if restricting those things is actually HELPING–where’s the problem? I’m definitely not thinking of those processed foods that I’m avoiding as better than they are, quite the opposite!
I do appreciate the feedback, but I guess I just disagree that restricting those unhealthy foods is going to cause me to gain weight. I find that the further I get from them, the less I want them.
Emma
February 13, 2011 at 1:14 pmI don’t think I communicated very well the first time I posted, so let me just apologize for that…
I agree with you that one can be healthy and overweight. I agree that sometimes being overweight can impede you from doing things. I definitely am not trying to solicit eating processed foods. I guess my point was more geared towards already being in a place where craving processed foods is not a problem (I recognize that is not as common as I’d like to imagine) so the industry interference wouldn’t be as much of an impact. I was trying to get at the idea of overeating due to restriction of foods that you actually want, and the concept of allowing yourself plenty of what you want– without conditions of counting calories or fat grams or exercising in compensation– giving way to becoming more in tune with what your body actually needs.
Also, I want to just put it out there that I’m really not trying to tell you what’s best for you– only you can decide that (and I know that a lot of doctors don’t know, I’m in medical school.) I guess I was just trying to speak from my own experiences.
SusanV
February 13, 2011 at 1:40 pmThanks, Emma. I agree with all of that. I’m really not advocating counting calories or fat grams, but just eating abundantly from whole foods. So though that excludes processed foods like oil and flour, I’m not really limiting the good stuff like vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains. I do think that sometimes limiting is in order–some of us have such a skewed notion of what a healthy portion is that often right at the beginning, we need to pay attention to not only what we’re eating but how much. I think getting in tune with what your body really needs is an excellent goal, one I really hope I’m in the process of achieving.
Chris
February 12, 2011 at 7:30 amwow. This is the kind of salad that I’ve been looking for a long time. I’ve tasted it once didn’t forget it ever since. 🙂 Thank you so much for this. I love it.