Kale Salad

This is the best kale salad. It's from the Kid Tested Firefighter Approved site.

Reading and implementing Woman Code. It's been a couple days, but my bowel movements are stabalizing and I'm feeling sleepy at the right times of night. Now if I could not be tired in the middle of the day!

Dr. Oz off the deep end

I'm so pissed off.  Dr. Oz has, up to now, been a really positive influence.  The newest craze?  Green Coffee Extract.  It evidently blocks the release of glucose into the blood and therefore keeps insulin and blood sugar levels lower than they would have been.

Chlorogenic Acid: is the substance that green coffee has in abundance.  Other words for this are "caffeic acid", hmmmm, sounds like caffeine.  Do you know what else slows the release of glucose into the body? PLANT FOODS THAT ARE UNREFINED.  For the love of Pete, can we just eat in a healthful way?!!!!  I'm so sick of the quack pills promising the moon and reinforcing our bad habits. 

As for me, I can wear rings that haven't fit in years.  My wedding ring has to be held on by my engagement ring because my fingers are slimmer.  I'm sleeping well and becoming more mobile as the weight comes off.  I went to the doctor last week and have lost about a pound per week during the summer when I thought I had held steady.  

28 pounds so far!

I'm really excited.  I just had a little bump of physical change where others noticed that I was smaller.  I finally got my "under 300 pound" outfit.  It's pretty cute and will be nice for work.  My husband already said that I should get another outfit just before school starts.  I might be at 30 pounds by then! 

Here is a trailer for a new vegan film. 

Early Signs of Atherosclerosis

This is not on the major sites, they all mention advanced Atherosclerosis, but not the kind we might have as young as 18 years of age!  Here are some signs that I've gleaned from McDougall, Esselstyn, Barnard, et al. 

• Low back ache with walking or exertion that is not attributed to muscle strain
• erectile dysfunction
• high blood pressure
• varicose veins
• shortness of breath, loss of stamina, huffing and puffing going up stairs, etc.
• "senior moments", studies have shown that most people have had hundreds of tiny strokes by their mid-fifties.  Each produces an unremarkable effect, but over time, this can show as dementia in later life.  These strokes are not curable, but they can be stopped and the brain can be given a chance to make new connections to mitigate any damage.  
• angina is a later symptom.  If you have chest pain, your atherosclorosis is pretty advance

• macular degeneration, since the tiny blood vessels of the eyes are so delicate, they oftenfail before the patient develops angina or has a heart attack or stroke.  

Under 300

Okay, my scale says 298, my doctor says 305, but I'm going with mine.  Blood pressure is 117/80.   I've been having a little oil and eggs here or there and I need to tighten that up.  Back on the wagon.  Feeling good.  Going to get a new outfit at Macy's in celebration.

Vegan Mac and Cheese my toddler loves!

So many vegan mac and cheese recipes are overly spicy and not creamy.  I came across this one and modified it to have less fat.  It does have a substantial amount of fat because of the cashew butter, so be aware of that.  This recipe can be doubled easily. 

Combine the following ingredients in a sauce pan and whisk them while they heat.
1/2 cup raw cashew butter
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (you can add more, but use less salt if you do)
tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt (or less, wait to salt after it's all together)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 3/4 cup nondairy milk (I use plain soy milk, but unsweetened coconut dream would probably be fantastic!)

After that is all combined, whisk in...
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

the mixture will take on air and expand.  You could dress pasta with it at this point, but the last two ingredients add some depth to the flavors and you might want to try them.

Take 1/2 cup of the hot mixture and dissolve 2 tbsp. of white miso paste in it.  Return this to the pan and whisk together.  Whisk in 1 tbsp lemon juice. 

Pour this over cooked macaroni, wheels, or mini-shells.  It's sooooo good.  My first batch was a touch salty so it needs to have a side of snap peas or greens etc.  My toddler loved this and begged for more! 

Why we get fat

Stumbled across this compelling talk.  This fellow is a low-carb guy, but I didn't dismiss him out of hand because he looks healthy.  He is saying something very similar to what Drs McDougall, Esselstyn, and Barnard.  "Processed, calorically dense and nutrient poor foods make you fat." 

• processed, calorically dense foods make you fat
• eating less doesn't make you thin
• exercising more is not the magic bullet that makes you thin
• thermodynamics does NOT apply to weight loss, it's NOT a simple matter of calories in and calories out.  If you restrict calories, your body will simply burn fewer calories.
• obese people can and often are undernurished and even starving