Rip Esselstyn's Blog, page 10

3 Plant-Strong Resolutions (And How to Stick to Them)

For many of us, the New Year means making some resolutions to help you be your best self. The end of one year and the welcoming of another really is a nice time to pause, reflect and plan for what you hope to achieve in the upcoming year. But, a vast majority of people who set traditional “New Year’s Resolutions” don’t stick to them. Research shows nearly 80% of resolutions are forgotten by February!

But not yours!

The idea of resolutions is spot on – we should all aim to live our best plant-strong lives. To help you stay on track, here are three common resolutions people choose each year, with some tips to hit them out of the park this year:

I’m going to eat better. This one can be pretty vague for some people. What is “eating better?” Here at Engine 2, we are about optimizing your health and truly living your best plant-strong life. The BEST way to do that is by joining our Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Challenge. Take seven days and follow our guidelines. You will be eating the strongest foods that exist on the planet, and you will feel FANTASTIC. You can keep going or work in some additional foods, but you will remain plant-strong. And you’ll get the support of more than 22,000 people who have taken or are taking that journey alongside you. “Eating better” can be the hardest resolution to stick to – don’t go it alone. We can help! And try not to put too much pressure on yourself to lose or reach a certain number of pounds by a certain date. Focus instead on building the right habits and eating the right food – if you have excess weight to lose, it will come off. If you focus too hard on a number and don’t get there as fast as you think you should, you could lose focus and fall off the wagon. Remember, slow and steady wins the race!
I’m going to exercise more. Concrete goals are critical here. Just like the notion of “eating better” exercising more is extremely vague, making it less likely you’ll actually stick to your resolution! Rather than say you’re going to exercise “more” how about setting a goal of finishing a 5k? Pick one in your area a good 12 weeks out so you have time to train (if it’s your first race especially, a good Couch to 5k program or app can be super helpful here). Then work toward it! Having a carrot dangling in front of you will help you work continuously toward that goal, keeping you on track. It doesn’t have to be a 5k, though. Maybe you’d like to go for a walk three times a week – find a friend if you can! Pick one exercise or activity to focus on for now, and set up a schedule to keep yourself on track. Then once that becomes a habit think about what else you can do to step up your game even more!
I’m going to spend more time with friends and loved ones. Schedules are busy, and not just around the holidays. Many of us are busy rushing kids to school and activities, running errands and joining activities — it’s no wonder spending time with friends and loved ones can seem like a rare luxury! Life is short, and we should be spending as much of it as possible with our loved ones. Last month, we recommended reducing holiday stress by purchasing experiences or tickets as a gift for your loved ones instead of “things.” This can be a great way to ensure you are free to spend time with those who are most important in your life. Follow up on them! It’s just as important to schedule time with loved ones as it is to schedule errands and other schedule cloggers. It doesn’t have to be a weekend getaway or even an entire day, but an opportunity to catch up over coffee or cook a plant-strong meal together helps you gain the benefits of reconnecting with loved ones. And if you’re looking to expand your plant-strong community of friends, check sites like Meetup.com for whole food plant based groups with like-minded, amazing people. Our Engine 2 events also offer a great way to meet and make plant-strong friends from across the country and in your neighborhood!

This year is going to be your best, plant-strong year EVER – whether you choose to set formal resolutions or simply have goals to stay on track in your plant-strong journey, we are here to help!

Engine 2 Foods Update

UPDATES FROM RIP’S CUTTING BOARD

As many of you know, Engine 2 Plant-Strong Foods are a Whole Foods Market Exclusive Brand.  I accepted an invitation to partner with Whole Foods Market because they wanted to create a plant-based brand to delight their health-conscious customers. Six years later, we have more than 40 products on the shelves and the future is bright for Engine 2 foods!

 

BIG SALE IN JANUARY 2018 at WHOLE FOODS MARKETS

For the entire month of January, (12/26 – 1/30/2018) ALL Engine 2 Plant-Strong® foods will be discounted 25%! We want this to help you kick off your new year and stock up your pantry with plant-strong goodness!  Click to find a store near you!

 

NEW LOWER EVERYDAY PRICES

In our continued effort to make convenient plant-strong foods accessible to everyone, we are pleased to announce new lower prices on the following items.

 

Engine 2 Crispbread (Original, Triple Seed, Seeds & Spice) now $3.79 each

Engine 2 Granolas (Original & Blueberry Vanilla) now $4.79 each

Engine 2 Pasta Sauce (Original & Firehouse Kale) now $4.99 each

Rip’s Big Bowl Cereal (Original, Banana Walnut & Triple Berry) now $4.49 each

 

PRODUCT UPDATES

In the past year, we reformulated our pasta sauces to have a more bold flavor profile, to be all organic, AND to have a lower price!  Check your store for the new and improved Organic Firehouse Kale and Organic Tomato Basil sauces.  Still low in sodium, oil & dairy free, and with NO added sugars! Check stores for availability.

Our Firehouse Chili and Moroccan Stew have become very popular items. Due to demand, we have had some supply issues but should be back on track in early 2018.

 

The following items will be discontinued over the course of the next year, so don’t be surprised if you see these products disappearing from your stores shelves over the next several months. I apologize if some of these items were your favorites. It pains me too!

Engine 2 Brown Rice Tortillas
Engine 2 Ancient Grain Buns
Engine 2 Almond Milk
Engine 2 Frozen Grain Medleys

 

NEW PRODUCTS COMING SOON

I couldn’t be more thrilled with the launch our latest spectacular product, four varieties of Engine 2 Frozen Raviolis; Butternut Squash Kale, Roasted Veggie, Garbanzo Spinach, and Cannellini Kale. We spent over two years working with our amazing and dedicated supplier partner team at Carla’s Pasta to get these raviolis just right! The outer shell is made from 100% whole wheat infused with the perfect amount of sweet potato and the insides are bursting with whole, plant-strong, nutrient-rich goodness. I know you’ll love them as much as I do…Enjoy!

*check your store for availability.

 

Get psyched as we roll out our Engine 2 Plant-Strong Burritos to bring in the new year! Can you say…”Kale Yeah!” In fact, we will be offering you three varieties that are all organic; Bean and Veggie Medley, Potato and Green Chili, Tempeh Ranchero. These are made with 100% whole wheat flour and are bursting with plant-strong delectability to make your lunches and dinners exciting and easy!

The expanded access to Engine 2 products via Amazon is still emerging.  Check with Amazon for products that may be available for delivery in your area.  We remain enthused about the future accessibility that Amazon brings and look forward to sharing the news with you.

 

WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT OUR PRODUCTS?

Engine 2 has very particular rules about the foods created in our name.  Because we shun the typical ingredients used in the industry to elongate shelf life or enhance flavor (sugar/salt/fat), our typical timeframe from concept to shelf, is about 2 years.

Engine 2 strives to produce products that adhere to these healthy guidelines:

ZERO Animal Products
ZERO Added Oil…Ever!
100% Whole Grains
Minimal Added Sugars, If At All
Less Than 25% Total Calories From Fat
Less Than 1:1 Ratio of Milligrams Sodium to Calories (Exception: Condiments)

Plant-Strong Holiday Tips

Plant-Strong Holiday Tips

 

Many people look forward to the holidays every year. The family…the decorations…the music…the plant-strong food…but probably not…

The stress!

Yup, for many folks, the holidays equal stress. What a drag! This year, take a vow to really enjoy the season and not let the stress overwhelm you. We’ve got some tips to keep you from biting off your nails:

Don’t forget to take care of yourself. When you’re rushing around town trying to buy holiday presents, wrapping said presents, visiting family, baking plant-strong cookies, getting out decorations…where were we again? The holidays are BUSY! It’s important to remember to take a little time for yourself during the busy season. Whether it’s scheduling time to go to the gym or even just get out for a walk, or taking a few minutes to sip some tea and relax, a little “me” time can help prevent the holiday “frazzled” feeling that leads so many people to veer off course in their plant-strong journeys.
Make it easy to stay plant-strong. With all the busyness of the holiday season, we all know how tempting it can be to stop at a restaurant rather than come home and prepare a plant-strong option. Staying on track doesn’t have to add to holiday stress! When you veer of course and eat vegan junk food or worse, the Standard American Diet, you feel worse, which only adds to the stress and makes the holidays harder than they need to be. Instead, try these easy steps:



Take advantage of E2 Food Line products. If you’re near a Whole Foods Market location in the US, stock up on E2 products that are ready to go and come together in minutes. From burgers and pasta sauce to pizza crusts, cereals to soups and stews (and more!!) a few E2 products in the pantry or freezer will help make mealtime a cinch (and without the guilt of stopping in the drive thru!). And depending on where you live, Amazon Fresh may even deliver E2 products right to your doorstep!
Shop in bulk. Some canned beans, frozen potatoes and veggies and a bag of greens (topped with some salsa, hot sauce, E2 hummus or another “spark” = a quick, healthy and affordable plant-strong meal. Stock up your pantry with other essentials that come together in minutes.
Plan your meals in advance. Whatever works for you is good here – maybe you like to sit down and go through cookbooks to plan out meals. Or maybe you’re in a time crunch and need something fast. Our E2 Meal Planner can really come to the rescue in these situations. Not only will it suggest meals for you (and whether you’re following our Seven-Day Rescue Challenge or the standard Engine 2 diet, it will tailor recipes to your needs), it will build a shopping list and in many markets, it’ll even send your shopping list directly to Instacart so your groceries can be delivered to your door. Imagine savings hours every week on meal planning and shopping! Check out the E2 Meal Planner and see just how flexible and helpful it can be for you – during the holidays and the rest of the year!


Save time on holiday shopping. There’s a bit of letdown after the holidays sometimes, isn’t there? All that build up, then a whirlwind few weeks, then…January! This holiday gift-giving tip will save you time, probably a few dollars and will also help fend off the post-holiday blues: Rather than focus on the latest gadget or “hot” item, focus on buying your loved ones experiences. Concert tickets, movie tickets, a gift card for your favorite whole food plant based restaurant or coffee shop…giving these gifts shows more thought than any gadget, and when you give them, be sure that YOU’RE the one going with that person! You’ll not only save some time and money, you’ll have a calendar filled with things to look forward to during the rest of the winter (and possibly beyond).



When it comes to plant-strong experiences (and we MAY be biased here) the greatest plant-strong experience you can give yourself (yes, a holiday gift  for YOURSELF) or your loved ones is a ticket to Plant-Stock! This year, Plant-Stock is all inclusive, so your lodging, meals and all our amazing activities and speakers are all included (at a price that is more affordable than ever). A visit to one of our health immersions is another transformative experience that really takes the deep dive and gives you an entire week to focus on YOU. Every year, we hear from many folks who attended an E2 event thanks to a gift from a loved one – we’d love to meet your loved ones too!



If you’re looking for a few plant-strong stocking stuffers or smaller gifts, our E2 online store has a range of designs you can get on shirts, cell phone cases, laptop cases and more!

The holidays are a season to celebrate, not to be stressed and harried – stay on track in your plant-strong journey and take some time to enjoy the season so you start off the New Year as healthy as can be!

Top Engine 2 Recipes: Cauliflower Pot Roast

This easy, one pot meal is great for a Sunday dinner.  You could serve this with mashed potatoes and gravy, or just enjoy the vegetables in the broth created by slow roasting. We love having this dish when company is coming.  Thick steak-like slices of the cauliflower offer up a hearty meal.

Want more delicious, plant-strong recipes? You’ll find old favorites, plus hundreds of new recipes (for the standard Engine 2 diet as well as the Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet) in the E2 Meal Planner. With access to hundreds of customizable recipes (Cooking for one? Great! Need some leftovers? We’ve got you covered too!), printable grocery list and grocery delivery in select markets, you’ll wonder how you ever planned meals without it – and all for less than $2 a week!

 

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon salt-free steak seasoning
½ small bunch of fresh thyme
1 sprig rosemary
¼ cup dried sage leaves
2 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 large cauliflower, with leaves left on
4 carrots, coarsely chopped
4 potatoes (any variety), quartered
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, quartered
1 cup water

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Trim the outer cauliflower leaves. Trim away and discard the stalk so the cauliflower can sit flat, then cut a cross into the base, then place in a medium casserole pan. Pour water into the bottom of the pan. Add carrots, onions, potatoes and celery around the cauliflower. Drizzle the liquid aminos and lemon juice over the vegetables and cauliflower roast.  Sprinkle the entire pot with garlic, herbs and spices. Cover and roast in the oven for around 1 hour 20 minutes, or until tender, removing the lid for the final 20 minutes.

Slice the cauliflower into steaks and serve with the vegetables and your favorite brown gravy recipe.  We like Mommie’s Mushroom Gravy from The Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook by Ann & Jane Esselstyn.

Servings: 4

How to Use Some of Our Favorite Fall Fruits and Veggies

For many parts of the world, fall means turning off the air conditioning and putting on light sweaters, sipping warm tea and basking in the beautiful fall foliage. Here at Engine 2, we love fall!

Of course our favorite part of fall is all the amazing fruits and vegetables that become available during the season. Filled with flavor, these are just a few of our favorites:

 

Brussels Sprouts

If you’ve been following Engine 2 for long, you know that we LOVE our greens! Load up your plate with greens and reap the incredible health benefits of these true superfoods. And brussels sprouts are one of our favorite options. From folate and fiber to vitamin C, vitamin K and other essential nutrients, you simply can’t go wrong when you load up on brussels sprouts.

It doesn’t take a complicated recipe to enjoy a plate full of brussels sprouts with dinner. Whisk some brown mustard and balsamic vinegar, then toss your brussels sprouts until they’re evenly coated and cut each one in half so it can lay down flat on the cookie sheet. Roast in the oven (be sure to line your cookie sheet with parchment paper so they don’t stick) for 30 to 40 minutes and you’ll wonder where these little vitamin bombs have been all your life (even if you don’t like brussels sprouts I dare you to try these and see if they won’t change your mind)!

 

Pumpkin

Pumpkins aren’t just for carving! This member of the squash family is a nutritional powerhouse, packed with fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C and beta carotene, just to name a few benefits. Plus, its delicious flavor just screams “autumn!” One of our favorite ways to work some pumpkin into the day is to add it to your morning oats. Stir ¼ cup of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling!) into oats with pumpkin pie spice, walnuts and raisins. A quick and easy plant-strong breakfast!

 

Apples

Biting into a fresh apple will help you to fall in love with Fall. Apples are an incredible snack as is – and are so incredibly portable! And in many parts of the US, this is prime time for fresh apples. Depending on your location, many farms offer apple picking in the fall months – what better way to get outside and enjoy the crisp fall air than to get outside and pick your own fruit! And since apples are loaded with fiber, antioxidants and a host of health benefits, you can enjoy them to your heart’s content.

Looking for a nutrition-packed plant-strong snack or breakfast? Slice an apple thin and add to a nonstick skillet with a splash of water and some cinnamon. Cook the apples through until they start to form a sauce of sorts with the cinnamon. Wrap in a warmed E2 tortilla (or another whole wheat, oil-free tortilla) and enjoy. Bonus: Your home will smell amazing!

 

Beets

You can usually find beets at the grocery store all year, but fall is the best time to pick up this root veggie. Go beyond the standard red beets you know and love – now’s the time to try out new varieties like golden beets, white and even multicolored. Loaded with B vitamins, iron, potassium and more, it’s time to think as beets as more than just a salad garnish. They are a STAR!

Keep it simple to really let the flavors shine in this tasty vegetable. Wrap beets in foil and place in the oven for about an hour (until they are thoroughly cooked). Let them cool for a few minutes, slice, then enjoy!

 

Looking for even more inspiration?

You’ll find hundreds of plant-strong recipes featuring these and more fall favorites in our meal planner. Save time planning meals, finding recipes — even have your groceries delivered, right from the E2 meal planner! And you’ll never have to scan ingredients again – whether you’re following our Seven-Day Rescue Challenge guidelines or the standard Engine 2 diet, we’ll customize your recipes so you only see options that fit your specific goals and preferences. Click here to check it out, then let us know what you think!

Top Engine 2 Recipes: Guacallini Dip

This dip is a crowd pleaser, whether you’re enjoying the game or just want a tasty, plant-strong snack. This recipe makes a party-sized serving. If you’re not expecting a crowd, you can reduce the recipe by half.

Want more delicious, plant-strong recipes? You’ll find old favorites, plus hundreds of new recipes (for the standard Engine 2 diet as well as the Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet) in the E2 Meal Planner. With access to hundreds of customizable recipes (Cooking for one? Great! Need some leftovers? We’ve got you covered too!), printable grocery list and grocery delivery in select markets, you’ll wonder how you ever planned meals without it – and all for less than $2 a week!

Ingredients

1 16-ounce can no salt added cannellini beans, drained
1 cup steamed spinach
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup your favorite salsa
2 avocados
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon cumin

Instructions

Blend all ingredients in a food processor. 

Serve with roasted potato “chips,” raw bell pepper strips, oil-free French fries or as a garnish on plant-strong tacos.

Servings: Approximately 16

3 Tips for a Spooky, Plant-Strong Halloween

For many kids, enjoying a fun and spooky Halloween is a childhood rite of passage. And for many adults, it’s a fun time of year to get dressed up, celebrate and enjoy the holiday with our kids. But, there is one big red flag associated with Halloween: Junk food. More specifically, candy, chocolate and generally things that are, well, not exactly plant-strong.

Never fear, candy isn’t what makes Halloween so much fun (really!). In fact, committing to a 100% plant-strong Halloween could likely be your best spooky holiday yet. These four tips can help you make the most of this ghoulish day:

 

Make it a special Halloween at home.

When you’re hitting block after block on Halloween trying to fill up that bag of candy as a kid, you don’t exactly get to enjoy the holiday, do you? Instead, stay home and make Halloween a staycation of sorts. Get dressed up, have the house decorated – play some spooky music in the background, then involve your kids and hand out Halloween treats together. Talk about your favorite costumes, and even make a game of it – have everyone guess how many PJ Masks, Star Wars or other costumes you will see throughout the course of the evening. Whoever is closest to the actual totals wins a prize!

Since some towns have an early curfew for trick or treating, you could also do a mini movie marathon with your kids (or if you don’t have kids, with your friends and loved ones). Put on your favorite Halloween-themed cartoons or fun, goofy old scary movies and enjoy the spirit of the day!

 

Hand out plant-strong treats.

There are plenty of other fun Halloween treats than those that block arteries and cause tooth decay – rather than sticky sweets, consider handing out treats like Halloween pencils, glow bracelets or other fun little toys. You can often get small, fun Halloween-themed treats at your local dollar store, making this a healthy, inexpensive way to participate in the fun of Halloween.



Raisins, mandarin oranges or “smooshed” fruit strips are an alternative to treats if you really want to give out snacks on Halloween as well.

 

Take a different approach to trick or treating.

Celebrating at home doesn’t have to be exclusive. Perhaps you can spend most of the night at home, but to get the fun of trick or treating, you can take your kids out and cover one block to get the fun of saying “trick or treat” and checking out cool decorations and holiday displays (you can even skip the trick or treating and just walk around in costumes to check out the decorations!).



Not sure what to do with your kids’ candy haul from trick or treating, however limited? Some dentists will trade candy for cash, and what kid doesn’t like that? Check out your local news to see which dentists in your area have a similar program. Or, you could donate candy to a church or charity for those who are less fortunate. Explaining to your kids that you’re donating and have great treats at home and setting that expectation can help quell any disappointment. For younger kids, we love this idea: Leave your Halloween treats out at night, and have the Halloween Ghoul (Fairy, witch, etc – go with what will work with your family) magically “switch” them with plant-strong goodies, so that when your kids wake up in the morning, they have special Halloween treats JUST for them!

 

These new Halloween traditions can help ensure a fun, healthy, plant-strong holiday for many years to come!

5 Kitchen Time-Savers You Probably Never Considered

No matter what time of year, there always seems to be something going on. Whether it’s summer birthday and pool parties, back to school dropoffs and pickups or holiday gatherings, our to-do lists are exhaustive. Sometimes, those full schedules can make planning and cooking plant-strong meals feel like a total chore.

We get it! But we also have some good news:

It doesn’t have to be!



Check out these fast and furious tips to help you save time in the kitchen:

1. Buying frozen grains and produce. Depending on your store, you can often find frozen quinoa, brown rice, wild rice and more grains. These grains often require a few minutes on the stovetop in the microwave for a quick and easy meal base! When it comes to produce, there are even more options. Pre-washed, chopped, even roasted or browned veggies mean tossing together quick bowls or wraps is super quick. Or if you’re making a recipe, subbing say frozen diced onions and peppers for fresh can save you 5 to 10 minutes (or more!) at dinner time. If you’re worried that frozen produce is somehow less healthy than fresh, do not fear – frozen produce is typically picked and frozen at the height of ripeness, making it actually more fresh than the fresh fruit and veggies at your grocery store! BONUS: Keeping frozen veggies in your freezer typically means less waste as well when fresh, unused produce spoils.

2. Planning out your meals ahead of time. Some people reading this will think “Of COURSE I plan meals,” while others couldn’t comprehend doing anything but whipping up a meal that sounds good at the moment. Once you’ve started planning, though, you’ll realize it is a major time saver in the kitchen. Rather than taking time every day to think about what you want, scan the cupboards, fridge and freezer and even take a trip to the store, taking a little time to plan out your meals in advance each week means simply glancing at your notes or meal plan and making what sounds good off the list. You can build a meal plan by going through websites and your cookbooks to see what sounds good or is in season, or if you’re looking for an online tool that makes it simple to stay on track with your plant-strong lifestyle, be sure to check out our Engine 2 Meal Planner. In addition to our standard features, we’ve added a bunch of bells and whistles to help make meal planning a CINCH. And you don’t have to just plan by the week – you create and name your own menus. So if you want to save all your favorite Mexican-inspired dishes in one place, for example, you can create a list called “Favorite Mexican Meals.” If you know you’re going to be busy every day one week, you can create a menu of all meals that are ready in 20 minutes or less. Build and customize to exactly what you need! (BONUS: You’ll also likely save money by using what’s in your pantry to pick out meals, rather than buying a ton of new ingredients each week.)

3. Stop measuring spices. This one may sound a bit unusual, but go with it for a second – depending on the recipe, you may be getting out 4-5 (or more) measuring spoons for one recipe. By the time you get around to measuring, scooping, leveling off and ultimately mixing, something as simple as adding spices suddenly feels like a laborious task. Unless you’re baking (when measuring can make a major impact on the outcome of your recipe), skip the measuring spoons! Here’s a rough guide to use:

⅛ of a tsp = a pinch

¼ of a tsp = 2 pinches

½ tsp = a small pile about the size of a quarter in the palm of your hand

1 tsp = a small pile about the size of the die you’d find in a board game

1 tbsp = about a palmful

You can always start modestly, taste, and add more to your liking, but you’ll soon begin wondering why you ever measured spices at all!

4. Getting your groceries delivered. This one seems so modern and even “out there,” but wow, once you’ve experienced a grocery delivery service, you will wonder why you ever ventured into the store before (or why you ever would again!). In the US, services like Instacart and Amazon Fresh are changing how people buy groceries. Instead of spending several hours (during the week or worse – on a Sunday!) going to the store, or even several stores, you can pick out your groceries from home, leave notes for the shopper (eg. “pick some bananas that are ripe and some that are a little green”) and even “watch” your groceries as they’re being shopped before they’re delivered directly to your door. There is one small caveat: Item prices are often slightly higher via grocery delivery than in the store. But, most items are only $.20 to $.50 more using Instacart, and, according to a member of the Engine 2 team who recently tried out Instacart and never wants to go back to the grocery store, she ended up actually saving over $10 on her groceries because she was no longer tempted to buy more than she needed or the occasional “temptation” item! Another bonus: If you use the Engine 2 Meal Planner, your meal planner menus will automatically sync with Instacart, so not only can you plan your meals and build your grocery list in just a few minutes using the E2 Planner, you can send them right to Instacart and have them all delivered…that means your weekly meal planning AND grocery shopping could take you as little as an hour~ What will you do with all that added free time to your week?!

5. Batch cooking and freezing leftovers. Batch cooking isn’t just for people who have a big family or a party coming up – anyone can benefit from this kitchen time saver. Soups, stews, pasta dishes and casseroles tend to be super easy to scale up and freeze well. Simply store them in some leftover glass or Tupperware dishes and pop them in the freezer. Then when you’re in a rush or simply don’t feel like cooking, your next plant-strong meal is just a few minutes away! TIP: If you are using our Engine 2 Meal Planner, you can easily scale up the number of servings to batch cook recipes for freezing. Simply select the number of servings and choose the best number for you! Looking for some batch cooking inspiration? Click here for a super easy, one-pot meal that is perfect for batch cooking and freezing.

Give these tips a try and let us know what plant-strong fun you’re kicking up now that you have all this spare time on your hands!

Top Engine 2 Recipes: Scrimmage Scramble Rolls

These easy-to-make finger foods are great for tailgating or watching the game at home. Our testers were doing a touchdown dance after snacking on these rolls on opening day, they were such a hit!

Want more delicious, plant-strong recipes? You’ll find old favorites, plus hundreds of new recipes (for the standard Engine 2 diet as well as the Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet) in the E2 Meal Planner. With access to hundreds of customizable recipes (Cooking for one? Great! Need some leftovers? We’ve got you covered too!), printable grocery list and grocery delivery in select markets, you’ll wonder how you ever planned meals without it – and all for less than $2 a week!

Ingredients

6 brown rice wrappers
1 16-ounce package super firm tofu, crumbled
1 cup diced bell peppers, fresh or frozen
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 of your favorite veggie burgers, cubed (We love these with Engine 2 Pinto Habañero Burgers!).

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sauté all ingredients except the brown rice wrappers  in a frying pan until hot (use a splash of water or low sodium veggie broth if your pan tends to stick).  

Dip the brown rice paper wrap in hot water just long enough to saturate – not until it’s soft (it will continue to soften after it is removed from the water). Place the rice wrapper on a cutting board and place one heaping scoop of filling inside. Roll like a burrito and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake the filled burritos for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are slightly crispy.

Tip: Mix a small amount of sriracha sauce with ketchup to make a spicy dipping sauce for these tasty game day snacks! Salsa or another favorite hot sauce are also good choices for dipping.  

Servings: 8

Nitric Oxide: Your Body’s Super Power

Nitric oxide (NO) is a critical chemical compound in your body that is released by the cells in your arteries, signaling muscle fibers in your cell walls to relax and allow more blood to flow.

The ability of your endothelial cells to pump out nitric oxide (NO) is a direct marker of the health of your vessels.

The more your endothelial cells produce NO, the better their ability to keep the inner lining of your vessels smooth like Teflon instead of rough like Velcro.

Typically, when we are fifty, our bodies are producing 50 percent less nitric oxide than when we were twenty-five.

The good news is that you can make up for that lost 50 percent by chewing your greens and absorbing the natural nitrates that reside in leafy greens, especially kale, Swiss chard, spinach, arugula, beet greens, mustard greens, Napa cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and beets.

When you chew—and only chew—your food, the bacteria residing in the crevices and grooves of your tongue combine with the nitrates in leafy greens and reduce them to chemicals called nitrites.

Then, when you swallow these nitrites, the gastric acid in your stomach further reduces them to nitric oxide that allows them to combine with the existing nitric oxide in your system and help relieve pressure on your arteries.

Some nitrites in your stomach do not get reduced into nitric oxide, however. Instead, they continue further downstream into your gut and eventually are reabsorbed into the bloodstream. Your circulatory system carries these auxiliary nitrites back to your salivary glands where they will be concentrated ten to twenty fold.

As you chew more food, your own saliva pours the nitrites into your mouth and the whole process begins again. The nitrites will be further reduced by the gastric acid in your stomach into more nitric oxide. Bam! It’s a nitric-oxide party in your mouth, your gut, and in your endothelial cells!

This is an extremely delicate process honed by thousands of years of evolution. When you drink your green smoothies and juices, you bypass this synergistic and wonderful system and miss out on one of the most powerful holistic reasons for including green leafies in your diet. This is why we want you eating green leafy vegetables as often as possible. If you are fighting back against heart disease, we want you to consume SIX fist-sized servings every. single. day.

Leafy Green Repair & Rescue Box Delivered to Your Door!

We’ve partnered with The Chef’s Garden to create a special hand-harvested selection of leafy greens grown for optimal nitrate content, shipped straight to your door.

Repair & Rescue Greens Box