Rip Esselstyn's Blog, page 19

Quick and Easy Dinner…Thanks to Engine 2 Marinara!

If you’re looking for “convenience in a jar,” we think that we might have the answer for you. When I head to Whole Foods Market®, I generally stock up on loads of Engine 2 products, especially the marinara sauces.  Thinking outside the (pasta) box, there is a plethora of things to do with a jar of our delicious, fat-free sauce. Sure it is delicious on pasta or rice, but it also makes a fabulous and hearty soup base, dipping sauce and more.

Someone in my family recently asked me for an “easy” recipe for “Pasta e Ceci,” pasta and garbanzo bean soup.  It is a thick and hearty soup, based on the true Roman tradition and is infused with fresh sprigs of rosemary.  If  you’re looking for a hearty and easy soup, your search has ended.

This is a sentimental favorite for me because it was the soup that we ate at my grandmother’s when I was a child.  There’s always nostalgia and family history associated in the delicious foods we eat, and I really like converting family favorite foods into bountiful, plant-strong dishes.

Here’s the recipe. It should only take you about twenty minutes to make from stove to table.  Make sure that you gather all of your ingredients for your mise en place, before you begin cooking:

Ingredients:

One jar of Engine 2 Marinara Sauce

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 medium onion, finely diced

1  15 oz. can of (rinsed) garbanzo beans

2 T of cooking wine or broth

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

1 cup of Ditilini or small shells (gluten free pastas also work very well)

1 cup of pasta water (upon draining)

The How to:

Place the diced onions in a hot pan on a medium flame, and quickly stir the onions.  When they start to turn brown, add the garlic, stir, and in 30 seconds, then add the two-tablespoons of liquid.

Once you deglaze the pan with the added liquid, add the jar of sauce and rosemary.  Stir ingredients well.  Add half of the beans.  Take the other half and pulse them in a food processor, then, add the bean puree to the soup base.

Cover and let simmer, as the pasta cooks.

In a separate pot of boiling water, add the pasta and cook until “al dente,” (following instructions on the pasta box).  When the pasta is done, reserve one cup of pasta water and add it to the soup.

Strain the pasta, and rinse with cold water.  Add the pasta to the soup and stir well.  Remove rosemary, and let cook for an additional five minutes.

Serve with fresh basil garnish.

You’ll have a nice, thick, garbanzo bean stew!

ADDED TREAT

My grandmother always used cheese rinds for added flavor in her cooking.  Here’s a super, plant-tastic replacement that will give the same flavor and texture.

2 T of pine nuts or almonds

2T of walnuts

1t of garlic powder

2T of nutritional yeast

Place nut mixture in a dry-food container from your blender, and pulse until it looks like “grated cheese.”  Do not over blend or pulse, because you will have a “nut butter.” Store in a glass container in the fridge.  Use as a condiment, and sprinkle a teaspoon on top of your delicious “zuppa.”  Great as a sprinkle on for salads and vegetables, too!

I’d suggest making a double batch of the soup, because it will fast become a crowd-pleaser.  The soup also freezes very well.

Buon Appetito!

Pianta-Forte (plant-strong)!

 

 

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What’s On Your PL8? – Keith Montgomery

 

I was born in Memphis, TN, and I am 45 years old. I met Lynda, my college sweet heart at the University Of Alabama ( Roll Tide ), and we settled down on Long Island in 1993 very close to where she grew up. We have 4 *awesome* children – Sarah (21), Megan (20), David (17), and Jacob (15). A replacement heart valve at 36 corrected a congenital heart disease which kept me less active than most growing up. With the cardiovascular systems of a 20 year old after my surgery, I am even more ridiculously passionate about everything I do. Among my favorite things, are skiing and snowboarding. I also enjoy road biking, mountain biking, and running when not skiing or snowboarding. Watch for Lynda and I as we run our 2nd marathon in NYC this November. We will be the ones wearing the #PLANT-STRONG T-shirts! Shout out if you see us!! Yahoo!

1. How long have you been plant-strong?

I started working my way toward a plant based diet in the summer of 2014, vegetarian by thanksgiving, Plant-Strong at Christmas. I can honestly say that not going cold-turkey helped me a ton. I was able to slowly work things out of my meal plan, changing them for plant strong alternatives. The Engine2 Family has been my biggest influence, and has changed my whole attitude and relationship that I have with food. My latest Engine 2 Extra Challenge, The Captain’s Plan, has really opened my eyes. In one way it is more restrictive, but on the other hand it is so easy to prepare meals. I am doing this challenge along side my fellow E2’er Theresa, and my wife.

2. What kind of meal really turns you on?

There isn’t a specific type, or a specific dish.. but Anything that is vibrant and rich in culture… For example, one night Lynda made Plant-Strong Sushi Rolls. She had setup dinner on our coffee table with a Japanese tea pot, cups, wasabi, ginger,chop sticks, and sliced rolls set around just as if we had ordered a super spread from a restaurant. It was amazing.

3. Name one condiment you can’t live without:

This is a hard one, but given you have asked for one, I am going to go with Sriracha.

4. What do you love about your kitchen?

My kitchen is the bomb. I mean it is awesome. My daughter works for Cutco, so we have awesome pots, pans, knives, and an awesome island for prepping things! The Blendtec blender is one of my favorite tools in the kitchen. It makes being plant-strong easy and fun.

5. When did your plant-strong “ah-ha” moment come?

I need to answer this in two parts because I was influenced after my brother in law had a massive heart attack ( a widow maker ) , and his doctor prescribed the E2 diet. He was very lucky. He survived only because he was in the hospital and treated under 90 mins. I knew it was the right thing to do logically , but I still had doubts about sustaining this as a lifestyle. When we made Plant-Strong sushi at home, that was the nail in the coffin for my old lifestyle. It was exciting, and my real “ah-ha” moment. Best of all, we make it ourselves now, and enjoy it at home!

6. If stranded on a deserted island, what one food and beverage would you have with you?

Wow – these are hard questions! Sweet Potatoes and Blue-Berry Bliss Herbal tea! Sweet Potatoes can be made in so many different ways and Blueberry Bliss takes me to a really awesome place.

7. Who is the one person you’d like to see plant-strong and why?

My mother. She has struggled her whole life with food choices, and at this point I believe it is robbing her of so many things in her life. I wish she could have the strength to commit to a month to see how awesome being plant strong is, how awesome it tastes, and how much it changes your life for the better without giving up anything.

8. Curly or Lacinato

Lacinato Kale of course!! Dinosaur Kale is awesome, especially if you massage it with an awesome plant strong dressing! It is super hearty, and looks super cool!!

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Plant-Strong Shopping on a Shoe String

Along this plant-strong journey of mine, I have learned many great money-saving tips to keep me on the E2 path. Often time, people will ask me, “How do you afford to eat this way?” I am still not quite sure why there is such a myth about eating vegetables, and it being so expensive. There are no processed foods on Engine 2 Diet, and you are essentially buying fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains. And, if you shop in bulk, prices are even more of a reduction.

Here are a few money-saving tips that will help you save money when you are planning and shopping for your plant-strong menu items.

-Make a Weekly Menu: This is the most useful tip. I have four, weekly menu plans, and I rotate them out every fourth week. Sometimes, it doesn’t always stay on track, but I have an idea of what I will be making and serving. This is a great way to save money at the checkout.

-Create a Shopping List: I have a master list of grocery items that includes everything I generally use. It serves as a good tool to stay focused in the grocery store when I am often drawn to displays and beautiful endcaps.

-Hit Websites of Favorite Products: You’ll find manufacturer’s coupons online. Print them out, and take the coupons with you. There aren’t many coupons that I use for shopping, but it is always good to see one for a plant-milk or fresh produce, for example.

-Use In-Store Coupon Books: If you’re a shopper at Whole Foods Market, the Whole Deal® is always a great way to plot your grocery store trip. With sensible and thoughtful writing, the publication offers manufacturer’s coupons and private label coupons, as well.

-Use a Shopping App: Query shopping apps that will help you save moolah as you shop. You will find them easy to use, and beneficial to your shopping patterns.

-Shop for What You Need: I live in southeastern PA, and there are produce warehouses where I used to shop. Lots of produce, stuffed into plastic bags, and usually for one dollar a bag. The bad thing is that you did not get to select exact pieces, AND sometimes, you would get more than you needed. Not sure I can use ten zucchini in a week. In the end, it wasn’t cost-effective.

-The Best Time to Shop: I like shopping early in the morning, the store is easier to manage and you can cruise up and down the aisles. Fresh produce looks delicious and everything seems more accessible.

-Shop in Bulk: Get all of your beans and grains in bulk. If you’re mindful of keeping your carbon footprint at an all time low, buying unpackaged foods is a great way to be a good steward, and save money. If you’re buying grains, double line the plastic bags, because if a grain cuts a bag, disaster will ensure. Bulk is my favorite, because I can get exactly what I need.

-Bring Your Own Bags: Not only do I take my own bags grocery shopping, I also pack my own groceries. One bag is for frozen fruit and veggies, one bag is for dry goods, and the other is for fresh produce. I do this because it makes it super easy to get the groceries into the house. If I am running late, or whatever, I always grab the frozen bag and the produce bag, and this way, I can unpack them, easily, and not worry about anything going bad in the car!

We eat really well in my home, and I am always proud of the plant-strong dishes that I create for me and my husband. We spend within the ballpark of $100-125 per week. We eat delicious meals that I make with recipes that are Engine 2 compliant, and part of that means having foods that are nutritious and flavorful!

Eating strong foods doesn’t have to break the bank.

No related posts.

Plant-Strong Shopping on a Show String

Along this plant-strong journey of mine, I have learned many great money-saving tips to keep me on the E2 path. Often time, people will ask me, “How do you afford to eat this way?” I am still not quite sure why there is such a myth about eating vegetables, and it being so expensive. There are no processed foods on Engine 2 Diet, and you are essentially buying fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains. And, if you shop in bulk, prices are even more of a reduction.

Here are a few money-saving tips that will help you save money when you are planning and shopping for your plant-strong menu items.

-Make a Weekly Menu: This is the most useful tip. I have four, weekly menu plans, and I rotate them out every fourth week. Sometimes, it doesn’t always stay on track, but I have an idea of what I will be making and serving. This is a great way to save money at the checkout.

-Create a Shopping List: I have a master list of grocery items that includes everything I generally use. It serves as a good tool to stay focused in the grocery store when I am often drawn to displays and beautiful endcaps.

-Hit Websites of Favorite Products: You’ll find manufacturer’s coupons online. Print them out, and take the coupons with you. There aren’t many coupons that I use for shopping, but it is always good to see one for a plant-milk or fresh produce, for example.

-Use In-Store Coupon Books: If you’re a shopper at Whole Foods Market, the Whole Deal® is always a great way to plot your grocery store trip. With sensible and thoughtful writing, the publication offers manufacturer’s coupons and private label coupons, as well.

-Use a Shopping App: Query shopping apps that will help you save moolah as you shop. You will find them easy to use, and beneficial to your shopping patterns.

-Shop for What You Need: I live in southeastern PA, and there are produce warehouses where I used to shop. Lots of produce, stuffed into plastic bags, and usually for one dollar a bag. The bad thing is that you did not get to select exact pieces, AND sometimes, you would get more than you needed. Not sure I can use ten zucchini in a week. In the end, it wasn’t cost-effective.

-The Best Time to Shop: I like shopping early in the morning, the store is easier to manage and you can cruise up and down the aisles. Fresh produce looks delicious and everything seems more accessible.

-Shop in Bulk: Get all of your beans and grains in bulk. If you’re mindful of keeping your carbon footprint at an all time low, buying unpackaged foods is a great way to be a good steward, and save money. If you’re buying grains, double line the plastic bags, because if a grain cuts a bag, disaster will ensure. Bulk is my favorite, because I can get exactly what I need.

-Bring Your Own Bags: Not only do I take my own bags grocery shopping, I also pack my own groceries. One bag is for frozen fruit and veggies, one bag is for dry goods, and the other is for fresh produce. I do this because it makes it super easy to get the groceries into the house. If I am running late, or whatever, I always grab the frozen bag and the produce bag, and this way, I can unpack them, easily, and not worry about anything going bad in the car!

We eat really well in my home, and I am always proud of the plant-strong dishes that I create for me and my husband. We spend within the ballpark of $100-125 per week. We eat delicious meals that I make with recipes that are Engine 2 compliant, and part of that means having foods that are nutritious and flavorful!

Eating strong foods doesn’t have to break the bank.

No related posts.

Dinner from the Salad Bar and Beyond

With everyone in a hurry, there are many easy ways to enjoy plant-strong meals without having tons of time. Grocery stores make life easier with so many pre-packaged meals, but the problem is that few are plant-strong compliant.

Sometimes, when you walk through your door after a long day, the thought of making a dinner seems almost overwhelming. But, with these quick tips from Engine 2, I think that your life will get easier and more delicious. Eating strong foods that are rich in whole grains and foods from the earth, you’ll be ready to enjoy delicious dinners and other meals.

Five Tips for Making Meal Prep Easier

-Hit the Salad Bar: A good salad bar will have everything you need. Whether you need greens, vegetables, beans, or fresh fruit, you are pretty much covered. Everything is beautifully sliced and diced and ready to eat! Ask the prepared foods team members for plastic containers, and store what you get in the containers. Then, when you get home, you’ll be well prepared, and if you do not eat everything in one event, you’ll have more produce for future salads and stir-fry dishes stored in those containers. NOTE: At the register, the cashier will adjust the tare weight of the container so that it is not included in the weight of the foods.

-Create a Salad Bar in Your Fridge: When you shop, it is best to get only what you need. This best practice avoids waste and allows you to create meals from your week’s menu. As soon as you get home, take thirty minutes to clean, prep and store all your veggies in containers. You will be quite surprised with how fast it is to make your own bountiful dish, whether it be a salad, soup, or stir-fry. You’ll never have that experience of wondering what’s growing in the vegetable bin!

-Bake Up a Batch of Potatoes: Get a sack of potatoes, and bake them all at once. Store them in the fridge. They are perfect for making crispy oven-fries, adding to salads, and for snacking. After baking them, store in the fridge. You will save so much time, and if you have a soup in the fridge, adding pureed baked potatoes to it will change the flavor and texture for a bountiful, vegetable soup.

-Make Your Own Salad Dressings: In a perfect world, there’d be ready made,oil-free salad dressings that tasted good and were free of sugar. Make a few types of dressings and store them in glass containers. They’ll last for about a week in the fridge, and all you need to do is give them a great shake and your salad will be delicious. You can also use salad dressings for marinades. Make sure you date the bottled dressing, so that you can keep tabs on its “production date.”

-Like Mighty Muffins?: Make a batch of Mighty Muffins then, store them in the freezer. You’ll have a quick “grab and go” breakfast for the week. If you don’t have time for a Rip’s Big Bowl, the muffins will give you the morning start you need!

Easy-peasy. These tips will have you feeling plant-strong all the time.

I also love having Engine 2 Burgers in my freezer…they are great as burgers, salad add-ons, and in pasta! Having an arsenal of strong foods at the ready makes meal prep a breeze and your plant-strong journey a tad more fulfilling, and delicious.

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Celebrate the Holiday with Adonis Cake

Adonis Cake

This is a chocolate cake for the gods –moist and chocolaty with dreamy, creamy Adonis frosting. Rip’s wife, Jill, made this cake for Rip’s 49th birthday party and it was a smash! The recipe comes from Jill’s aunt Betty and her wonderful eight-year-old grandson, Adonis.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Makes one 9×9-inch cake

Ingredients

1½ cups whole wheat flour

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

⅔ cup pure maple syrup

6 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup cold water

Instruction

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Set out a 9×9-inch nonstick cake pan. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, and baking soda and mix well. Add the maple syrup, applesauce, vinegar, vanilla, and water and mix well to combine.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 30 minutes.

While the cake is cooking, make the Adonis frosting (recipe follows).

When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and set aside to cool. When cooled, frost with Adonis frosting.

Rip’s Tip: If you want a two-layer cake, then just double the recipe –and frosting recipe below as well. Then frost in between and all over both layers! Want something sweet and spicy? Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to your frosting!

Adonis Frosting

Chocolate frosting of the gods!

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Makes about 2 cups frosting –enough for one Adonis Cake, plus a few taste tests

Ingredients

One 12-ounce package of silken tofu

¾ cup dairy-free, semisweet chocolate chips, melted

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instruction

Place the silken tofu in a food processor. Add the melted chocolate chips to the food processor and blend.

Add the vanilla and blend until chocolaty and creamy. Taste at this stage; if using grain-sweetened chips, you may want to add a bit more maple syrup –or not! Trust your own taste.

Use immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.

Rip’s Tip: Enjoy this recipe as a pudding as well! After preparing it, pour it into glasses, layer with sliced fruit, and refrigerate until ready to serve

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Engine 2 Phoenix Award – Shane

I’m originally from Mississippi and grew up on the other “SAD” diet…the “souther american diet”…you know the one where we use pork as a seasoning? My main diet my whole life, literally, was meat, mayo and cheese. Through High School and college I played sport and was very active. After school, I became more and more inactive and began to steadily gain weight; gaining roughly 50lbs. from the time I was 20 until my wedding when I was 26…I weighed 240 lbs. My wife never bugged me but was always concerned as she saw me eat like there were no consequences.

Shortly after turning 35, and the birth of our fourth child, I gave in and went and had a physical; I was devastated with the results. I was diagnosed as a pre-diabetic; high blood pressure; high cholesterol which was over 300; fatty liver; sleep apnea and my pancreas was showing insulin resistance. My doctor sent me a letter of concern and requested to see me to discuss my options. After the initial shock wore off, I did what any concerned person would’ve done: I didn’t go back…not for four years.

Over the course of the next four years, I gained more weight until finally reaching my pinnacle at 281lbs. I began to get staph infections constantly that would not heal; extreme fatigue; developed dark patches under my arms and neck, which a doctor friend at church informed me he was certain I was full blown diabetic; more sleep apnea; joint pain; shortness of breath and whole other list of ailments.

A few weeks before my 40th birthday I decided to have my blood pressure checked and the results: 153/106…I was a freaking time bomb. I realized I had to do something or my life would be cut extremely short and my wife would be left alone to raise our five children. I reached out to a friend I knew who had lost a lot of weight to see what he had done. I had tried every diet in the past and nothing worked. He encouraged me to watch Forks Over Knives, and I did, two weeks before my 40th birthday. It was because of that documentary I learned about the Engine 2 Diet…I started cold turkey the next day. The results were nothing short of amazing. I lost 19lbs. the first two weeks; in the first 3 months I lost 55 lbs. and had a physical for life insurance. My weight dropped from 281 to 226; my BP dropped from 153/106 to 126/79; my cholesterol dropped from almost 400 to 199 and glucose test came back on the low end of normal…the lab report actually made a point of saying I showed no signs of diabetes or was in danger of developing diabetes(if they had only know). From that moment on, I was sold and Rip Esselstyn became my hero.

I’m in ministry full-time, and at the time, we couldn’t afford the Engine 2 books but because of the website, we had access to many of the recipes and I watched every Rip Esselstyn video on YouTube I could find. Rip literally saved my life and I get emotional every time I talk about it. I started running shortly after and competing in 5K’s and currently training for a Triathlon eventually. My family have embraced this lifestyle and the energy I have, the way I feel is truly amazing. We have recently moved to Jackson, MS and thankful there is a Whole Foods(we love our Engine 2 burgers).

Back in February, I attended the Engine 2 challenge at the local Whole Foods, not because I “needed it” but because I wanted to be living example for everyone who was there and be encouragement for them. It went over so well, I was asked to be the main speaker at the “graduation” and have since developed a group called Famine To Feast that my wife and I host in our home with many of the Engine 2 graduates to keep them motivated. We eat, discuss and I always end the evening with a cooking demo…always pushing Engine 2 and Whole Foods products.

To date, I have lost 80 pounds and my current stats are: BP 113/72; Cholesterol:158

Engine 2 has made such an impact in my life, so much so, I am going to be enrolling in eCornell’s plant-based nutrition certification program with the hopes of starting my own business in health coaching and speaking…I figure I’ve been speaking in church the last 10 years, I can do it with food:) Engine 2 has truly changed my life and I can’t thank you all enough. Keep up the good work and thanks for this opportunity!

Peace,
Shane Martin (Famine To Feast)
On Twitter: @famine_to_feast

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Not Your Nonna’s Minestrone

Growing up with my Italian grandmother, or nonna, it seemed as though there was always a big pot of soup bubbling on the stove. It was either minestrone, lentil soup, or peas and pasta. Ready made canned soups were foreign to us. It was Nonna’s soup all the way, and minestrone was my favorite.

With the warp speed of life today, taking a wholesome, plant-strong dinner to the table can be a challenge. It’s easy to be swayed by containers of ready-made soup at the grocer’s, but making food is always so much more rewarding.

This is where “Engine 2 comes to the rescue.” Our Engine 2 Marinara can be the base for many delicious soups. Soup is an all year thing, it’s not just for the winter! And this easy minestrone recipe will knock you off your feet!

This quick and easy recipe will become a favorite for the guys at the firehouse, the family, or a potluck at school.

Here’s what you will need to make this delicious soup:

Firehouse Minestone

INGREDIENTS

-Jar of Engine 2 Marinara Sauce

-32 ounces of vegetable broth

-one can of tomato paste (6 ounces)

-one small white onion, diced into small pieces

-two carrots, diced

-2 ribs of celery, thinly sliced

-two cloves of garlic, finely minced

2 zucchini, quartered into 1/4 inch pieces

-1 bay leaf

-sprig of fresh rosemary

-dried oregano or basil to taste

-nutritional yeast for garnish

-4 cups of cooked whole wheat shells, ditalini, elbow, etc. (NOTE: Not cooking (and keeping) the pasta in the soup, keeps the pasta “al dente” and delicious.)

PREPARATION

Clean and prepare the vegetables. In a large pot, add about two tablespoons of broth, and on a low flame, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Stir frequently until the vegetables become translucent, about five-ten minutes. Add zucchini and garlic, and stir them into the vegetable mixture. Cook together for about five minutes. Add the bay leaf and rosemary, mix all vegetables together.

In a bowl, take the tomato paste and mix it well with the sauce, then, add broth. Once all mixed well, slowly add to the vegetables. Cook covered on a low heat/simmer for about 30 minutes. The vegetables will be deliciously firm and bright and colorful.

When the soup is done, take the cooked pasta and place a serving(about a cup) in a bowl, and ladle with soup to cover the pasta.

Garnish with nutritional yeast.

This soup freezes well. If you are into batch cooking, double up on this one, because it will be a crowd pleaser.

The enjoyment of using Engine 2 Marinara is that it is oil-free, and lower in sodium than other jarred sauces. It will make your soup sing an aria of plant-strong goodness!

Buon appetito!

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What’s On Your PL8? – Robert Cheeke

– Robert Cheeke, best-selling author of Shred It! and Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness, 2-time champion bodybuilder, and founder/president of Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness – www.veganbodybuilding.com

1. How long have you been plant-strong?

I have been following a plant-based diet since 1995, but I have only been following a whole-food, plant-based diet since 2012. After watching Forks Over Knives and spending time with Dr. T. Colin Campbell, Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., and Rip Esselstyn, to name a few, I transitioned to a cleaner and healthier plant-strong diet.

2. What kind of meal really turns you on?

In my mind, there is nothing better than fresh fruit. If I could have a platter of fresh whole fruits including mangos, nectarines, peaches, oranges, and berries, I would be pretty turned on!

3. Name one condiment you can’t live without: 

I can live just fine without any condiments so no struggle there. But if I had to select a favorite I would say guacamole. Does that count as a condiment? If not, I’ll say fresh salsa. I think that counts as one.

4. What do you love about your kitchen?

I love that my kitchen is full of fresh food and it is not a burial ground of animals whose lives were cut short for a human palate preference. I also love that the fruit bowl is always overflowing and tends to turn into a fruit counter.

5. When did your plant-strong “ah-ha” moment come?

Growing up on a farm in an agriculture town in western Oregon, I had farm animals as friends. As a 15-year old, in 1995, I decided I no longer wanted to eat my friends, and became a vegan. When I enrolled in the Dr. T. Colin Campbell Plant-Based Nutrition Course through Cornell University in 2012, I had my true “ah-ha” plant-strong moment, and transitioned over to a whole-food, plant-based diet.

6. If stranded on a deserted island, what one food and beverage would you have with you?

I consider myself to be fairly logical, so I would analyze this question based on the nutritional return on investment I would get from my food and beverage selection. I’d also want to know what vegetation, crops, and trees are on this island, but for simplicity, I’ll say potatoes and coconut water. If I can’t find the tools to prepare the potatoes, I’ll swap them out for mangoes and some dental floss.

7. Who is the one person you’d like to see plant-strong and why?

I would try to determine which individual has the potential for the greatest positive influence on society and select that person. At this time, I’m not sure who that is, so I will consult with Twitter to find the most followed person. Right now, that is Katy Perry. Barack Obama is third on that list and I have a feeling he could be more influential than Katy Perry or Justin Bieber, who are the top two most followed people on Twitter. So right now I’d go with President Obama. I would also like to see the top athletes in all major sports become plant-strong because they have such a powerful influence on the millions of sports fans who look up to them for inspiration and guidance.

8. Curly or Lacinato?

Is this a Three Stooges question? I’ll go with curly on this one. Can I get a kale yeah?

Latest News:

Robert just released his second book, Shred It!, on November 4, 2014, and it is in its third printing. Shred It! is a step-by-step guide to burning fat and building muscle on a whole-food, plant-based diet, complete with case studies, transformation stories, 75 whole-food, plant-based recipes, exercise programs with photo demonstrations, and featured 35 plant-based athletes. Shred It! is available on www.veganbodybuilding.com. Robert continues to tour all over the world with upcoming trips to Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, Australia and all corners of the United States, speaking about the plant-strong fitness lifestyle. Follow Robert on Twitter at @RobertCheeke and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VeganBodybui... for tour updates and general news about plant-based fitness.

 

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What If?

A few years ago at the E2 firehouse!

 

Do you ever wonder what would happen “if” you didn’t say yes to a certain situation? Sometimes, I wonder how different my life would be if I hadn’t decided to move to Philadelphia after seeing the original “ROCKY” film for two straight weeks (when I lived in Brazil as a Peace Corps Volunteer). That movie said, “Head to Philly!”

I wonder what would have happened had I not gotten kicked off the Chestnut Hill Local in Philadelphia when I carried my bike onto the train. Because had that never happened, I would never had met my husband. It’s a long story, but one in a long litany of life events.

Of late, the one thing I think about most is this, “What would have happened had I not been selected to attend the inaugural Engine 2 Retreat in Austin, TX in 2010?” I think I know the answer.

When you make the decision to become plant-strong, it creates a label for you. Some of your friends and family members might be in question about this health change. I am a person who could have been a professional dieter. If it was a diet on a magazine cover, I was ready to give it a whirl.

But, there was something different about the Engine 2 Diet. During my week at the retreat (then called an immersion), I was lured by the science of diet. I am a very black and white person, and it seemed evident to me that research was speaking for itself. The other thing that really brought everything to a reality was sitting in the front row of Ann and Jane’s cooking classes. They are very practical thinkers and doers, and their no-nonsense approach to tackling the plant-strong kitchen was easily presented.

I think I do really know the answer to the question about my life’s destiny, had I never embraced a plant-strong lifestyle. And, all I need to do is look at my family history. Looking at my siblings, too, my younger ones are on the firing line for taking statins. Trying to convey the meaning of a plant-strong life may fall on deaf ears (which greatly saddens me), but I remind myself that I only need to be “plant-strong to thine ownself.”

That’s what I think. Had I not taken this path, my health would be in a state of decline, I would be incurring health care costs that were preventable. I’d be that statistic about heart disease, or cancer, or any other related lifestyle disease. Eating plants has safe guarded my life.

This coming March marks the fifth anniversary of concept of the Engine 2 Retreats. I realize that I was part of an amazing beginning, and to see its “swell and growth” makes me feel enormously proud of every aspect of Engine 2. The success of the Engine 2 format is based on Rip’s incredible work ethic, his hard work, and the personal touch that he adds to any event. Rip’s “pay it forward” approach to all that he does is what keeps this Engine going.

One last thing. And it is almost funny. Several years ago, Rip came to Philadelphia for the premiere of FORKS OVER KNIVES. The next day, he was at a closed event for Whole Foods Market team members. He called a friend and I to the stage. He began to talk and I remember thinking, “Gee, Rip is so nice, and he says such on-target things about people.” Then he said this.

“And this person is an older woman, and she gives Engine 2 her all.”

I remember thinking, “Who is he talking about?”

Turns out, he was talking about me. Yup, I was an older adult. But, you know what? I recently turned 65 years of age, and I know with all the love in my heart, that if it wasn’t for Engine 2 being a distinct part of my life, I would be a health statistic with various lifestyle diseases.

Engine 2 is not just about losing weight. It is about navigating ways to achieve your optimal health. And all you need to do is eat plants. Simple as that.

As Rip gets ready to celebrate a special fifth with his entire team, my healthy heart is filled with deep gratitude and lots of kale!

So, if you are sitting on the fence about following a plant-strong lifestyle, just DO IT, you will never have to ask yourself the question, “What would my life be like if I had started the Engine 2 Diet?”

And thanks to Rip for being the steward of good health that he is, and deep appreciation to Whole Foods Market for raising the wellness bar and creating the format of retreats for team members.

 

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