Rip Esselstyn's Blog, page 9

A Mother’s Day Menu – Tribute to Moms

My sister, Jane Esselstyn, my Mother, Ann Esselstyn and me.

 

Let’s face it. Mother’s rock! Mom’s are the best thing going on because, well, they got “it” going on…in spades!

Whether it’s my amazing mom, Ann; whether it’s my dynamic sister, Jane; or whether it’s my cool, calm, and collect wife, Jill; mother’s feed, nourish, and sacrifice themselves to take care of their families. And they do it without getting a pat on the back or a simple thank you.

That’s why this Mother’s Day I want to celebrate and give an Engine 2 style shout out to all the plant-strong mother’s out there who are towing the line and nourishing their families with the strongest and smartest food on the planet – plants!

So, let’s raise up a cup of steamed kale and toast all the mother’s across the land that love on their families and expect little to nothing in return.

In tribute to all the amazing, talented, and miracle-working moms out there, I want to share these plant-strong recipes from the meal planner with you in hopes they will inspire your family and help make your Mother’s Day memorable.

Spinach Artichoke Scramble
Cocoa Pancakes with Raspberry Sauce
Morning Fruit & Green Salad
Mighty Muffins
Sunny Tropical Fruit Bowl

In addition, I want to offer you $20 off our Plant-Strong Meal Planner yearly membership, to help make life in your kitchen and grocery store easier.  Use code: MOMSROCK when you sign up. The E2 Planner makes a great gift – just use your loved one’s email address when you purchase. And our customer support team is always here to help, so reach out anytime by clicking the chat bubble! Hurry, the code expires May 20th!

So, Moms, here’s to you and the miracles you create each and every day. Thank you!

Peace, Engine 2, Plant-Strong!

Lisa’s Amazing Plant-Strong Success Story

Lisa Morris joined our Seven-Day Rescue Challenge Facebook group in April 2017. Now nearly a year into her journey, Lisa recently shared some details and pictures in the group that were simply incredible. We just had to talk to her and find out more of inspiring story!

Q: How did you discover Engine 2? What made you decide to go plant-strong?

A: I first head Rip talk about it on the CBS morning news show several years ago. I remember Gayle telling him that [a plant-strong diet] all sounded logical, but she couldn’t see people sticking with it. Rip asked her to give him two weeks to prove it for her. I went to the library, took out The Engine 2 Diet and read it along with his dad’s book, How to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease (since I was having chest pain as well as blood sugar and cholesterol issues), plus T. Colin Campbell’s The China Study.  

I wish I could say those were enough to sway me away from the junk I was eating, but I sadly continued eating the Standard American Diet for several more years. I think when I finally decided to go plant-strong I was at a point in my life where I was ready to make that change no matter what the cost, because I was feeling so badly, the cost of medication was killing us financially and I wanted to be a healthy example for our grandbabies. Most importantly, I wanted to be able to dance with my husband, Eddie, at our 50th anniversary (granted, I’ll be 99 and Eddie will be 90!). I can visualize it and continue to believe that with the new change to our eating ANYTHING is possible. So May 6, 2056 here we come!

Q: What types of meals did you typically eat before going plant-strong?

A: I ate anything and everything that was put in front of my face, whether I was hungry or not. Cheese was probably my #1 food, with meat and bread coming in a close second. Then of course my grandmother taught me that no meal is complete without some type of ooey gooey sweet for dessert.  

While grocery shopping, I would always go for the cheapest product (whether it was healthy or not) to be able to stretch the pennies that we had to work with for the week. Unless they were canned (and basically stripped of much of their nutritional value), greens, other veggies and fruits were not part of the weekly menu. We ate a lot of sausage, bacon, gravy and biscuits, along with tons of eggs (many a breakfast supper were part of the dinner plan) not to mention hot dogs, chicken or whatever meat was on sale that week. PB&J or toasted cheese sandwiches with canned tomato soup were staples in my kitchen.

Q: In general, how was your health?

A: It went from bad to worse, and would flip flop depending on which diet I decided to try, but my issues involved: High blood sugar, high cholesterol, chest pain, hypothyroidism, continued hair loss, several  surgeries to remove tumors from both breasts, gallbladder removal surgery, massive acid, fatty liver and Multiple Sclerosis. MS was the top biller in all of it.

The week before Halloween October 2016, I lost the vision in my left eye and had to undergo a high dose medicine drip for 5 days as an outpatient in the hospital. I had been taking a steroid for my medical issues — which has its own host of problems, including swelling up like a sausage and the feeling that you’re on a treadmill going full speed and can’t stop.  At that point, my MS was affecting my balance to the point that — even with a cane — it was difficult to stand up. Driving was a rarity (and only when I absolutely had to) because simply using my leg muscles would put me out of commission for the next several days.  Many a glass I broke because of my inability to hold onto things with the weakness in the arms/hands and the cognitive issues were getting worse (along with my vision again).

Q: Outside of food, what was a typical day like before you went plant-strong (eg. exercise, stress, watching TV)?

A: Because of the weakness in the legs/arms, the cognitive issues it just got harder and harder to do any type of exercise.  Just walking from room to room was enough for my body to handle so I would either sit and watch TV, read when my vision would cooperate or go outside and sit in the sunshine when the weather would cooperate (that was and still is my most favorite of all)

Q: What were some of the first improvements you noticed after going plant-strong? What was the biggest improvement?

A: My first improvement was realizing that I no longer walked like a “weeble wobble” doll as I maneuvered from room to room, and that I wasn’t holding onto either the walls and/or furniture as well. I remember the first time that happened, looking when I got to the other room and wondering, “How in the world did that just happen?!”  

My energy increased almost as quickly as the “weeble wobble” situation got better, and we decided that every Sunday after church we were going to go as far as we could walking the mall.  In less than three weeks, I went from going super slow with my steadfast third leg (aka my cane) to realizing that I didn’t have to lean so hard on my cane. It then went from carrying it with me (using occasionally) until I was carrying it and not having to use it at all. I finally progressed to leaving it in the car and walking on my own (which I would say was an exciting moment) as I no longer had to rely on my third leg at all to help me walk.  I haven’t picked it up since (at most when I am pushing it, I may have to rest for a minute or two)!

Since our first initial round of the mall and when the weather is good, we would also drive to the closest park every Saturday for a walk (a 35-minute ride) and we’d continue our mall walking on Sundays after church. During the week, I have starting using the gazelle glider, which is much easier on my legs than a treadmill or exercise bike.  I started out having to go slow and hold onto it. Now I can do it without any balance issues at all, which blows my mind! It’s amazing to look back on how far my body has come — all by feeding it the proper fuel it needs to heal.

Q: How has your plant-strong lifestyle impacted your family or friends?

A: For the most part (and yes there are plenty of party poopers) it’s had a positive impact on my closest friends and family. I have a few who I’m sure are watching from the wings to see if I’ll fall again since I had always started, but never completed, “diets” (a word I’ve realized should never be used when it comes to nutrition). I wish I had this powerful knowledge back when my three children were young, but that’s in the past. Right here, right now is where I jumpstart my role as a parent and grandparent by continuing to lead by example and by showing first hand how putting the proper fuel in your body changes everything.

With that said my sweet hubby Eddie had been a “meat and potatoes”, high fat, dairy kind of guy all his life, so converting him wasn’t even on my radar when I started.  Yes, once I started to feel the changes I wanted him to experience them as well, but I also knew that I couldn’t push. As I cooked our meals he always ate whatever I fixed, so he had plenty of plant-strong side dishes. On July 10, 2017, he decided to jump into this way of life full force and as he told my neurologist and his doctor, “I had the example and proof in front of me the whole time that this works, so if Lisa can do it, I can too.”  While he’s still not 100%, he’s getting much closer (some health issues are getting him even closer as I share our story).

Q: What motivates you every day to stay plant-strong?

A: The fact that the good Lord has graciously provided me with another day here on this earth is motivation enough. While I don’t know what his plans are, I’m gonna enjoy the ride (healthy and happy!) while I’m here.

I hope and pray that the snowball effect from people like Rip spreading this information and knowledge keeps growing to help those affected with ALL types of disease!

How to “Spring Clean” Your Diet

Spring has sprung! That means warmer weather is coming soon for many of us, the leaves are growing again and summer is just around the corner.

In a lot of cases, it also means…spring cleaning!

But besides cleaning out the garage or setting your alarm clock ahead an hour, spring cleaning can also be applied to your diet (with fantastic results). If you have fallen a bit off track since the beginning of the year or if you’re just looking for some helpful reminders to help you reboot, these tips can be super useful:

Clear your cupboards. The holidays can make it easy to have unhealthy items in your pantry, fridge or freezer that are too tempting. Get rid of them! Unopened food can be donated to shelters or nonprofits, and friends or family may want anything that has been opened. Just get it out of the house: Out of sight, out of mind!
Stock up on plant-strong essentials. Start with your pantry: Here’s our recommendations for the perfect plant-strong pantry. Do you have certain grains, spices or beans you like more than others? Be sure to keep PLENTY in the house! That way in a pinch, you can toss together some beans, grains, greens and “spark” in a bowl or wrap and have an instant, satisfying, plant-strong meal.
Be super clear on what you’ll be eating and enjoying. Rip researched the optimal plant-strong diet for years during our Engine 2 Immersions, and shared his results (and recommendations) in The Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet book. Subsequently, we’ve heard from thousands of you who have followed Rip’s guidelines and have gotten off or reduced your insulin, blood pressure medicine and have improved other chronic diseases (in addition to losing a TON of weight!). In our free Seven-Day Rescue Challenge, we are intentionally clear in what to eat and avoid, so that sticking to the plan is beyond simple. And if you’re looking for extra help, the E2 Meal Planner will actually suggest meals (and we have HUNDREDS) that meet our Seven-Day Rescue Challenge guidelines! That way, you can stop stressing about what to eat and just follow what the Meal Planner recommends. It’ll even automatically build a shopping list for you and in many areas, you can send them right to Instacart and have your groceries delivered straight to your house. Talk about convenient!
Find a support system. While accountability from family and friends is nice, sometimes it can really make a difference to share and hear from people who are pursuing the same goals. In addition to your accountability buddies, a support system of people who are also plant-strong can be a massive help. If you haven’t already, join our free Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Challenge Facebook group. We are more than 22,000 strong and have an EXTREMELY supportive environment. You’ll get ideas, advice, recipes and tons of positive reinforcement.

Now that you’re armed with tips to help you spring clean your diet, it’s time to get on out there and grab spring by the stocks (kale stocks!) – take advantage of that nice weather and fill your body with prime and pristine plant fuel!

 

Top Engine 2 Recipes: Wasabi Dill Radish Salad

This side salad is a fresh take on an old standard. Macaroni salad or potato salad seem a little boring next to this zippy dish.  Enjoy with a plant-strong burger for the perfect springtime meal! Does the wasabi add a little too much heat for you? Thin it out with water or cut the amount of wasabi in half to tame it a bit.

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

2 bunches radishes, thinly sliced
2 cucumbers, thinly sliced
4 sprigs fresh dill, chopped
2 teaspoons wasabi powder or paste
¼ cup water
Black pepper to taste

Instructions

Combine the sliced vegetables and chopped dill in a bowl. Mix the wasabi with water until smooth and pour over the veggie mixture. Toss and chill for at least one hour before serving. Top with freshly ground black pepper.

Servings: 4 to 6 side servings

 

What to Do When You Have No Idea What to Cook for Dinner

 

It happens to all of us once in awhile, you finish work or errands, get home and look at the clock with dread.

 

Dinner time…help!

Never fear, Engine 2 is here!

In these situations it can be tempting to just order takeout or head to a restaurant but don’t succumb to the temptation. Not only will it likely take you off course and fill you up with unhealthy food (making you feel worse after your meal!), it can cause your food and grocery bill to climb higher than a kite.

Instead of giving into temptation, try these plant-strong tips:

Try something new. Go bold and try a completely new meal. Even if it’s not your new favorite, you’ll most definitely be spicing things up! If you typically like American-style comfort food, maybe try something with some Indian or Mexican spices. Need some inspiration? Try our blog, or head over to the E2 Meal Planner, where we have HUNDREDS of recipes from a variety of cuisines to tempt your palate and truly help you try something new.


Go back to an old favorite. Sometimes when in doubt, your best bet is to go back to one of your favorite recipes. You know you can’t go wrong with a family favorite!


Look in your cupboard. When you freeze up for dinner ideas, sometimes the best place to look is your cupboard or freezer! If you have a bunch of cans of garbanzo beans lying around, maybe a nice falafel is in order. Or if you’re loaded up on kidney beans, it might be time to spice it up and try some chili. Bonus: You’ll clear out the cupboards a bit so you can re-stock with some new inspiration!


Keep it simple. When in doubt, keep it simple. We use a super simple formula for building plant-strong meals over in our Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Challenge Facebook group, but here it is in a nutshell: start with a huge pile of greens, lay your foundation of a hearty, plant-strong grain, toss in some beans (whatever you have on hand) and load it up with whatever veggies you have on hand (fresh or frozen – it doesn’t matter!), top it off with some spark. Your spark could be BBQ sauce, hot sauce, salsa, avocado…use your imagination (and whatever’s in your fridge!). If you’re using canned beans and have some frozen grains, here’s another bonus: Dinner will come together in about 10 minutes or less!


Head to the store for inspiration. If you’ve got some time on your hands, head over to the store for a little inspiration. Many grocery stores have excellent salad bars, and you could either take a special trip out for a plant-strong meal by loading up at the salad bar, or you could use what you find there as inspiration to build your own salads at home. You can also peruse the aisles (and especially the produce section!) to look for what’s new or on sale. If you’re at a US Whole Foods Market location, you can even pick up some Engine 2 Plant-Strong food products to serve as you meal foundation. (Search for the hashtag #E2FoodHacks on Facebook or Twitter for some fun, unique ideas to use our E2 food line products in new and exciting meals!).

 

Now you’re armed and ready with motivation and tools to combat those “who knows what to make” days – you’ve got this!

Top Engine 2 Recipes: Sweet Holy Deliciousness Soup

This Recipe Originally Appeared in Rip’s New York Times #1 Bestseller, Plant-Strong

The idea for this recipe came from the Happy Herbivore’s Sweet Potato Dal recipe, which she calls, “Dal-icious”! My mom turned this dal into soup and was more generous with the garam masala than the amount used in the original. Although conventional curry would work, garam masala is a key spice here. Get it — it’s worth hunting down in the spice aisle and is a must-have in the kitchen. This soup is delicious for lunch or dinner by itself, or over cooked brown rice or quinoa.

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

2 large onions, chopped
6 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 pinches crushed red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
6 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 cup dried red lentils
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
2 bunches kale or greens of choice, stripped or spines, spines discarded, and cut into bite-size pieces
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

In a soup pot, stir-fry the onions and garlic for a few minutes until the onions are limp. Add the pepper flakes, turmeric and garam masala and stir to coat the onions and garlic. Add the vegetable broth and lentils and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to low, cover and simmer until the lentils are fully cooked and the sweet potatoes are tender, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the kale and cook 5 minutes more, or until the kale is soft. Season with black pepper to taste.

Serve on its own or over a mound of cooked whole grains.

Servings: 6

 

Top Engine 2 Recipes: Adonis Cake

This recipe first appeared in Rip’s #1 New York Times Bestseller, Plant-Strong. 

This is a chocolate cake you will never forget – your go-to cake for birthdays and for a romantic Valentine’s Day with your significant other. Rip’s wife made this cake for his birthday party one year and it was an instant 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



Cake

1 ½ 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

Ingredients



Frosting

1 12-ounce package of silken tofu
¾ cup dairy-free, semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

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 a 9×9” baking pan and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the cake and let cool. While your cake is cooling, prepare your frosting. Blend the silken tofu in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Add the melted chocolate chips and blend further until combined. Taste for sweetness – depending on your brand of chocolate chips, you may want to add a tablespoon or so of maple syrup. Finally, add the vanilla and blend until well combined. Use to frost cake once it has cooled completely. If your cake still needs time to cool, refrigerate frosting until it’s ready (this frosting tastes great as a pudding too!).

Tip: If you want a two-layer cake, just double the recipe (including the frosting, of course!). Then front in between layers and across the entire surface of both layers. Want something sweet and spicy? Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to your frosting!

Servings: 9

Top Engine 2 Recipes: Tavern Mushrooms

This game day snack is the perfect party snack to pass around for the big game (or any other party!). You may want to make more than one batch of these, as they tend to go quickly. You’ve been warned!

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 8-ounce package of white mushrooms, washed and dried
2 cups Engine 2 Plant-Strong Pasta Sauce (or your favorite plant-strong pasta sauce)
1/3 cup corn meal
1/3 cup flax meal (you may find this in the store with the label “ground flax”)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta sauce for dipping. Using the remaining cup, dip the mushrooms into sauce to coat. Then, roll the sauce-covered mushrooms into the dry mixture until completely covered.

Place on a parchment paper- or foil-covered baking sheet. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with remaining pasta sauce for dipping (or your favorite plant-strong dressing or sauce).

Servings: About 15-20 mushrooms

Top Engine 2 Recipes: Sunrise Breakfast Bake

The idea for this recipe came from the popular egg, cheese and bacon casseroles so popular at brunches – only this one is PLANT-STRONG!

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 cups old fashioned oats
1 can no-salt added Rotel tomatoes
4 cups raw kale, chopped
½ cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
a dash of cayenne (optional)
4 cups low sodium vegetable broth or water
1/2 cup whole grain oil-free breadcrumbs
Garnish with fresh cilantro, avocado, salsa or hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a 9 x 13 baking dish, Add all ingredients except the breadcrumbs and the garnishes.  Stir until well combined. Add the breadcrumbs to the top, and bake for 45 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with avocado, cilantro, salsa or hot sauce.

Serve with a side of fresh fruit. 

Servings: 6

 

Top Engine 2 Recipes: Baked Blueberry Nectarine Oatmeal

This baked oatmeal is packed with nutrition and is a perfect breakfast to enjoy when the weather outside is chilly!

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

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups unsweetened almond milk (or another unsweetened plant milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 cup blueberries (fresh or thawed frozen blueberries)
1 nectarine, sliced

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Divide evenly into four small (4) ramekins or other small baking dishes and bake for 25 minutes or until the top is slightly browned.

Servings: 4