Alicia Silverstone's Blog, page 40

Immune Boosting Carrot Coconut Soup

When my loved ones are sick, I always bust out the ginger and garlic. They are potent anti-bacterial wonders, and they taste great too. And since my husband had bought a bag of carrots from Trader Joe’s, I figured that a carrot soup would do just the trick. Bonus: this soup makes great baby food too. I also added a little red curry paste, since I can’t have enough of the stuff ever since I tried it in Heather’s amazing Butternut Squash Soup.

My son Franklin loved it. Baby Nicholas loved it. We all did. And, no one got sick, although I will also credit our trusted elderberry tincture for that!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 onion, diced small
1/2 inch ginger, grated
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 lbs carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped
1 large potato, peeled, cut into 1-inch dice
1 t red curry paste
1 can full fat coconut milk, (from a BPA-free can)
Pinch of salt, to taste
Boiled water, to cover

Instructions

In a large saucepan, melt the coconut oil.
Add the onion, and sauté until it starts to become golden. Add the ginger and garlic, and cook for another minute.
Add all the vegetables and curry paste, and stir to coat.
Add enough water to just cover the ingredients. Cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fully cooked.
Blend the soup until smooth with a pinch of salt. Pour it back into the pan, add the coconut milk, and taste again for salt.

Joanna Steven is an Amazon best-selling author, an attachment parenting mom to 2 boys, and a lover of food. Her mission is to inspire mothers and make their life easier so they feel nurtured, nourished, and better able to raise children in a peaceful way. She regularly updates her blog with delicious, wholesome recipes, and lifestyle tips for moms seeking to live motherhood to the fullest.

Note from Alicia: To make this a superhero dish skip the coconut milk and curry paste.

Photo by Cayla1 on Unsplash

Choose Kind This Thanksgiving

Check out this video Bear and I made – I hope you love it!

Bear and I have been practicing a plant-based, compassionate thanksgiving for his whole life!  We went to Farm Sanctuary’s California location recently to cuddle some sweet turkeys. Never has it been clearer why we made the choice to live a cruelty-free lifestyle than when we see what most people consider “food” in real life.

Thanksgiving and turkeys have become synonymous—46 million are killed just for the holiday alone. Sadly, the way we’ve been taught to celebrate is harming animals, our communities, and the earth. It’s never been clearer than how it has affected our collective health with multitudinous health conditions like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.

Farm Sanctuary inspires people to think about turkeys differently. Since 1986, Farm Sanctuary’s Adopt a Turkey Project has encouraged people to sponsor one of their rescued “spokesturkeys” for Thanksgiving instead of eating one.  I’ve been doing this every year as holiday gifts for ages. Kids especially love this gift – why? Because kids are so innately kind. There’s an old vegan adage that goes “if you put a baby in a playpen with a bunny and a carrot — which will he eat and which will he play with?” Kids have very pure cores, they know what truly practicing kindness is, and that’s why – when given the choice and told what’s inside their hot dogs, many kids choose vegan!

For a one-time donation of $35, you can symbolically adopt a rescued turkey—or sponsor the whole featured flock for $150!  The true cost of eating animals has never been more stark. Our modern food system doesn’t just hurt the animals. It hurts us, you, workers, our communities, and the environment, too.

This Thanksgiving, you have a choice. Join me in signing the  turkey-free pledge for a compassionate Thanksgiving today.

Adopt a turkey here!

Photo by Kristin Burns

Top 5 Plant-Based Protein Hacks

It seems that everyone is interested in eating more plant-based meals these days, no matter what their eating style. That’s because eating a more plant-based diet can lower your carbon footprint, as well as reduce your risk of chronic disease. And the first step to moving towards a plant-based diet is to turn the plate from animal proteins to plant proteins at more meals. That means swapping standard menu options like steak, baked chicken, and bacon and eggs to dishes like red beans and rice, curried lentils, and veggie-burgers. But don’t worry, making those little swaps is so much easier (and delicious) than you think! There is a whole world of delicious, healthy plant-based eating just waiting to be discovered.

Get ready to dive in with My Top 5 Plant-Based Protein Hacks to get you started.

1. Go With What You Know. The easiest way to kick into a plant-based lifestyle is to make easy, straight-forward switches for your favorite foods. For example, do you love burgers? Then head to the supermarket and try out a few veggie, or “meatless” burgers until you find one that you really love. I enjoy flavorful veggie burgers made with whole ingredients, such as beans, lentils, grains and vegetables. Keep your eye on the nutrition facts label, looking for at least 7 grams of protein per serving.

2. Get Beany With It. I suggest basing at least one of your plant-based meals each day on this humble, protein-rich plant food: beans (also including lentils and dried peas). After all, this nutrient powerhouse is the cornerstone of traditional diets around the world, from chickpeas in the Middle East to black beans in Mexico. So, take the meat off your plate, and substitute it for beans, lentils, or dried peas more often. Try these classic bean hacks for starters:

Pack a whole grain  burrito  with black beans and veggies
Fill a  sandwich  with hummus and roasted vegetables
Feast on home-made or canned vegetarian  chili
Toss  pasta  with white beans, garlic, olive oil, and spinach
Simmer lentils with  curry  to serve with brown rice
Make a hearty  split pea soup
Top your salad with  kidney beans  for lunch

3. Power Up with Plant-Based Dairy Alternatives. One easy swap you can make is to trade animal-based dairy products—milk, yogurt, cheese, cream cheese—with plant-based varieties. Great tasting, easy-to-use options await you in the supermarket. Find a plant-based milk alternative that offers a clean, bright taste, and high-quality nutritional value. I suggest you look for those that provide at least 6 grams of protein per serving, and about 30% of your daily vitamin D and calcium needs.

4. Go a Little Nuts. Another easy plant-protein hack is to turn to nuts and seeds for a punch of protein. One easy classic is the good old-fashioned PB and J—peanut butter is very rich in protein and can easily take the place of a deli meat in your sandwich. But you can also think beyond peanut butter to a range of nuts and seeds and their butters, including pistachios, almonds, walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and pumpkin seeds. One ounce (or about ¼ cup) of nuts and seeds or 2 tablespoons of nut or seed butters is the equivalent of an ounce of meat. Enjoy nuts and seeds on top of salads, stirred into pasta dishes or grain pilafs, or ground into home-made veggie burgers. Use nut or seed butters as a topping on toast, bread, flatbread, crackers, and fruit slices.

5. Get to Know Tofu. Once you’ve mastered a few of these steps, it’s time to turn to tofu as a wonderful plant-based superstar for your dinner plate. This simple, soy food can take the place of meat in just about anything, from lasagna to scrambled eggs to chef’s salad. Start experimenting with tofu by dicing it into a flavorful dish, such as stir-fry or curried vegetables. Then you can gradually try a few other swaps, such as grated tofu with turmeric in your morning scramble or chunks of tofu in your ratatouille recipe. Remember, tofu is a blank canvas, it absorbs the flavors of the foods it is served with, so make sure to serve it with dishes that are heavy on flavor, such as Asian, Italian, or Indian marinades or sauces.

For other plant-based protein-rich recipes, check out the following:

Vegan Tamale Pie
Turmeric Rice and Black Bean Bowl
Mediterranean Edamame Quinoa Bowl

Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN, is The Plant-Powered Dietitian, a registered dietitian nutritionist with more than 18 years of experience in the field of plant-based nutrition and sustainability. Sharon also holds a Master of Science in Sustainable Food Systems. She’s the author of 2 books, The Plant-Powered Diet: The Lifelong Eating Plan for Achieving Optimal Health, Beginning Today and Plant-Powered for Life: Eat Your Way to Lasting Health with 52 Simple Steps & 125 Delicious Recipes.

Photo by v2osk on Unsplash

Vegan Pups: Everything You Need To Know To Do It Right

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I keep my glorious mutts on a plant-based diet.

In my book The Kind Life I wrote;

“First things first: God didn’t create some special, different, dried food just for animals to be dropped down from Heaven in big bags. Conventional pet food is basically junk food, only worse: It’s chock full of animal byproducts (intestines, bones, brains, and other lovelies), preservatives, chemicals, and fillers. Is it any wonder pets these days routinely die of nasty conditions like cancer and kidney failure? The only thing sadder than that collection of ingredients is the fact that your furry friend can’t yell, “Stop!” Your animals deserve real and fresh vittles—just like you—so please consider giving them a kinder diet. You guessed it: grains, beans, and vegetables! You see, a vegan diet works really well because pet dogs don’t live in the wild; let’s face it, they’re sorta couch potatoes. They take a walk every day, maybe follow their humans around a little, and not a lot more, so a plant-based diet is just fine for most dogs’ energy requirements. My dogs favorite snacks? Carrots and corn cobs. Since starting to eat this way, they’ve stopped getting fleas, hot spots, and their coats look great. People always think they’re younger than they are, so they’re getting a little vain!”

Not much has changed since I wrote this, especially the propagation of the (incorrect) concept of people food being bad for dogs. What’s bad for dogs is most conventional dog food. But people’s food – if not full of sugar and too salty or fatty – is as excellent for dogs as it is for us!

No foods go unused in my home. Broccoli stalks and kale stalks are blended and added to the doggy dinner deliciousness. Then – to make it irresistible – I sometimes add peanut butter, molasses, seaweed, and chia seeds. I even add a supplement on occasion to make sure they are getting all that’s needed, and when I truly don’t have time – I give them my favorite commercial dry dog food which is currently Gather.

I saw a lot of discussion in my Instagram comments on a photo of my dog Pinto Bean in front of a plate of carrots, which was just a cute photo opp, not his actual dinner!  I started giving my dogs a vegan diet about 20 years ago. I lived with 7 dogs before this new bunch, and they were all huge dogs. I’m talking 50 pounds and bigger, and each of them died around the average age of 16 (it’s very unusual for big dogs to live that long given mainstream diets.)

Not only is it healthy and okay for my dogs to be vegan, (hence the huge vegan dog food market.. google vegan dog food – there are endless brands) but my dogs thrive on it.

You can call me crazy, or say I’m evil, but I rest in confidence knowing I have the healthiest dogs on the block. Seriously! My last batch of 7 dogs outlived all the dogs I have ever known and they had perfect blood work.

But let’s get to that. In terms of scientific data, according to this article, Dr. Andrew Knight does a great job of documenting all of the current evidence on his website. One of the most notable studies done on sprint racing Huskies showed that those fed a meat-free diet fared just as well as those on an animal based one over the course of 16 weeks. The study focused on red blood cell counts, but the dogs received regular vet checkups throughout.

Ethically, I just can’t justify killing one animal to save or feed another.  I’m not god – so deciding that one life is more worthy than the other doesn’t sit well with me.

Also some dog parents, like the one in this article, almost lost their pets to e-coli outbreaks from animal-based pet food, and then choose a vegan diet for their furry loved ones. Some may say feeding their pets a non-vegan diet is the dangerous choice – not the other way around.

And YES, I know that some animals in the wild eat other animals, but these domesticated dogs are dependent on our feeding them…and if it isn’t necessary, why do it? If it causes less harm to animals, and helps them thrive, it’s a no brainer for me! I’ll stick to a vegan diet for my doggies. You do you, and I’ll do me.

V-dog brand dog food has an exceptional wealth of answers on vegan dog food on their website, as well as vegan dog bones and more!

Here’s my recipe – I don’t always include every one of the supplements in my puppers bowls daily – but they all make the rounds every few days.

Alicia’s Vegan Dog Food Recipe

ALWAYS:

Beans (lentil, garbanzo, mung, etc)
Grains (oats, quinoa, millet, brown rice, barley, farrow)
A nice mixture of about 3 different kinds of raw vegetables (carrots, beets, broccoli, kale, cabbage, green beans)
Leftovers!
Hemp Oil (1t-1tpsn in each meal)
Spirulina (1t-1spn in the big mixture itself, not per meal)

SOMETIMES:

Kelp or dulse
Supplement Veg-e dog
Veg soup or miso broth
Hemp seeds
Chia Seeds

BONUSES:

 1 tbspn peanut butter
1 tbspn molasses
1 tbspn coconut oil
½ cup canned or fresh pumpkin
misc. ground seeds
nuts seed milk

Make sure what you use is organic and non gmo!

Also: Carrots makes a nice snack for a teething puppy – it soothes his teeth, keeps him busy munching, and nourished with vitamins!

Love,

Alicia

Covid-19 Presents Unique Opportunity To Save Thailand’s Elephants From Abuse And Exploitation

There are currently fewer than 3,000 elephants left living in the forests of Thailand compared to 4,000 in captivity attributed to the demands of tourism. The plight of the Asian elephant is one much less known than that of its African cousin, but just as dire.

Elephants used for tourist activities such as trekking rides and animal shows face a cruel life after being taken from their family when young. They are trained with bullhooks, deprived of sleep, abused and confined to small spaces. They also live solitary lives even though they need social interaction with other elephants.

Now, due to Covid-19 bringing Thailand’s tourism industry to a grinding halt, elephants are starving because their owners cannot afford to feed them. But an innovative new plan might be a silver lining in this current crisis—a plan that would allow elephants to leave the trekking industry forever.

Since 1996, Lek Chailert, (known as “the elephant whisperer”) has devoted her life to the conservation of elephants and has rescued more than 250 distressed elephants in Thailand and neighboring countries to date. In addition, she is helping feed more than 2,000 elephants across Thailand—Chailert is a true warrior for elephants in need.

In the wake of the global collapse of tourism, relationships have evolved with several traditional elephant camp owners, who have open minds and hearts, looking for a sustainable and ethical model of elephant tourism under Lek’s guidance. As a result, the new Trunks Up Foster Program was born.

In partnership with Chailert, the Trunks Up Foster Program will help support these elephants and the camp owners’ efforts with foster donations going toward food, care and protection for the elephants. In order to receive Trunks Up Foster Program support, elephant camp owners sign and agree to Lek’s designated strict list of requirements and rules regarding the treatment of their elephants during the process. As soon as they join the foster program they must immediately cease to use the elephants for unethical activities.

The rules that the transitioning camp owners must adhere include but are not limited to:

Each elephant under the foster program must be retired from labor completely
The elephants under the program must receive progressive welfare standards of freedom which includes:
Freedom from hunger and thirst
Freedom from fear and distress
Freedom to express normal behavior of an elephant and released from any kind of restraints
Elephants within the project will be supervised by Save Elephant Foundation to ensure all welfare standards are strictly adhered to.

HELP US BREAK THEIR CHAINS – FOSTER AN ASIAN ELEPHANT TODAY 

An exciting new future is within reach of hundreds of Thailand’s captive elephants—a future unshackled from chains and free from fear of the bullhook. Hundreds of elephants’ lives will be transformed with the public’s support.

HOW CAN I HELP? 

Individuals can foster an elephant for as little as US$50 year ($5 a month) and join a community of animal lovers advocating for a more sustainable future for Thailand’s elephants!
Learn more about the Trunks Up Foster Program with Chok Chai Camp  here.
Join Trunks Up and be a part of Lek Chailert’s vision for the future.

Photo by Kwaku Alston

The Benefits Of Adopting Senior Pets

While the world is uncertain, the love of a companion animal is not. And thankfully, more people are taking time with their pets during the pandemic, while others are opening their homes for a new four-legged friend. After all, we know the love of a cat and dog is unconditional and there are many health benefits to caring for a furry friend. Something so important during this time of need.

So, where is the best place to get a companion animal? The shelter of course, or a local rescue group. If being a full-time pet parent isn’t conducive, fostering a pet is just as rewarding and guaranteed to save a life. Sadly though, seniors are often overlooked, as are black animals, and are typically the first to be euthanized.  There seems to be a pre-judgement when it comes to seniors…. they are untrainable, you won’t have them as long, or they come with issues.

Here’s the real truth – shelters, more often than not, accidently overage animals. Since examining the teeth is one of the best ways to determine an animal’s age, stray or uncared for animals are at a disadvantage. So, the 14-year-old dog that caught your eye at the shelter, could actually be only 8 years old.

There are a lot of benefits to adopting a senior pet… they come already trained (and if they don’t, you really can teach an old dog new tricks!). Seniors are also extremely grateful. They’ve had a tough life and all they want is to spend their remaining years being loved. With a good diet and lots of attention they can live longer than you might think (and having a young dog doesn’t necessarily guarantee you’ll have them any longer). And regards to having issues… well… who doesn’t!

My dog Murphy was a shelter dog with no chance. He was picked up by an animal control officer when he entered an LA county shelter. He was listed as a 13-year-old Pomeranian and was overlooked because of his age and color. The day he was scheduled to be euthanized the volunteer reached out to a local rescue group.

Luckily, Murphy was rescued in time. And he was not 13, he was approximately 9 years old. He was emaciated, covered in fleas, and was in such bad shape the shelter hadn’t neutered him. Now, at 18 years old with heart and kidney disease, and no teeth, he is proof that good things come in small packages.

Bottom line is this… pets are there for us unconditionally and can teach us a thing or two about compassion. It shouldn’t be based on your color, your age, or where you come from. A lesson we should all take to heart when dealing with each other, even among our four-legged friends.

Rachel Weil owns a boutique PR firm, Weil PR, in Los Angeles, and is a proud dog Mom.  She’s also the founder of Bailey Gives Back, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a unique mission: to help people who can’t afford medical care for their pets, to assist our rescue partners with financial assistance for their senior and special needs animals (wildlife, farm and companion animals), and to educate the public about behavior training, first aid preparedness and veterinary care. This keeps animals in their homes and out of the shelter. Fewer animals impounded means fewer animals killed each year.

Photo by Rob Wingate on Unsplash

Trick A Carnivore With These Insanely Good Vegan Burgers

Can a plant-based burger taste good and be good for you?

Plant-based burgers are everywhere these days. It is not unusual to see them in grocery stores or on the menu of your favorite vegan or nonvegan restaurants. In addition to fast food chains like Carl’s Junior and Burger King serving up Impossible and Beyond burgers even some mainstream steakhouse restaurants, like the Chart House, are including them on the menu. Initially, as a vegan, I was put off by the production of an all plant food that emulated the flesh of a murdered cow. I thought we should encourage “cold turkey” veganism. But it was Alicia who passed on to me that the concept, while flawed, overall is a good one, especially if it helps reduce meat consumption and therefore GHGs. More people are gobbling up plant-based burgers and some don’t even know it. My spouse, a meat eater, now prefers them. And current events like the closure of meat processing plants during the pandemic gave the plant-based alternative business an additional boost. So why not take a closer look at a food that could serve as an exit ramp from meat consumption?

While I recognize many readers will be at differing stages in their vegan lifestyle; anywhere from flirt all the way up to super hero, knowing about the plant-based burgers out there allows you to make informed choices, entice your meat eating friends and experiment with cooking and seasoning. I spent a fair amount of time in the kitchen preparing all the burgers covered in this article. They were prepared the same way: a patty on a thin wheat bun with a slice of fresh tomato and red onion, a squirt of catsup and a very modest sprinkle of salt free za’atar. I took a lot of notes while cooking, handling and shopping. A fair amount of research went into this as well, but in the end it was the eating that was most fun. My spouse was an excellent critic approaching each burger as if it was meat. She was brutally honest and we both agreed there was not one burger in the bunch that was disagreeable.

Each of the burgers reviewed here are available at many local grocery store, Whole Foods or other natural food stores. They can also be ordered on line from the companies listed. Full disclosure: neither I nor Alicia have any financial ties to the food companies that make these plant-based burgers.

Texture and Moisture:

Animal meat has collagen fiber and muscle which holds a burger patty together. Fat in an animal burger gives it moisture and it stays solid at room temperature due to its saturation. Plant fats are largely unsaturated fats and therefore are liquid at room temperature. To bind plant-based burgers coconut and other oils, which tend to be solid at room temperature, are used. All the fats used in these meat alternatives melt at lower cooking temperatures than animal fat which is why plant-based burgers need only cook for a short period of time. If cooked for too long they can lose their moisture.

Color: most plant-based burgers have beet extracts and/or annatto added that gives the burger its red tinged center and “bloody” juice. The Impossible Burger goes a step further using soy derived leghemoglobin, an oxygen carrying substance found in the roots of soybean plants.

Workability:  The true art to preparing and serving a plant-based burger is in the cooking.  J. Kenji Lopez-Alt wrote an excellent article on the art of cooking plant based meat. I have found the key to handling most plant-based burgers is to take them immediately from refrigerator to the pan, otherwise they become very mushy and difficult to handle. Stay attentive as you cook them as they really only need some browning on both sides. Don’t press the burger as it cooks, this adds to loss of moisture. If over-cooked a plant-based burger will become dry and lose its umami, that meaty flavor that draws us to burgers in the first place.

Taste: I think next to nutrition this is one of the most important considerations when selecting a plant-based burger or patty. Let’s face it when we eat we want to experience a wide range of tastes: salty, bitter, sweet and sour. Umami, derived from the Japanese word for delicious, is our “fifth taste.” It is through umami that we crave rich flavors like the amino acid gluatamate. Most plant-based burger manufacturers have focused their recipes on appealing to umami. And by and large it works.

Nutrition: My decision to become a vegan was based largely upon a desire to eat more holistically, healthier. So, the nutritional content of plant-based burgers is important to me. That includes calories, percent saturated fats, sodium, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and fortified micronutrient ingredients. The majority of plant-based burgers have pea or soy protein added. Some use wheat gluten. The most common fat source is coconut oil which allows for marbling while binding the ingredients together. Nearly all of them are high in sodium content. The amount of key micronutrient ingredients in each plant-based burger varies making some burgers more beneficial than others. The majority are non-GMO. Some are fortified with Thiamine and B12, vitamins with a predominantly animal origin. The table below summarized the key nutritional content of the burgers discussed here and compares them with the nutritional content of a beef burger.

Impossible (Impossible Foods, Redwood City, CA) by far one of the best known meat alternative burgers. It is oily but moist and very textured with a taste and feel of a beef burger. It is the only burger in this group that is fortified with B vitamins. But it is also the only burger to use some GMO ingredients: GMO modified soy and a yeast amplification process of producing “heme” from soy root.

Fat source: Coconut and sunflower oil
Protein source: soy protein concentrate, potato protein and yeast extract
Fortified: with Thiamine, Niacin, Folate, Riboflavin. B6 and B12

Beyond (Beyond Meat, El Segundo, CA) Next to Impossible this burger has a near beef burger taste and texture. It is moist and when cooked properly juicy. But it does leave the eater with a bit of an after taste.

Fat source: Coconut and canola oil
Protein source: pea, mung bean and rice protein

Uncut (Before the Butcher, San Diego, CA) This burger got the highest rating from my meat eating spouse and I have to agree. Its texture and moisture were spot on and it left no after taste as some plant-based burgers do. The umami was near perfect and I am not just saying that because this burger is from my home town! Of all the burgers reviewed Uncut had the lowest sodium content.

Fat source: Coconut and canola oil
Protein source: Soy protein concentrate, extract and flour, yeast extract

Awesome (Sweet Earth, Moss Landing, CA) this burger generates less cooking fat than the rest but is just as moist to eat. It did not dry out while plated. The texture of the “meat” is more homogeneous, with great taste and a softer umami flavor than other plant-based burgers.

Fat source: Coconut and canola oil
Protein source: Pea protein, wheat gluten and malted barley

Lightlife (Turners Falls, MA) At 40 years old LightLife is one of the oldest plant-based food companies in the US and by no means are they kicking back. This burger uses coconut oil to emulate the marbled burger-like texture so it generates cooking fat like Impossible, Beyond and Uncut. Not as much umami as UnCut or Awesome but the taste does not disappoint, it simply differs. This burger has a pleasant flavor most likely due to the added spices making it slightly sweet. It maintains good moisture while plated.

Fat source: Coconut and canola oil
Protein source: Pea protein

FieldBurger (Field Roast, Seattle, WA) this is another whole burger animal entirely (no pun intended). In the company’s own words “they raise the bar on the antiquated hockey puck veggie burger we all know so well.” Made from whole vegetable and grain ingredients the texture and taste does not even try to be that of a beef impersonator. It is moist, smooth and has a distinct vegetable taste while being healthy. This burger has its own unique taste that merits a bun and other burger accoutrements such as vegan mayo or a small drizzle of tahini dressing (pg 259, The Kind Diet).

Fat source: Palm fruit and safflower oil
Protein source: Wheat gluten and wheat protein, pea protein, yeast extract

Incogmeato (Morning Star Farms, Kellogg): an 8.5 oz burger that like Impossible is fortified with B12 and thiamine. This new comer to the Morningstar family is quite unlike their Spicy Black Bean patty. First, it contains no milk calcium caseinate or egg whites a nod to the vegan diet. The moisture and texture of this burger is very much like a beef burger without being too oily. Incogmeato has a hint of smoky flavor that enhances its burger replicating umami.

Fat source: Canola and palm oil
Protein source: soy protein concentrate, Yeast extract.
Fortified: with Thiamine and B12

Read the Nutrition table for all these burgers!

 

Plant-based burgers and other meat substitutes are increasingly popular. Consumers have adopted them for a number of reasons such as climate change mitigation, to stop animal suffering and as healthy dietary choices such as flexitarian, vegetarian and vegan. Compared with beef burgers they are lower in sodium, have no trans fats and no cholesterol. They are calorically equivalent to beef. The majority of plant-based burgers provide reasonable protein from a variety of sources. But they are high in sodium, the leading contributor to high blood pressure with downstream impacts on cardiovascular and kidney disease. While most have limitations in micronutrients such as iron, zinc and Vitamin B12 those shortfalls can easily be overcome through dietary supplements.

My approach toward plant-based burgers is two-fold. If I am looking to replicate the taste and texture of a beef burger or if I am feeding a meat eater, then I go with Uncut, Awesome, Incogmeato or Beyond as my choices, in that order. But if I am looking for the healthiest, low sodium burger choice out there then I go with the Uncut burger or my own recipe for black bean burgers. The take home message here is to know the ingredients of these meat alternatives and consume them in moderation.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of plant-based burgers, nor is it nutritionally encyclopedic. This is a start, a place holder, for further discussion about the pros and cons of plant-based burgers and “meat.” New plant-based burgers are popping up all the time as demand for the meat alternatives increases. I invite you to share your plant-based burger opinions and recommendations.

Dr. Eileen Natuzzi works as a General and Trauma Surgeon in San Diego and Bakersfield, California. For the first 15 years of her career, Dr. Natuzzi’s practice focused on treating vascular disease where she saw first hand the cumulative vascular damage that results from our animal fat diets and unhealthy choices.  She recently obtained a Master in Public Health in order to become more involved in a preventive approach toward health. 

Let’s Beat Breast Cancer: A Four-Pronged Approach to Protect Breast Health

For the second year, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has partnered with renowned breast cancer surgeon Kristi Funk, MD, for Let’s Beat Breast Cancer, a campaign backed by dozens of health care professionals, cancer survivors, and other advocates, including Alicia.

One way Alicia has lent her support to the campaign is by appearing in a breast cancer public service announcement that also features Jasmine C. Leyva (director of The Invisible Vegan), Mary Steenburgen,  Ted Danson, and Dr. Kristi Funk. This short video will help the Physicians Committee and Dr. Funk reach millions with an empowering, lifesaving message—we can protect our health and reduce our risk for breast cancer with a four-pronged approach:

Choosing plant-based foods

Exercising regularly

Limiting alcohol

Maintaining a healthy weight

Here’s how it works:

Plant-based foods are typically lower in calories and higher in fiber. That means they can help you feel full and nourished without causing weight gain. High-fiber plant foods can also help reduce estrogen levels, which can lower breast cancer risk.

Physical activity may help reduce risk in a number of ways, including strengthening your body’s immune defenses, which may help your body kill any cancer cells that do form.

Research also shows that drinking alcohol can increase breast cancer risk—even just one drink a day. Why? Alcohol can raise estrogen levels and damage DNA, the first step in the development of cancer.

Finally, research has shown that excess body weight is linked to an increased risk of breast cancer after menopause and can make cancer more likely to progress when it arises at any age. But no matter your shape or size, remember to be kind to yourself and your beautiful, powerful body!

With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, what better time to build breast-healthy habits and re-commit to protecting your health? Join us and inspire others by pledging to follow these simple lifestyle steps for one month at LetsBeatBreastCancer.org. By taking the pledge, you’ll also be automatically entered to win prizes from Let’s Beat Breast Cancer partners, like Vitamix, Amy’s, Tofurky, and more.

Be sure to check out Dr. Funk’s website, Pink Lotus Power Up, too. It’s a free online social community focused on breast cancer. Members can access resources, create events and fundraisers, publish blog posts, partner with a “breast buddy,” buy and sell breast cancer-related goods, and join an exclusive community for women with breast cancer, and more.

How To Support Your Local Farmer

Back in the day, before super markets were on every corner of your neighborhood and people didn’t just buy the familiar brand of frozen dinners to chow down while watching an episode of their favorite sitcom, food had a greater value… literally and figuratively.

Now, buying an average piece of fruit has been the norm for people looking for a convenient and cheap way to get their produce. Biting into watery, tasteless strawberries for so long, we’ve probably forgotten how strawberries are really supposed to taste- like sweet, juicy pieces of heaven!

Yet in the more rural areas, where people can actually pick the fruit they eat, no sacrifice is needed except for time, which let’s be honest, is the biggest sacrifice of all for people living in a major metropolis.

Being a chef in Los Angeles for the past five years has given me access to some of the best local produce there is, and I immediately fell in love with it all. Even though I love to cook, I left the business to focus on what I was really passionate about- reconnecting with the land and all the great sustenance this beautiful world had to offer. Ok sure, I didn’t move to Idaho and start harvesting potatoes, but I made personal relationships with farmers which led me to create Handpicked by Mckenna- a service that brings the best produce from the farmers market straight to your door, offering convenience without sacrificing quality.

Now, let’s get into some fun facts on why buying locally and supporting farmers is not only beneficial to you personally, but also good for your community.

This may seem obvious, but when you support a local farm, you are supporting your economy. In light of the recent events, it’s important that we ensure that the farms that exist today will be there tomorrow. Farmers have been the backbone of this country since the very beginning, working hard to provide people with sustenance. When you shop at a supermarket, only a small percentage of that gets into the pocket of farmers. We can give back by taking care of our farmers like how they continue to take care of us.

Something that may not seem as obvious, but is equally important is the effect that buying local has on our environment. Buying local reduces the environmental impact of transporting food from the farm to the consumer. Commodity produce travels 30 times the distance of the food harvested from local farms, increasing its dependency on fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions. Farmers are also using more sustainable practices. A healthy earth means a healthy life!

In the modern agricultural system, plant varieties are chosen for their ability to ripen uniformly, withstand harvesting, survive packing and have shelf stability, so there is limited genetic diversity in large-scale production. So despite the limited varieties of produce we see at the supermarket, there are thousands of varieties of fruits and vegetables, which can add some fun and color to your meals!

Side note- Did you know that one farm can grow an average of 14 varieties of yellow peaches alone, not including all of the white peaches, plums, pluots, nectarines, and apricots? Amazing!

Before the pandemic, shopping at the farmers market was actually a fun activity. You can take your kids, maybe meet up with a few friends, do some shopping, and eat some lunch while listening to a band play some music around the picnic tables. Now that there are limitations on what we can do at the farmer’s market, it doesn’t mean we should stop supporting!

Ways To Support Your Local Farmer:

Sign up for a CSA Box: Community Supported Agriculture boxes are a great way to get the freshest produce possible. CSA boxes are filled each week with whichever items are the “ripest” and ready to be picked! CSA also helps farmers get movement on certain produce that may not be as “popular” in order to keep the farm going! You can easily sign up for a CSA box pick up at your local farmer’s market with your favorite local farmer.
Shop Directly: Shopping directly at your local farmer’s market is a great way to support your farmers! Farmers bring their bounty every week to different farmer’s markets and shopping right from the farmer is a great way to support them financially and build relationships!
Visit a “U Pick” Farm: U Pick is a great way to connect even more with where your food is coming from! With U Pick, you can visit the farm directly and pick the freshest produce yourself for a small fee. It is a great bargain for the buyer and a great way for farmer’s to get more people involved in their farm.
Eat at more “farm to table” establishments: Eating at local restaurants that support local farmers is a great way to support two small businesses with one action! Eating at establishments that use local produce is not only good for nourishment but it is a great way to keep your local community thriving! Do a little research to see where your local restaurants are buying from, you will be glad you did!

Mckenna Lelah is the owner of Handpicked by McKenna – a small, local, woman owned business that allows you to play a part in all of the positive impacts of supporting local farms without having to leave your house. Let’s continue to live a happy, healthy life while building a stronger community.

Photo by Timothy Eberly on Unsplash

Orlando Kind Lifers: We’re Hiring!

Hi Kind Lifers!

I’m in Orlando, and looking for some help! If you have childcare (and bonus light assistant experience) – I’d love to hear from you!

Because of COVID, you’d be living in a hotel and working with us for 2 weeks, and helping take care of Bear while I’m working! Everyone is COVID tested often for production, so it is a COVID-free bubble.

Bonus if you have tutoring experience or any Waldorf teaching skills/experience.

Please send your resume, and some info about you, as well as your availability starting November 5th, 2020 to thekindlife@gmail.com.

Love,

Alicia

Photo by Anna Tarazevich from Pexels