Potatoes often get a bad rap...many people think they are "off limits" when trying to lose weight...but that is a misconception. Dr. John McDougall wrote a book called, The Starch Solution, that explains in detail how "backwards" our thinking is at times.
Many people following a plant-based diet eat potatoes and other healthy starches regularly and have been able to reverse their Type 2 diabetes in the process! I was reading a website called, Happyherbivore, that had some really good ideas that I will share with you. One really good idea was to cook a batch of potatoes early in the week...this particular couple routinely made 10 sweet potatoes and 15 other potatoes, (red or yellow). That way, their base was ready to go...just add veggies or any other topping...the possibilities are endless!
FRIES: Take your cooked potatoes, slice them up, put them under the broiler for a few minutes and you have perfect delicious fries! Add different spices,,,make curry fries, chili fries, or cajun fries. For a tasty dessert, make sweet potato fries sprinkled with nutmeg and cinnamon...YUM.
POTATO PIZZA: Start with a baked potato and add all your favorite plant-strong pizza ingredients. Start with some tomato sauce, mushrooms, spinach, beans and a little bit of nutritional yeast, (one of my favorite ingredients, found in health food stores, usually in bulk bins). Put this in the oven for about 10 minutes on 400 degrees. Serve with a big green salad...perfect meal!
CHILI POTATO: Take your baked potato, (sweet or plain), top with some homemade vegetarian chili!
POTATO NACHO BAKE: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a baking dish start with one layer of diced tomatoes, then one layer of cooked potatoes sliced into rounds, then one layer of black beans, one layer of spinach, one more layer of sliced cooked potatoes, one layer of diced tomatoes...sprinkle with chili powder and bake 35 minutes. Just before serving, you can add sliced olives or an avocado if you so choose.
SWEET POTATO ICE-CREAM: Take some cooked sweet potatoes, peel and chop them. Then put them in the freezer overnight in a ziplock bag. The next day, let the potatoes thaw about 15 min, until they are slightly soft. Then, put them in a blender or food processor and add Almond Milk as needed to make it creamy. You can add a touch of maple syrup if you want it a little sweeter. Top with cinnamon and nutmeg....what a wonderful treat for the summer!
BREAKFAST SWEET POTATO PUDDING: (This recipe is from Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine). In a blender, put 1/3 c rolled oats, 1/2 cup Almond Milk, 1 cup coked sweet potatoes, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon. Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. What a way to start the day!!
There are so many different ways to eat really healthy and really delicious. Take an old favorite recipe, (that may be very unhealthy for you), take out the unhealthy ingredients, i.e., meat, dairy, oil, or sugar, and replace them with healthy plant-based ingredients. In the above potato dishes, there is no oil in the fries, there is no slathering of butter or sour cream added to any of these dishes and they are absolutely delicious!
We just have to "train" our brains to think a little differently. Once you get started and experiment with different dishes and spices, you will open up a whole new world of eating. You will be nourishing your body with loads of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants keeping your immune system in top working order protecting you from all kinds of medical issues and chronic diseases.
Check out different websites for inspirational ideas and delicious recipes....again, there are so many out there to choose from...a few of my favorites are: straightupfood.com, ChefAJ'sKitchen.com, Happyherbivore.com, VegKitchen.com...or type in Vegan recipes and an entire page of websites will pop up to choose from. Pick some recipes you and your family would like, make your grocery list for the week and do as much prep work(washing vegetables, chopping, slicing or dicing...cook potatoes, quinoa, brown rice, or any other whole-grain in batches), on the weekend as possible. This will enable you to just grab a ziplock bag of your whole-grains, warm it up if necessary, and add whatever veggies to it. You can come home from work and have an extremely healthy dinner on the table in minutes. It just takes a little planning.
If I can be of any assistance in getting you started on a Whole-Food Plant-Based way of eating, please let me know....I would love to help you get what I have.....OPTIMAL HEALTH....there is no better gift......
Many people following a plant-based diet eat potatoes and other healthy starches regularly and have been able to reverse their Type 2 diabetes in the process! I was reading a website called, Happyherbivore, that had some really good ideas that I will share with you. One really good idea was to cook a batch of potatoes early in the week...this particular couple routinely made 10 sweet potatoes and 15 other potatoes, (red or yellow). That way, their base was ready to go...just add veggies or any other topping...the possibilities are endless!
FRIES: Take your cooked potatoes, slice them up, put them under the broiler for a few minutes and you have perfect delicious fries! Add different spices,,,make curry fries, chili fries, or cajun fries. For a tasty dessert, make sweet potato fries sprinkled with nutmeg and cinnamon...YUM.
POTATO PIZZA: Start with a baked potato and add all your favorite plant-strong pizza ingredients. Start with some tomato sauce, mushrooms, spinach, beans and a little bit of nutritional yeast, (one of my favorite ingredients, found in health food stores, usually in bulk bins). Put this in the oven for about 10 minutes on 400 degrees. Serve with a big green salad...perfect meal!
CHILI POTATO: Take your baked potato, (sweet or plain), top with some homemade vegetarian chili!
POTATO NACHO BAKE: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a baking dish start with one layer of diced tomatoes, then one layer of cooked potatoes sliced into rounds, then one layer of black beans, one layer of spinach, one more layer of sliced cooked potatoes, one layer of diced tomatoes...sprinkle with chili powder and bake 35 minutes. Just before serving, you can add sliced olives or an avocado if you so choose.
SWEET POTATO ICE-CREAM: Take some cooked sweet potatoes, peel and chop them. Then put them in the freezer overnight in a ziplock bag. The next day, let the potatoes thaw about 15 min, until they are slightly soft. Then, put them in a blender or food processor and add Almond Milk as needed to make it creamy. You can add a touch of maple syrup if you want it a little sweeter. Top with cinnamon and nutmeg....what a wonderful treat for the summer!
BREAKFAST SWEET POTATO PUDDING: (This recipe is from Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine). In a blender, put 1/3 c rolled oats, 1/2 cup Almond Milk, 1 cup coked sweet potatoes, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon. Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. What a way to start the day!!
There are so many different ways to eat really healthy and really delicious. Take an old favorite recipe, (that may be very unhealthy for you), take out the unhealthy ingredients, i.e., meat, dairy, oil, or sugar, and replace them with healthy plant-based ingredients. In the above potato dishes, there is no oil in the fries, there is no slathering of butter or sour cream added to any of these dishes and they are absolutely delicious!
We just have to "train" our brains to think a little differently. Once you get started and experiment with different dishes and spices, you will open up a whole new world of eating. You will be nourishing your body with loads of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants keeping your immune system in top working order protecting you from all kinds of medical issues and chronic diseases.
Check out different websites for inspirational ideas and delicious recipes....again, there are so many out there to choose from...a few of my favorites are: straightupfood.com, ChefAJ'sKitchen.com, Happyherbivore.com, VegKitchen.com...or type in Vegan recipes and an entire page of websites will pop up to choose from. Pick some recipes you and your family would like, make your grocery list for the week and do as much prep work(washing vegetables, chopping, slicing or dicing...cook potatoes, quinoa, brown rice, or any other whole-grain in batches), on the weekend as possible. This will enable you to just grab a ziplock bag of your whole-grains, warm it up if necessary, and add whatever veggies to it. You can come home from work and have an extremely healthy dinner on the table in minutes. It just takes a little planning.
If I can be of any assistance in getting you started on a Whole-Food Plant-Based way of eating, please let me know....I would love to help you get what I have.....OPTIMAL HEALTH....there is no better gift......
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