Because I work in a busy medical office, I have the pleasure of helping so many people with their diets. I can't begin to tell you how many people have had their lab work done and end up with high cholesterol numbers. Fortunately, in the practice I work in, the doctors order a test called an "NMR" which is a very advanced test for cholesterol. The old standard cholesterol tests, according to researchers, do not give true accurate numbers. So, people go along thinking their cholesterol is good, when in fact, it is not so good.
So, the first words out of most people's mouths when they get this news is, "I eat healthy, how can my numbers be so high?" Then we get down to the nitty gritty and after listening to what the majority of people are eating, their diet is horrible! The next question they ask is, what do I do? Of course, the physicians are trained to diagnose a disease and prescribe a pill to treat the symptoms. Remember, this is not a cure for high cholesterol. And, let's not forget all the horrible side effects that come from cholesterol medication: two of the most common, it can effect your liver and many people experience muscle aches and pains to the point that they feel like their body is full of arthritis. This is where I come in. However, as soon as I begin talking about a Whole Food Plant Based diet, (WFPB), they look at me like I'm from another planet. "What do you MEAN cut way back on meat and dairy? How can anyone stay on this diet? This is way too drastic."
Then I say, "Having your chest cut in half, a doctor putting his hands in your now open chest cavity and working on your heart and surrounding clogged arteries is drastic. Eating real food is NOT so drastic!"
Now, I have their attention and they begin to LISTEN to how they can change their numbers and reverse this whole cholesterol issue simply by eating the right foods. It's really as easy as that! And, for the people that diligently follow this way of eating, their cholesterol levels DROP LIKE A ROCK...NO MEDICATION NEEDED!! So, let me share with you some easy recipes that are so good. The recipes today come from the book, Forks Over Knives:
CHANA SAAG (An Indian dish, so simple and delicious)
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced small
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 T grated ginger
2 t ground cumin
1 t ground coriander
1 t turmeric
1 t fenugreek
1 t crushed red pepper
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1 c unsweetened Almond Milk
2 pounds fresh spinach, chopped, (about 12 cups)
1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
salt to taste
Place the onion in a large saucepan and saute over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, or until it is browned. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water at a time to prevent from sticking. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the jalapeno pepper, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, fenugreek, and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring often for 4 minutes, only adding water if necessary. Add the tomato and cook for another 5 minutes, then add the almond milk, spinach and beans. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until the spinach is wilted, about 10 minutes. Season with salt.
RED LENTIL DAL
1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 bay leaf
1 T grated ginger
1 t turmeric
1 T ground cumin
1 T ground coriander
1/2 t crushed red pepper
2 cups of red lentils, rinsed
salt to taste
Zest of 1 lemon
Place the onion in a large saucepan and saute over medium heat for l0 minutes. Add water, 1-2 tablespoons at a time to prevent sticking. Add the garlic, bay leaf, ginger, turmeric, cumin, coriander and crushed red pepper and cook for another minute. Add the lentils and 4 cups of water and bring pot to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, for 20-25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and have started to break down. Season with salt and add the lemon zest.
CAULIFLOWER-CREAM PASTA
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
2 cups vegetable stock
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
4 sage leaves, minced
1 small butternut squash, (about 1 pound), peeled, halved, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 pound whole-grain pasta, cooked according to package directions, drain
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Combine the cauliflower and vegetable stock in a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil. Cook over medium heat for l0 minutes, or until the cauliflower is very tender. Remove the pan from the heat and puree the sauce using an immersion blender or in a blender with a tight-fitting lid, blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside
Place the onion and red pepper in a large saucepan and saute over medium heat for 7-8 minutes. Add water, 1-2 tablespoons at a time to prevent sticking. Add the garlic, sage, and squash and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the squash is tender. Add the cauliflower puree and cooked pasta, and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
If anyone has tried other recipes and really liked them, please share them with me....I would love to hear from you!!
So, the first words out of most people's mouths when they get this news is, "I eat healthy, how can my numbers be so high?" Then we get down to the nitty gritty and after listening to what the majority of people are eating, their diet is horrible! The next question they ask is, what do I do? Of course, the physicians are trained to diagnose a disease and prescribe a pill to treat the symptoms. Remember, this is not a cure for high cholesterol. And, let's not forget all the horrible side effects that come from cholesterol medication: two of the most common, it can effect your liver and many people experience muscle aches and pains to the point that they feel like their body is full of arthritis. This is where I come in. However, as soon as I begin talking about a Whole Food Plant Based diet, (WFPB), they look at me like I'm from another planet. "What do you MEAN cut way back on meat and dairy? How can anyone stay on this diet? This is way too drastic."
Then I say, "Having your chest cut in half, a doctor putting his hands in your now open chest cavity and working on your heart and surrounding clogged arteries is drastic. Eating real food is NOT so drastic!"
Now, I have their attention and they begin to LISTEN to how they can change their numbers and reverse this whole cholesterol issue simply by eating the right foods. It's really as easy as that! And, for the people that diligently follow this way of eating, their cholesterol levels DROP LIKE A ROCK...NO MEDICATION NEEDED!! So, let me share with you some easy recipes that are so good. The recipes today come from the book, Forks Over Knives:
CHANA SAAG (An Indian dish, so simple and delicious)
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced small
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 T grated ginger
2 t ground cumin
1 t ground coriander
1 t turmeric
1 t fenugreek
1 t crushed red pepper
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1 c unsweetened Almond Milk
2 pounds fresh spinach, chopped, (about 12 cups)
1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
salt to taste
Place the onion in a large saucepan and saute over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, or until it is browned. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water at a time to prevent from sticking. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the jalapeno pepper, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, fenugreek, and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring often for 4 minutes, only adding water if necessary. Add the tomato and cook for another 5 minutes, then add the almond milk, spinach and beans. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until the spinach is wilted, about 10 minutes. Season with salt.
RED LENTIL DAL
1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 bay leaf
1 T grated ginger
1 t turmeric
1 T ground cumin
1 T ground coriander
1/2 t crushed red pepper
2 cups of red lentils, rinsed
salt to taste
Zest of 1 lemon
Place the onion in a large saucepan and saute over medium heat for l0 minutes. Add water, 1-2 tablespoons at a time to prevent sticking. Add the garlic, bay leaf, ginger, turmeric, cumin, coriander and crushed red pepper and cook for another minute. Add the lentils and 4 cups of water and bring pot to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, for 20-25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and have started to break down. Season with salt and add the lemon zest.
CAULIFLOWER-CREAM PASTA
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
2 cups vegetable stock
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
4 sage leaves, minced
1 small butternut squash, (about 1 pound), peeled, halved, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 pound whole-grain pasta, cooked according to package directions, drain
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Combine the cauliflower and vegetable stock in a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil. Cook over medium heat for l0 minutes, or until the cauliflower is very tender. Remove the pan from the heat and puree the sauce using an immersion blender or in a blender with a tight-fitting lid, blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside
Place the onion and red pepper in a large saucepan and saute over medium heat for 7-8 minutes. Add water, 1-2 tablespoons at a time to prevent sticking. Add the garlic, sage, and squash and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the squash is tender. Add the cauliflower puree and cooked pasta, and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
If anyone has tried other recipes and really liked them, please share them with me....I would love to hear from you!!
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