Meatless Monday: Loaded Veggie Pizza

Loaded Veggie Pizza
source: E-mealz

Ingredients

• 1 can Pillsbury thin crust pizza dough
• 1 c sliced mushrooms
• 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded & thinly sliced
• 1 t minced garlic
• ¾ c pizza sauce
• ¾ c shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. In a large sprayed skillet, sauté mushrooms, zucchini, bell pepper, & garlic until tender, about 5 min.
2. On a large sprayed baking sheet, spread dough out to form pizza crust.
3. Spread pizza sauce over dough; top with veggies.
4. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 20 min @ 375.

Serving Size: 6 servings

Nutrition 101: Calcium

A side effect of my reading lately has been learning more about nutrition and how the food industry's practices affect our access to quality nutrition. Then I read an awesome article in the August 2011 issue of Wegmans Nature's Marketplace, a free magazine about whole and healthy foods. It is found in the natural foods section at my store and I highly recommend it. Anyway, this particular article was about ensuring you are getting the right balance of vitamins and minerals in your diet.

Since I will be using this article to inspire my Nutrition 101 series, here is the full reference:

"Strive for balance: How vitamins can help" by Rich Wallace. Wegmans Nature's Marketplace, August 2011, p. 14-15.

Without further ado, here is our first topic...

CALCIUM

What is it/What does it do? Calcium is a mineral that plays a vital role in building strong bones and teeth; it also contributes to healthy gums.
Want it to work better? Make sure you also get Vitamin D and magnesium. (Profiles of those to be linked later when I write them up)
How much do you need? It varies; here is a good table from the NIH. Women my age need 1,000 mg/day and no more than 2,500 mg/day.
What happens if you don't get enough? Calcium deficiency can increase the risk of osteoporosis and colon cancer.
What happens if you overdose? Excessive intake of calcium can increase the risk of prostate cancer and possibly ovarian cancer.

Note about dairy: Please note that dairy products are often high in saturated fat as well as retinol (vitamin A), which at high levels can actually weaken bones. This is just one of many reasons vegan diets don't include dairy, for more information on the potential negative effects of dairy products, click here.

Concerned about osteoporosis? It is essential that you get adequate exercise to decrease your risk, in addition to a healthy diet including calcium (as well as magnesium and Vitamin D).

How do you get it?

This section is special, as it is for my own reference as well, I'll be separating the categories into "S.A.D." (Standard American Diet) and Vegan. The first thing my mom asked about when I mentioned wanting to lean toward a vegan diet was how my kids and I would get enough calcium. Here is some information useful in answering that question, as well as S.A.D. people. (I swear I did not make up that abbreviation!) Calcium content varies by brand and item, so consult the nutrition label (paying attention to serving size) for details.

Standard sources of Calcium	Vegan sources of Calcium
Milk Yogurt Cheese Sardines Salmon Cottage cheese Calcium-fortified juices, all Calcium-fortified cereal, all Instant breakfast beverages Frozen yogurt Ice cream Sour cream Cream cheese	Calcium-fortified juices Tofu (especially those calcium-fortified) Calcium-fortified cereal, dairy free Turnip greens Kale Soy milk (especially those calcium-fortified) Chinese cabbage/Bok choy Tortillas, corn and flour Bread Broccoli Blackstrap molasses (very high) Collard greens Soy yogurt Tempeh Soybeans Okra Mustard greens Tahini Almonds/Almond butter

Note that while they contain lots of calcium, spinach, rhubarb, chard, and beet greens contain something called "oxalic acid", which binds with calcium and reduces absorption. See the other greens on this list for better sources of calcium.

Other sources used in this article:
Harvard School of Public Health
National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements

Here is a good article from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) about building strong bone (without dairy): Parents' Guide to Building Better Bones

Meatless Monday: Mexican-Style Brown Rice Casserole

Last week, I began sharing my family's vegetarian recipes for "Meatless Monday." Did you know that taking on the challenge of a vegetarian day once a week decreases your meat consumption by 15%? Math is cool!

This week's recipe was a big hit among everybody: me, my hubby, my 4-year-old and the 11-month old, too!

Mexican-Style Brown Rice Casserole
source: Weight Watchers

Ingredients

• 4 cup(s) cooked brown rice
• 1 1/4 cup(s) salsa
• 1 tsp Ground Cumin Seed
• 15 oz canned refried beans
• 10 oz frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 4 oz canned green chili peppers, mild, diced
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 10 oz chopped frozen spinach, or collard greens, thawed and set to drain in a strainer over a bowl
• 3/4 cup(s) low-fat shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 2 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped (optional; for garnish)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Coat a 2-quart rectangular, round or oval baking dish with cooking spray
2. In a large bowl, combine rice, salsa and cumin. Spoon 2 cups of rice mixture into prepared baking dish and spread out to evenly cover bottom of dish.
3. In another large bowl, combine refried beans, corn, chili peppers and chili power. Using a rubber spatula, scrape bean mixture on top of rice layer and smooth out top.
4. Squeeze out any excess water from spinach or collard greens and then spread on top of bean layer; sprinkle with 6 tablespoons of cheese. Top with remaining rice mixture and smooth out top; sprinkle with remaining cheese.
5. Place casserole on a large rimmed baking sheet to catch any spillage. Bake until heated through and cheese is browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro (if desired).

Note: I use an 9x9 glass pan and never have any drippage.

Serving Size: cut into 6 pieces and serve

(Audio)Book Review: Skinny Bitch

I often listen to audiobooks courtesy of my local library's online media offerings. It's great! My commute is so much more interesting now, even if it is short for my area (~20 min one way). Anyway, one of the books that inspired this new blog of mine, was Skinny Bitch-A No-Nonsense, Tough-Love Guide for Savvy Girls Who Want to Stop Eating Crap and Start Looking Fabulous!

First off, I hate the title. They explain it toward the end of the book, but I still think it's unfortunate that they chose that way to market their book. I'm sure it worked, but it's not something I'm proud to say I've read, simply because I feel awkward sharing the title. If that makes me a conservative ninny, so be it! LOL

As for the content, I found the scientific facts compelling, if a bit forcefully presented. At first I was caught up in every word they said. But, after my hubby's skepticism on the idea of making any radical changes, I was compelled to look up alternative viewpoints (which I will go into at a later date).

Sticking with the facts, the book clearly presents being vegan as a healthier lifestyle than that of the average American. There are many health risks associated with processed food and factory farmed food. Organic is certainly the best way to go, when possible. The USDA is corrupt and bothers with very little oversight on the food industry. I don't buy into the hotly-debated theory, which the book asserts, that humans aren't meant to digest meat. That doesn't really make sense to me from an evolutionary standpoint, but I can definitely see the appeal of a vegan diet to someone who is opposed to eating animal products and wants to be "skinny." Veganism, when done properly, i.e. with whole foods and little to no junk food, is proven to make you skinny. Your body won't be able to hold onto fat stores if you are denying it animal fat and probably exercising, hydrating, and possibly fasting, as the authors suggest.

Overall, I think the book contains a lot of good scientific and medical information (presumably references are available in the print copy), some typical vegan myths, compelling reasons for cruelty-free living, and great ideas for healthy recipes. (The authors give an entire months' worth of vegan meal ideas--breakfast, lunch, and dinner!) Additionally, they list lots of vegetarian (mostly vegan) products that they've eaten and loved.

So I'd say this book is a good resource for anyone interested in learning more about the vegan lifestyle and the corruption of the American food industry, provided you can get past the tone.

Television Will Rot Your Brain...And the Rest of You

Today I came upon the sudden realization that giving up traditional commercial-laden television viewing greatly contributed to my weight loss success.

I'll never forget October 18, 2007. For the first time in my adult (and teen) life, I saw a 1- in the first digit of my weight. I was so excited I took a picture! For years I attributed that 199.6 on the scale to Bit (my first baby). And while motherhood truly inspired and motivated me to finally reach my weight goals, I can't ignore other changes in my life that contributed to my success: regularly attending Weight Watchers meetings, regular exercise, and a drastic change in my relationship to television.

I distinctly remember it--exactly one month after our baby was born, we celebrated our anniversary by getting DVR from our cable company. I was thrilled and we immediately enjoyed watching what we want, when we wanted, and skipping commercials. It was so much easier than videotaping shows, and far superior, in my opinion, to surfing the channels for something watchable.

Shortly thereafter, we moved, but retained a DVR service. I also began exercising during our nightly watching, which I'm sure also aided my weight loss. A little over 11 months after my baby was born, I finally hit the big milestone--"ONEderland" (the internet term for weighing in at anything below 200 lbs). I was elated! It was such a big milestone and a great motivator.

Fast forward about 4 years...now we don't have any cable service. Just internet and phone. With 2 kids under 5, we don't have much time to watch TV as a couple, but when we do it's most often a DVD or on the Roku (Netflix streaming device). When I need a mental break, I often tune into a show on the computer via Hulu. With the ad blocker I have installed, I never see a traditional commercial at home unless I google one deliberately.

My kids have not been exposed to the advertising aimed at making them greedy, fat little consumers. Bit can operate the computer browser, DVD player, Roku player, and the portable DVD player, among other technology. She most often prefers watching kids shows on the Roku. Commercial-free.
When we do have access to a TV with traditional programming, if I can control it, we stick with Disney or PBS. Yes, Disney advertises, but not in the same way that, say, Nickelodeon or even Nick Jr. do. Sure, my kids may not know who all the popular cartoon characters are, but they probably know enough to be accepted by their peers because of the stuff we do let them watch.

I don't want to come across as a TV-nazi, but I definitely have some strong feelings on this issue personally. After all this time, I cringe at the volume and content of television (and now movie theater) commercials. I was a TV-junkie once...I had my own TV in my room as a kid. I watched it late into the night, to the point where I would be sleepy at school and had to talk to the school psychologist. I blamed my sleeplessness on nightmares, which did plague me, but clearly TV didn't help me get the rest I needed. If I wanted to spend the evening after dinner with my parents, I would go into their bedroom and lay on the bed with them while they watched whatever show they were interested in. Sometimes sitcoms, sometimes courtroom dramas, the occasional sci fi. I don't begrudge my past experiences with TV, they were choices after all, but I do feel strongly that my family now can benefit from reduced exposure to traditional media.

Some of the benefits of having no cable include:

• more time together as a family without distractions
  
• less begging for toys and unhealthy products; this is non-existent really, from the kids anyway ;-)
  
• a quieter, more peaceful home
  
• less clutter (less temptation to buy things)
  
• less weight gain (those commercials make junk food look SO appealing it's no wonder the average American can't resist)
  
• a lower cable company bill
  

Now, there are some drawbacks, too:

• having to say "No, I haven't seen that commercial..." in social settings
  
• being behind on shows that are posted to Hulu a week or more after they're aired
  
• not having access to certain shows/networks/programming
• new product exposure
  
• news and weather coverage
  

I'd say the last two points are (and some of the others) are fairly easy to remedy with internet access. I'm an advocate for "practical technology." I don't adopt the newest gadgets and gizmos just because they're there. I try to harness technology as a tool to make my life better and get me closer to my goals. That's why I love the internet, streaming, and wi fi technologies. In general, I find I have little need for cable/satellite systems and DVR. The "benefits" just aren't good enough for me to accept them into my everyday life, despite being staples of the average American.

I'm not trying to judge anyone or convince anyone. I just wanted to share this one change that I have realized has made a major impact on our lives. It took alot of convincing to get my hubby to agree to give up cable (or rather Spike and the History Channel), but even he is glad we did and doesn't miss it one bit.

Meatless Monday: Stuffed Green Peppers

Did you know you can improve your health and help the environment just by serving a vegetarian meal once a week? There is an initiative called "Meatless Monday" urging us to have at least one vegetarian dinner meal per week. Even EWG (Environmental Working Group) has gotten in on the act. I think it's a splendid idea, so I implemented this plan at my house officially last week. And each week I'll share a vegetarian recipe I have prepared and eaten to encourage you.

Stuffed Green Peppers
(without rice; source: www.e-mealz.com)

Ingredients

• 6 med sized green bell peppers
• 2 c salsa
• 3 c diced zucchini
• 15 oz can black beans, rinsed & drained
• ½ c shredded 2% sharp cheddar cheese
  

Directions

1. Remove tops, seeds, & ribs from peppers. (I like to chop up the remnants for use later in the week, or even to add to the stuffing mixture.)
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl.
3. Spoon into peppers & bake covered at 350 for 30 mins.

Notes: The last time I cooked this, I did not cover the baking dish. Also, don't expect 2% cheese to melt in this dish.

Serving Size: 6 servings

Links:
"Official" Meatless Monday site
EWG's Meat-eaters Guide, Reducing your footprint tab