Wine for health or for cancer.....

I don't really drink too much or too offten but when i do my ususal choice is red wine. The phenols in red wine and grapes are supposed to have antioxidant properties to help your. But sorry ladies, it just got worse. A new study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found women who drink 1 glass of wine each day raise their risk of certain cancers, like throat, breast and liver cancer, by as much as 22%. Experts examined survey answers from 1 million women in the U.K. and 68,775 cancer diagnoses over 7years. Findings also revealed drinking 2 glasses of wine day doubled risk; The Daily Telegraph reports.
That really sucks- i guess i'll just stick to the grapes

Victoria Secret is vegan?

They took polls and surverys to find out importance amoung its consumers- "think pink, live green" is the motto
From the press release,

"INTRODUCING PINK BODY, a unique line of skin-loving and earth-
friendly products created specifically for the pink girl. She spoke.
We listened. The result? A more personalized approach to everyday
body care using organic and vegan ingredients, powerful natural
formulas and eco-friendly packaging. With three dermatologist- tested,
solution-specific collections, each designed to pamper pink girls
from tip to toe: nourishing for dry skin, energizing for dull,
sluggish skin and soothing for extra-sensitive skin. Plus, four
additional essentials that everyone can use and love. It's all about
finding ways to look good, feel good and do a little good, too."

Good for Victoria's secret for realizing organic, vegan and bio friendly is important- I would try their products

10 facts i liked

Reccomendations for healthy vegan eating/things to keep in mind

1) 14 to 20 g: recommended maximum fat grams per day by Drs. Ornish, Esselstyn, Barnard, and McDougall

2) 12 to 14 g: amount of fat grams in 1 TBL of oil

3) 100 to 120 calories: amount of calories in 1 TBL of oil

4) 16 TBL: number of TBL in 1 cup of oil, Earth Balance, Soy Margarine, etc., (240 g of fat)

5) 24 g: fat grams in one serving (2 TBL) of most oil-based dressings

6) 10 percent: recommended daily percentage of calories from fat (Ornish, Esselstyn)

7) < 2000 mg: recommended sodium per day (Esselstyn)

8) 2400 mg: amount of sodium in 1 tsp of salt

9) 445,687: number of deaths (US) from coronary heart disease in 2005... the single leading cause of death in America today (source)

10) 17,000,000: number of people killed by heart disease and stroke a year, which is almost one-third of all deaths globally (source)

Lotus

The lotus flower grows in muddy water and rises above the surface to bloom with remarkable beauty. At night the flower closes and sinks underwater, at dawn it rises and opens again. Untouched by the impurity, lotus symbolizes the purity of heart and mind. The lotus flower represents long life, health, honor and good luck.
The Lotus root is the rhizome of the flower and is edible popular in Asian meals. I went to China town this weekend with my mama and we picked up a few things including
the lotus root. The Chinese ladies shopping were helpful with our annoying questions on what the heck to do with it. So pretty inside but so ugly outside. What a reflection of inner beauty just like the lotus flower.

To cook- cut the knobs off the ends and peel. Cut into sections. Steam (I used my
steamer basket) around 10 minutes. i then added the baby bok choy, mushrooms for another few minutes. Stirfry with tamari or soy sauce and ginger for a few minutes. enjoy

2009 trends

I found this article on trends of the ....no not fashion food.
-Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower ( I just made roasted brussel sprouts yesterday- most people are not a fan but give 'm a chance people. They are cruniferious veggies and fight cancer! proven fact to reduce cancer risk but people wont eat them. Try the cauliflower or brocolli then. My 2 fav ways to eat cauliflower are steamed and mashed with roasted garlic. Trust me good i even fooled my anti veg brother into this one. Or steamed with curry.

-Flavanols- in lots of fruits, veggies, chocolate and red wine.
-Apples- The most trusted fruit in my book. Local, sweet, hardy, travels well. What a dependable fruit. I eat one after my salad everyday for lunch. I must eat them organic though the wax on non-organic freaks me out
-Pomegranates- so 2007 but its making a comeback i guess. I found the best way to eat from Martha cut in half stick in a bowl of water and pop out the seeds. they sink the layers float.
-Fish Rich in Omega-3-Fats- No fish for me but see previous posting for vegan sources- walnuts, flax, chia seeds
-Vegetable Proteins so all food is made of 3 main sources carbs, protein and fat. Your foods are made of one of these. Veggies have protein- legumes, beans, soy products.
-Flax Pasta- Havent tried this yet. I'm not a huge pasta lover, not big on starchy carbs. let me know if you've tried and worth it
-Cooking from "Scratch"- An always in my book
-Crock Pots & One-Pot Meals- I like soups alot

Vegan eating in Disney

I went to Disney world for the first time in 10 years. And the first time being vegan. Actually vegan eating in Disney was great. We stopped at a grocery store on the way to the hotel and picked up fruit, veg, water hummus the necessities. I ate granola bars and fruit for breakfast, hummus and pita with carrots for lunch and fruit for day snacking. We had dinners out. Surprisingly they have alot of veg options in the parks, vegan options were a little more rare but existed. The first night in the Magic Kingdom we ate at Cosmic Ray's starlight cafe- who had a veggie wrap and a great topping bar to which i made a salad from. Sat night we ate at the steakhouse in canada at Epcot- the chef came right out to the table and asked what i liked. I saw they had mushrooms, asparagus and root veggies- he made me a fantastic stir fry roated ensemble which was delishious. Sunday night we ate at Mamma Melrose and I had another chef come to the table who made another veggie assortment with eggplant, peppers, onions- a little cold but still good. The great people at Disney were more than accomodating in all aspects. Sunday night was the night of departure and we ate in the land after a great behind the scenes of the greenhouses. Very cool stuff goes on back there. We ate at the counter service at the Land building. Lots of vegan options there. I had a roasted beet salad- they gratefully left off the goat chesse and added way more beets. What a great eating experience. They made it more than easy and were so accomodating everywhere. Don't hesitate to eat at disney when vegan just dont forget to talk to the chef. A few time I inquired about some soups- made with fish or chicken stock like the miso in Japan and veggie chili in the magic kingdom. I was surprised to see many fresh food options also lots of salads, fruit, and veggies in the parks! Check out this site for a little help

Happy new year

Was such a nice day- i couldnt help but take advantage of the city and the weather. It was also the celebration of the Chinese new year. In celebration down in China town they closed off a few block. Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. 2009 is the year of the ox. Those born in the year of the ox are patient, determined, easygoing, hardworking, and tenacious and determined to get the job done. In tradition is the Lion dance. The dragon travels to each of the stores and lights off fire crackers. Fire crackers were used to chase away the mythical monster, Nian, which once terrorized the people. But over time, their loud noises have been used to create the jovial, holiday mood. There is also a head of lettuce at the top which i believe was feeding the dragons that visit.
FYI i was born the year of the dog. Dogs possess the best traits of human nature. They have a deep sense of loyalty, are honest, and inspire other peoples confidence because they know how to keep secrets. But Dog People are somewhat selfish, terribly stubborn, and eccentric. They care little for wealth, yet somehow always seem to have money. They can be cold emotionally and sometimes distant at parties. They can find fault with many things and are noted for their sharp tongues. Dog people make good leaders----actually this describes me pretty well!

How do you get your Omega 3's

Fish, flax, walnuts, or chia seeds??? Yes- like your chia Pet--- Chia seeds are said to have:

*2 times the protein of any other seed or grain,

*5 times the calcium of milk, plus boron which is a trace mineral that helps transfer calcium into your bones,

*2 times the amount of potassium as bananas,

*3 times the reported antioxidant strength of blueberries

*3 times more iron than spinach

*copious amounts of omega-3 and omega-6, which are essential fatty acids


They are a complete source of protein, providing all the essential amino acids. They are also a fabulous source of soluble fibr. Chia is highly hydrophilic: the seeds absorb water and create a gel. They can hold 9-12 times their weight in water and they absorb it very rapidly.
Chia seeds typically contain 20% protein, 34% oil, and 25% dietary fiber. The oil from chia seeds contain a very high concentration of Omega 3 fatty acid - approx. 64%in the oil.
Chia has been called a dieter's dream food because when added to foods, it bulks them up, displacing calories and fat without diluting the flavour. Thus, someone can eat a typical serving, yet only consume about half the calories they might have eaten, because the food has been bulked up with chia. Chia's hydrophilic structure holds water, so when mixed with sauces, drinks, yogurt, salad, dressings, cream cheese, jellies and preserves, salsa, hot/cold cereal, dips, puddings, soups, etc., it displaces calories and fat! In addition to extending foods by 50% - 75% calories now needed in the economic times. Fat has been reduced without compromising flavor, with an ingredient that is 90% water.

How to eat you ask- Make into a gel (1/3 cup of seeds (2oz) to 2 cups of water store- Mix into other recipes. Or sprinkle onto salads ( my preference).
You can also spout to make your PET of choice....Scooby....

OR Chia Britney?

Chia Britney - The Movie - video powered by Metacafe

8 things to eat everyday

I have seen many lists. These are cited as the 8 things to eat everyday
Spinach
Yogurt
Tomatoes
Carrots
Blueberries
Black Beans
Walnuts
Oats

Yogurt being the only non-vegan one i guess soy can replace it. I do pretty much eat the rest if not daily every other day. Oatmeal or berries for breakfast. Spinach salad with other veg for lunch. I have been eating more nuts and beans....

Blueberries....and Milk

Today a report came out about blueberries and the combined consumption with other foods. Food combos have been a source of dispute for a while now. this most recent study was quite interesting. Now popular being it is the dead of summer below the equator we can get blueberries now from Chile- not the same as Jersey fresh but decent (sometmes). Blueberries are high in antioxidents but the study found that combine with milk they lose its efectiveness. A new study reported in the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine investigated whether antioxidant properties of blueberries were dimished by protein. They assessed the bioavailability of phenolics after consumption of blueberries with and without milk. Phenolics are the active compounds in plants that give blueberries their antioxidant potential.

While I dont drink milk---This study suggests that the best way to gain maximum benefits from blueberries and other fruits eaten for their polyphenol content is to consume them either one hour before protein is consumed, or two hours after.