HEAVENLY BODIES ARCHIVE September 2012


Have just run across a draft that I was saving for the next HB newsletter. Great photos.  This is from Happy Healthy Long Life.  Elin 


http://www.happyhealthylonglife.com/happy_healthy_long_life/2008/07/im-going-to-miss-my-olive-oil---who-knew-it-wasnt-so-healthy-after-all-drs-esselstyn-ornish-vogel-rudel-did.html




Ann Esselstyn's Lovely Collard Wraps  ( wife of Caldwell Esselstyn, MD Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Nutriton-Based Cure 

Lovely Collard Wraps with Red Pepper and Cucumber
These are stunning – both beautiful and delicious - and so much fun to make they don’t feel like work.  Substitute cooked  asparagus or green beans, long carrot or bok choy strips, cooked greens, etc., for the filling. ANYTHING is good in them.  They make perfect sushi like hors d’oeuvres or use instead of sandwiches. 
1 bunch collards8 tablespoons hummus made without tahini or oil2 green onions, chopped1/2 cup cilantro, chopped1/4 red pepper,  cut in thin strips1/4 small cucumber, cut in thin strips (skin optional)1/4 cup shredded carrots
1/2  lemon
Put about 2 inches of water in a large frying pan and bring to a boil.  Choose 4 of the nicest collard greens.  Lay them flat, cut off the thick stem at the point where the leaf begins then pile them on top of each other in the boiling water.  Cover and cook for about 30 seconds to a minute.  Collards are pretty tough and don’t easily break apart when cooked.  Their flexibility makes them a perfect wrap.Drain then lay flat on a board or counter with the thick part of the stem facing up. Down the center spine of the 4 collard leaves place a row of about  2 tablespoons hummus, sprinkle with green onions, cilantro and shredded carrots. Place thin red pepper strips and cucumber strips on top. Start with the side nearest you and flip it over.  Then turn up the end piece on the non thick stem side and gently roll into a sausage shape.  
With a sharp knife, cut into as many small pieces as possible.  You should be able to get six or more pieces, but it will depend on your collard size.  The creator always gets to eat the end pieces. 

Ann Esselstyn's Kale Lemon Sandwiches


Kale/Lemon Sandwiches--the Ultimate in Health
We had been traveling and longed for GREENS, and when we got home only KALE was in the refrigerator. Lucky us for that day!
This sandwich is stunningly delicious and tastes as good as it is healthy.  Any greens of choice will work.  The lemon adds an almost sweet taste.  Be generous with it!

4 slices Mestemacher of Feldcamp (Whole Foods) or any whole grain 
                  bread
1 bunch of kale, chopped in bite sized pieces (remove thick stem) or
                  Swiss Chard or greens of choice (4 cups or more)
hummus without tahini (easy to make blending  a base of chick peas,  
lemon and garlic then adding to taste cumin, vinegar, red peppers, parsley or cilantro 
green onions ,chopped  (1 per slice of bread) 
1/2 bunch cilantro or parsley, chopped
1/2- 1lemon, center part VERY, VERY  thinly sliced and the ends 
                squeezed and zested
1 large tomato, sliced in 4 thick slices (optional)

Toast bread well.  If using Mestemacher or a rye or pumpernickel double or even triple toast. Make it almost cracker-like.
Put kale in a pot with about 3-4 inches of water in the bottom.  Bring to a boil, cover and cook until kale is tender, 3-5 minutes. Check frequently. Kale is good when cooked almost spinach-like.
Spread toast thickly with hummus, sprinkle green onions on the hummus, pile cilantro on top of the green onions and then place a few thinly sliced lemons pieces on the cilantro.  
When Kale is tender, drain well.  Shake the strainer so all water is gone, sprinkle the kale in the strainer with lemon zest and remaining lemon juice.  LOTS of lemon makes this good!   
Then put a big handful of lemon filled kale on top of each piece of bread.  It is delicious just like that or top with a tomato slice. 

And there you have health in a bite!  A bit of a messy one at that!

Following diet plan comments

http://www.happyhealthylonglife.com/happy_healthy_long_life/2010/07/strategies.html


Tofu/Seitan
Mori-Nu lite low fat silken tofu
NaSoya Lite Silken Tofu (includes extra firm)
White Wave Seitan (love this stuff--I saute the strips with Ann's recommended Bone-Suckin' Barbecue Sauce & add to salads, stir-fries, and wraps.
Lightlife Organic Seitan
Soy Boy low-fat 5 grain tempeh (my recommendation, not on Ann's list)--I brown with light Tamari & orange juice and use in a variety of dishes.

More recipes

Everyone Can Do This! Breakfast & Lunch on the Esselstyn Plant-Based No-Oil Diet Challenge. Fast, Hearty, Healthy and Delicious.


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Hearty Lentil Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Veggie Sandwich
"Just find a simple nutrient-packed hearty breakfast & lunch and you're two-thirds of the way home.  No-fat roasted red pepper hummus makes everything taste delicious! Ann Esselstyn is 100% right."
-The Healthy Librarian-


Click here to get to the web version with photos & links, if you've received this via email.
Right off the bat I have to tell you that I will get back to reporting on other topics soon!  I promise.  My three week Esselstyn plant-based no-fat diet trial ends on Monday--and soon after I'll get that lipid panel taken.  And I still haven't told you about the success story of Robert D.--one of Dr. Esselstyn's patients who spoke at our orientation session on June 18th.  It's a must-hear story!
There have been so many other interesting stories coming my way that I haven't had a chance to share:
  • Dr. Ned & Sue Hallowell's  (remember him?) new book:  Married to Distraction, Restoring Intimacy and Strengthening Your Marriage in an Age of Interruption. Computers, smart phones, Facebook, and a million & one other attention grabbers that constantly entice us & compete for our attention--to the detriment of our most important relationships.  And yes, I have to admit that blogging is a huge time-consumer!
  • William Powers' new book:  Hamlet's BlackBerry:  A practical philosophy for building a good life in a digital age.   All about how the onslaught of technology is affecting to our brains, our relationships, and our well-being.
  • The Endocrine Society's just published 66 page position statement on"Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy"  in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, July 2010 vol. 95, suppl. 1.  Rethinking the Women's Health Initiative.  HRT for the 50-55 years old set?  Yes, there really are some benefits.  (Remember this one?) (or this one?)
  • Dr. Ken Fujioka's (remember him?) recent Medscape CME on "Obesity & Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: The Loaded Gun.  Think arthritis, asthma, sleep apnea, cancer, and depression.
  • Parenting 101.  Some of the best parenting advice I've ever heard--from psychologists, Lisa Damour & Ethan Schafer.  What does a 3 year old have in common with a Las Vegas gambler--and why you need to know?   What about teen-agers?   My husband also caught this interview & loved it.  
Almost Three Weeks on a Plant-Based No-Added Oil Diet---So, How's It Going?
Honestly, I wasn't expecting to notice any changes in just three weeks time.  And I certainly wasn't expecting to notice any changes other than, hopefully, in my lipid numbers.  But, I've had some pleasant surprises:
  • I've lost 3 pounds and I'm eating whenever I'm hungry.
  • My clothes fit much better, or are much looser than one would expect after only a 3 pound weight loss.  No at all sure why.  My out-of-town sis, who was visiting last week sees big changes--I'm not so sure.
  • I really have more energy--and it's not as if I wasn't eating a healthy diet or exercising before.  I'm up at 5:30 or 6:00 am & going strong until 11:00 or 11:30pm--It's like gaining an hour each day.  No idea about this one.
  • I'm getting better at figuring out which foods will keep me full & satisfied the longest--especially  after heavy exercise.  I've got the shopping list down, and have a frig stocked with on-the-fly eating options.  No more sudden feelings of, "I'm out of fuel.  Feed me fast!"  But, I'm definitely cooking a lot.
  • The day I ate a sliced roasted golden beet for a snack I knew I had turned the corner.
  • My-make-life-easy tip:  Roast beets (wrap in foil), sweet potatoes, and large onions (wrap in foil) ahead of time for easy meal prep.  Great in salads, wraps, or to just eat plain.  Those roasted onions make browning & caramelizing onions into a quick job.
  • My post-dinner snacking-binge is a thing of the past.  Cherries, watermelon, a Wasa Light Rye cracker with a schmear of red pepper hummus does the job.  For the first time ever, after working late last night I didn't care to eat anything more than hummus on a Wasa when I got home.
  • Downside: I can't fly out the door unprepared--but I never did before, anyway.  On a work day, I'm packing either a 6 cup hefty salad, a hefty sprouted grain tortilla wrap, a hefty sandwich, or leftovers from dinner--a green smoothie, a piece or 2 of fruit, and maybe some veggies & hummus.    Trust me, I'm not going hungry.  I do miss my Larabars, and it would be nice to be able to eat nut butters & a few walnuts.  Stay tuned for my new discovery, thanks to my niece, Jamie--powdered low-fat peanut butter to mix up with water.  She says it tastes just fine---I just want to know if the powdered version is actually healthy.  Bell Plantation PB2   Does anyone know?

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