Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
Lima Bean Comfort Soup
Long time readers of this blog may remember I have no love for lima beans, and even quit the Rancho Gordo Bean Club (three times now) because of all the lima beans they would send. I buy the Birdseye brand mixed frozen vegetables because, unlike store brands, they do not contain lima beans. When a recipe calls for lima beans I leave them out or substitute something like cannelini beans, instead.
Recently, I got a bug up my butt to rip some of the many WFPB nutrition DVDs that I have using a freeware software called Handbrake. My son fiddled around with various settings and we now have 2 custom settings, one for him and his stuff, and one for mine. His is higher quality to watch on his computer monitor, mine set for a lower quality for mobile viewing because I've been transferring them to my iPad Mini. For weeks I ripped most of my McDougall videos, all of Jeff's lectures and his Fast Food series, the Essesltyn and Fuhrman seminars. OK, I did a few movies, too.
What I did these last few weeks were the VegSource Get Healthy Now DVD sets that I bought a few years ago when they had the bundle sale. Of the 9 years' worth of DVDs, 3 discs to a set, 3 to 5 lectures on each disc, I may have watched 4 talks before this, I'm embarrassed to say. Why? Well, someone else would be using the tv when I had time when I first got them, or life happened and there was no time to watch. Eventually, I just plain old forgot I owned them when they got buried under stuff on the shelf where I had them.
But I recently dug them out and started copying them. Today, I'm working on the last one, 2014's Black case. As I did them all, one lecture at a time, I was amazed at how many great presenters they had at these VegSource Healthy Lifestyle Expos over the years. Dr. McDougall did a number of lectures, as did Jeff Novick and the Esselstyns. Dr. Fuhrman appeared at least twice, and many more.
The one thing each year that attracted my attention, the only ones I've been watching the past few days, are the cooking demonstrations. Each year, Sabrina Nelson would apron up and join 2-4 other people to demonstrate their favorite recipes. Jeff cooked a few times, as his Fast Food series discs were released; Ann and Rip Esselstyn each appeared a few times each, as did Chef Tanya of Native Foods restaurant. But the one whose recipes really caught my eye this time were the ones Sabrina Nelson herself did. She was demonstrating recipes using the pressure cooker years before the Instant Pot came out, back when I had my own stovetop PC. As far as I know, these recipes were never printed anywhere or included in any cookbook. She shared some of her family's recipes on their website, and I plan on making the Semi-Cajun Black Bean Soup (minus the sausages) from that page soon, and Randa's Corn Chowder from that page is already one of our favorites. Some of Sabrina's others made their way into the Twins' Clear Skin Diet book.
But this one, Lima Bean Comfort Soup, as far as I know, has only been shared on the Get Healthy Now Orange set from 2007.
In the demo, Sabrina talks about how lima beans have always meant "comfort" to her, as her mom would make lima beans when she was small and in need of comfort, and now that she's a mom, it's her turn to make them, hence this soup.
Lima Bean Comfort Soup
Pre-soak 1 pound Lima beans a few hours.
She said there was no need to soak them overnight. I did a quick soak this morning by bringing the rinsed bag of Rancho Gordo Classic Cassoulet beans I've had since 2015. They're no longer on their web site so I can't link them. These beans look exactly like limas - and when I made them in the past, they tasted exactly like limas, too, so to me, cassoulet beans are lima beans.
Sauté 1 diced onion, some garlic, and a stalk of chopped celery in water.
I diced up a large Vidalia onion, tossed some minced garlic, and about 2-3 tablespoons of the dried celery I bought from Harmony House. While that was cooking up the kitchen smelled so amazing my son actually poked his head out of his room asking what I was cooking. He's been eating a lot more of the WFPB meals I've been making lately, especially Jeff's Fast Food meals. He might even surprise me and ask for a bowl of this for his lunch today.
Add herbs to taste, maybe half teaspoon each of Rosemary, sage, about a teaspoon Muchi curry, garlic pepper.
Sabrina mentioned during the demonstration that she really doesn't do exact measurements, and used her hand and the spice caps to dole out the spices. The amounts written here are her estimates of what she used. As for the curry, she explained how there are many different types of curry out there, and she prefers the Muchi curry for much of her recipes. I looked on Amazon and see it in one pound bags. The smaller jars can be had if you belong to Amazon Pantry or Amazon Fresh. I'll look around elsewhere, like Penzey's or our local health food store (They carry Frontier, the brand Amazon has in bags), and see what I can get. Today, I used the Madras Curry that I used for one of the chili recipes I have. I added some plain old black pepper and plan on grabbing some garlic pepper when I go grocery shopping this weekend.
Add water by tablespoon as needed to prevent sticking.
Add a quart of broth and a cup of water.
In the video she used Pacific no-chicken broth, a product I've never seen. I used the usual Kitchen Basics Unsalted Vegetable Stock that I use for everything.
Add a quarter cup red lentils, a cut up red potato.
No red potatoes so used a Yukon Gold.
Add the lima beans. Cover the pressure cooker and cook at pressure for 9 minutes.
That's the easy part, now that I have an Instant Pot that I can set and forget. After it cooked then cooled for a half hour I released the remaining pressure.
After it's cooked, add some balsamic vinegar.
This part she just said, not showed, so I estimated about a tablespoon of vinegar. It's so little it doesn't add to the flavor.
The final result:
Recently, I got a bug up my butt to rip some of the many WFPB nutrition DVDs that I have using a freeware software called Handbrake. My son fiddled around with various settings and we now have 2 custom settings, one for him and his stuff, and one for mine. His is higher quality to watch on his computer monitor, mine set for a lower quality for mobile viewing because I've been transferring them to my iPad Mini. For weeks I ripped most of my McDougall videos, all of Jeff's lectures and his Fast Food series, the Essesltyn and Fuhrman seminars. OK, I did a few movies, too.
What I did these last few weeks were the VegSource Get Healthy Now DVD sets that I bought a few years ago when they had the bundle sale. Of the 9 years' worth of DVDs, 3 discs to a set, 3 to 5 lectures on each disc, I may have watched 4 talks before this, I'm embarrassed to say. Why? Well, someone else would be using the tv when I had time when I first got them, or life happened and there was no time to watch. Eventually, I just plain old forgot I owned them when they got buried under stuff on the shelf where I had them.
But I recently dug them out and started copying them. Today, I'm working on the last one, 2014's Black case. As I did them all, one lecture at a time, I was amazed at how many great presenters they had at these VegSource Healthy Lifestyle Expos over the years. Dr. McDougall did a number of lectures, as did Jeff Novick and the Esselstyns. Dr. Fuhrman appeared at least twice, and many more.
The one thing each year that attracted my attention, the only ones I've been watching the past few days, are the cooking demonstrations. Each year, Sabrina Nelson would apron up and join 2-4 other people to demonstrate their favorite recipes. Jeff cooked a few times, as his Fast Food series discs were released; Ann and Rip Esselstyn each appeared a few times each, as did Chef Tanya of Native Foods restaurant. But the one whose recipes really caught my eye this time were the ones Sabrina Nelson herself did. She was demonstrating recipes using the pressure cooker years before the Instant Pot came out, back when I had my own stovetop PC. As far as I know, these recipes were never printed anywhere or included in any cookbook. She shared some of her family's recipes on their website, and I plan on making the Semi-Cajun Black Bean Soup (minus the sausages) from that page soon, and Randa's Corn Chowder from that page is already one of our favorites. Some of Sabrina's others made their way into the Twins' Clear Skin Diet book.
In the demo, Sabrina talks about how lima beans have always meant "comfort" to her, as her mom would make lima beans when she was small and in need of comfort, and now that she's a mom, it's her turn to make them, hence this soup.
Lima Bean Comfort Soup
Pre-soak 1 pound Lima beans a few hours.
She said there was no need to soak them overnight. I did a quick soak this morning by bringing the rinsed bag of Rancho Gordo Classic Cassoulet beans I've had since 2015. They're no longer on their web site so I can't link them. These beans look exactly like limas - and when I made them in the past, they tasted exactly like limas, too, so to me, cassoulet beans are lima beans.
Sauté 1 diced onion, some garlic, and a stalk of chopped celery in water.
I diced up a large Vidalia onion, tossed some minced garlic, and about 2-3 tablespoons of the dried celery I bought from Harmony House. While that was cooking up the kitchen smelled so amazing my son actually poked his head out of his room asking what I was cooking. He's been eating a lot more of the WFPB meals I've been making lately, especially Jeff's Fast Food meals. He might even surprise me and ask for a bowl of this for his lunch today.
Add herbs to taste, maybe half teaspoon each of Rosemary, sage, about a teaspoon Muchi curry, garlic pepper.
Sabrina mentioned during the demonstration that she really doesn't do exact measurements, and used her hand and the spice caps to dole out the spices. The amounts written here are her estimates of what she used. As for the curry, she explained how there are many different types of curry out there, and she prefers the Muchi curry for much of her recipes. I looked on Amazon and see it in one pound bags. The smaller jars can be had if you belong to Amazon Pantry or Amazon Fresh. I'll look around elsewhere, like Penzey's or our local health food store (They carry Frontier, the brand Amazon has in bags), and see what I can get. Today, I used the Madras Curry that I used for one of the chili recipes I have. I added some plain old black pepper and plan on grabbing some garlic pepper when I go grocery shopping this weekend.
Add water by tablespoon as needed to prevent sticking.
Add a quart of broth and a cup of water.
In the video she used Pacific no-chicken broth, a product I've never seen. I used the usual Kitchen Basics Unsalted Vegetable Stock that I use for everything.
Add a quarter cup red lentils, a cut up red potato.
No red potatoes so used a Yukon Gold.
Add the lima beans. Cover the pressure cooker and cook at pressure for 9 minutes.
That's the easy part, now that I have an Instant Pot that I can set and forget. After it cooked then cooled for a half hour I released the remaining pressure.
After it's cooked, add some balsamic vinegar.
This part she just said, not showed, so I estimated about a tablespoon of vinegar. It's so little it doesn't add to the flavor.
The final result:
Well, I have to say, it does taste pretty good. The lima beans are nice and soft and taste like beans, not something dry and wood-like. But this is mostly a pot of beans, not really a pot of soup. Most of the broth got absorbed by the beans and lentils (which vanished - I couldn't find a red lentil to save my life!). I wish I could eat bread - what little broth there is in this dish is very tasty.
I still have a few more bags of lima beans, from big limas, baby limas, Christmas limas, as well as more of these big cassoulette beans. With winter rapidly approaching, this will make a nice cold weather lunch.
I wonder how many of the recipes in the Clear Skin Diet book are also Sabrina's and not concoctions tossed together by the girls. I copied a few using the "Look Inside" feature on Amazon or their YouTube channel, but not too many looked all that interesting. I was hoping Jeff Nelson himself would post a few of his wife's creations to his channel. Maybe I'll make that suggestion on his VegSource Facebook page. :)
Saturday, October 20, 2018
Ann & Jane - Kickin' Corn Muffins
Kickin' Corn Muffins
makes 12 muffins
1 cup water
3 tablespoons flaxseed meal
1 1/4 cups oat flour
1 1/4 cups corn flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup 100% pure maple syrup
Book Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350.
Combine the water and flaxseed meal in a small bowl and let sit for at least 5 minutes, until it starts to gel. (This is not the usual flaxseed-to-water ration used in baking: We are saving steps by using all the water for the muffins with the flaxseed meal).
In a mixing bowl, combine the oat flour, corn flour, and baking soda. Add the flaxseed mixture and maple syrup and mix until well combined.
Scoop the batter into the cups of a 12-cup non-stick muffin pan. Bake for 18 minutes, until lightly browned. These are best when served warm with salsa or hot sauce.
The Engine 2 Cookbook
page 111
Video instructions:
Do NOT mix the water and flaxseed together. Add the dry flax meal to the flours in the bowl.
Use any grind cornmeal.
If 1/2 cup maple syrup is too much, use less syrup and increase the water.
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Chatter on the MWLP Forum on the McDougall Web Site
Recently there was a discussion on what is and isn't allowed on the Maximum Weight Loss version of the McDougall program (Page 216 in the Starch Solution book). Some of the posts were removed because the thread was about the weekly weigh-in, and what was written had nothing to do with the weigh-in (That was the excuse I was given via PM when my post was removed), but as the discussion continued by others, Jeff Novick eventually posted the following:
There have been a few (not many) changes to the program over the years, as with recommended supplements for heart disease, probiotics, etc. Yes, you can refer back to the newsletter on supplements but it does not represent our current position. Several things have changed since the original MWL book has come out and since the MWL newsletter which updated the book.
If you have questions about what we are doing at the program right now (and/or about what I have said or not), the best thing to do is to ask me. I am right here.
We do allow pasta, but like tortilla's, it is one of those very rare "gray' areas on the MWL.
The original MWL guidelines said "No flour products," however, from the beginning, corn tortilla's (made from corn flour) have been allowed in spite of the fact that they have a calorie density of around 1000 cal/lb. Ironically, I have never recommended them as part of my weight loss guidelines because of the calorie density. The same for puffed cereals.
On the other hand, whole grain pasta, also a flour product, was not part of the original MWL program in spite of the calorie density of only around 550-600, almost half of corn tortilla's. However, for 30 years of my career, (including 10 years at overseeing the food and nutrition at Pritikin), I have always allowed WW pasta and people successfully lost weight. In the same study that showed the potato to be the highest in satiety per calorie, whole grain pasta was right behind it (and oatmeal) and above brown rice.
Some say they overeat on it and if you find that to be true for you, then just leave it out, but then again, some say they overeat on brown rice, so, if so, just leave it out.
Currently, at the 10-Day program, whole grains pasta is marked MWL while corn tortilla's are not.
In Health
Jeff
Sometimes I'm not sure what's going on over there, who is in charge, who to believe. For a while now, emails are coming from the program's/Dr. McDougall's address, and they're just links to the old stuff - newsletter articles and videos from years ago. But others, such as changes to the guidelines, have been written by Jeff, some with his name on them, but sometimes not, like this one, which was just an email of a post by Jeff with his guidelines for MWLP. People on FaceBook didn't believe me when I said that was written by Jeff, not Dr. McDougall, because it was sent from the official "John McDougall, MD" email address. Even after I posted the link to the forum message where Jeff wrote it out, many still didn't believe it. I gave up.
At least now it's official that pasta is allowed on MWLP. But it's also official that corn tortillas no longer are, gone the way of popcorn and rice cakes, which were banished a few months ago.
Monday, October 15, 2018
Star McDougaller Esther and Her Nutritional Journey
A few months ago, Dr. McDougall posted about his new Star McDougaller, Esther Loveridge, how she lost over 100 pounds while in her 70's.
Prior to that, she was interviewed on a cruise, where she also told her story:
And even before that, she started her own Facebook community called Esther's Nutritional Journey. I like this site - she sticks to 100% McDougall and takes no nonsense from others, is very supportive of all who write, and she even posts a Word of the Day and explains how it works in living a healthy McDougall lifestyle.
She also has a YouTube site, although there isn't much there at this time.
Her most recent accomplishment occurred last week when she was interviewed for Corinne Nijjer's podcast, When Life Gives You Lemons, Go Vegan! Esther's episode, podcast number 54, is titled "How A 73 Year Old Avoided Having Both Knees Replaced." I just downloaded it, and as soon as my iPad recharges I'll give it a listen.
She's now down 114 pounds from her highest weight. And at age 73, too. That a girl, Esther!
Prior to that, she was interviewed on a cruise, where she also told her story:
And even before that, she started her own Facebook community called Esther's Nutritional Journey. I like this site - she sticks to 100% McDougall and takes no nonsense from others, is very supportive of all who write, and she even posts a Word of the Day and explains how it works in living a healthy McDougall lifestyle.
She also has a YouTube site, although there isn't much there at this time.
Her most recent accomplishment occurred last week when she was interviewed for Corinne Nijjer's podcast, When Life Gives You Lemons, Go Vegan! Esther's episode, podcast number 54, is titled "How A 73 Year Old Avoided Having Both Knees Replaced." I just downloaded it, and as soon as my iPad recharges I'll give it a listen.
She's now down 114 pounds from her highest weight. And at age 73, too. That a girl, Esther!
Friday, October 12, 2018
Speaking of Kurt Kohler . . .
OK, so it's not in his Aunt Cassie Rolle persona, but here's Kurt in his teeny part in an episode of The Big Bang Theory from 2016:
Thursday, October 11, 2018
Ann & Jane - Chocolate Filled and Lime Kissed Strawberries
Ann says that mini food processor is a Cuisinart, but it looks more like the Chop 'n Prep Chef portion from the Power Chef system from Tupperware that Chef AJ has been pushing for a few years. You can also see it in action in this Tupperware party done by drag queen Aunt Cassie Rolle (a.k.a. Kurt Kohler). No matter where in the country you live, you can order anything from Tupperware through his Tupperware page. People who have ordered through him have nothing but praise for the personal attention - and speedy shipment - to their orders. He even leaves his phone number in case you have any questions about any of the products.
Tuesday, October 9, 2018
Super Gentle Qigong
I've mentioned Dr. Robert Bates and his Fun With Qigong videos in the past. Now he has 2 of his videos from his latest DVD, Super Gentle Qigong, up on YouTube. This page from his blog explains what it is and what the movements on the DVD are.
When I bought this DVD he was selling it directly from his professional website, but I don't see it for sale there or on Amazon where I got another of his DVDs. Maybe that's why he posted these videos on-line?
This first one explains what qigong is, what the basic movements in this video set entail, what they're supposed to do for you, and how you're supposed to feel while doing them.
The second video assumes you now know how to do the movements and is a 14 minute run-through of the practice.
These are all VERY simple movements that can be done by anyone, at any level of fitness. They're perfect for people with limited movement because of age, illness or even body size. If you or anyone you know can benefit from even the smallest increase in movement, give this video a try.
As you progress and get more flexible and stronger, look into either more of Dr. Bate's videos, or those from Lee Holden, the ones I do the most now. The videos from this selection are those I use most frequently, and on this site you can find some of his on-line/streaming videos, including the 30 day 7 Minutes a Day program.
When I bought this DVD he was selling it directly from his professional website, but I don't see it for sale there or on Amazon where I got another of his DVDs. Maybe that's why he posted these videos on-line?
This first one explains what qigong is, what the basic movements in this video set entail, what they're supposed to do for you, and how you're supposed to feel while doing them.
The second video assumes you now know how to do the movements and is a 14 minute run-through of the practice.
These are all VERY simple movements that can be done by anyone, at any level of fitness. They're perfect for people with limited movement because of age, illness or even body size. If you or anyone you know can benefit from even the smallest increase in movement, give this video a try.
As you progress and get more flexible and stronger, look into either more of Dr. Bate's videos, or those from Lee Holden, the ones I do the most now. The videos from this selection are those I use most frequently, and on this site you can find some of his on-line/streaming videos, including the 30 day 7 Minutes a Day program.
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
Dr. Doug Lisle - The Perfect Personality
Back when Dr. McDougall was still having those twice yearly Advanced Study Weekends, Dr. Doug Lisle was a regularly scheduled speaker. Back in September 2011 he did a talk called The Perfect Personality, that eventually made its was to his website, Esteem Dynamics, and is available free for all to watch.
He did the same talk for one of the weekly McDougall webinars on March 9, 2017:
He recently appeared at Fasting Escape Retreat Center, a health center opened up by former True North doctor Nathan Gershfeld. It's like True North for the folks in Southern California. Here it is, once again:
His artwork hasn't improved one bit. LOL
He did the same talk for one of the weekly McDougall webinars on March 9, 2017:
He recently appeared at Fasting Escape Retreat Center, a health center opened up by former True North doctor Nathan Gershfeld. It's like True North for the folks in Southern California. Here it is, once again:
His artwork hasn't improved one bit. LOL
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
Ann & Jane - Yonanas Nice Cream
I never understood the allure of this stuff. It's bananas - lots and lots of bananas! It takes around 3-4 bananas to get less than a cup of the creamy concoction, and over half a banana is stuck inside the machine in the blades. And without a dish washer, I've read complaints about what a pain it is to clean.
People on MWLP are limited to 2 servings of fruit a day. People on many other food plans are reminded that there should be no snacking between meals - if you're hungry soon after a meal then eat more of what you had at the meal, ideally having another salad or steamed non-starchy veggies, or, for die hard McDougallers, another potato. Other food plans - and Jeff Novick - really push sequencing your meals, to start with low caloric density foods, either a salad, soup, or a piece of fruit before your starchy meal.
I can see having this snack food as a special treat, on a birthday or holiday instead of higher calorie snack foods. But if you need to lose weight, or have any health condition where you need to restrict sweets, then loading up on frozen desserts, even if they're made of only frozen fruit, isn't for you. But people like the Esselstyns - all thin and in presumable excellent health - more power to them! They can indulge all they want! People like me - no way.