Raw Veggie Wrap With Ginger Tahini Dipping Sauce - Includes Daikon, Avocado, Mango, Red Bell Pepper, Sprouts and More!

Try using cabbage (pictured), lettuce or collards as a wrapper.

Daikon root makes a tasty and healthful wrap ingredient.

Fill a platter with ingredients for your guests to choose.

Fill wrapper with an assortment of fruits and vegetables.

Add ginger tahini dipping sauce, roll up and eat!

Raw Veggie Wraps

Raw Veggie wraps are a staple in a raw food diet. They make a beautiful meal for guests or a convenient meal for the family. Fill them with your favorite veggies and fruits and top them with this delicious, raw tahini-ginger sauce.

Raw Wrappers

Instead of tortillas or lavash wrappers, raw recipes typically use big leaves of lettuce, collards, cabbage or other greens as a wrapper. I happen to find this very interesting looking cabbage (a cross between Chinese and Napa cabbage) so I thought I'd try it. It was a bit hard to fold so it was more like a soft taco than a wrap but it held its shape very well and was very tender. If you use collards, select the largest leaves and cut out the center stem.

Daikon

Raw daikon is commonly used in Japan to aid in the digestion of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. It's often found grated and served with sushi. Daikon is a cruciferous vegetable, like broccoli, kale and cabbage, and is associated with protecting against cancer. Cut into little circles, daikon makes a great "chip" for guacamole or raw hummus with sprouted garbanzo beans.

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Raw Veggie Wraps with Ginger-Tahini Dipping Sauce

[makes 8 wraps or 4 servings]

For the wrap

8 large leaves of cabbage, collards or butter lettuce

2 small daikons, peeled and cut into strips

1 avocado, peeled and cut into slices

1 large mango (or 2 small), peeled and cut into slices

2 medium red bell peppers, cut into strips

3 ounces sunflower sprouts

handful of cilantro

1 green onion, thinly sliced

For the sauce

1/4 cup raw tahini

2 tablespoons Nama Shoyu soy sauce

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons raw agave

4 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated

2 cloves garlic, grated

1/4 teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)

Arrange all veggies on a platter. To make the sauce, combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Serve with the veggies. To make a wrap, take a large leaf, arrange all veggies in the center, top with sauce, fold and enjoy!

Per wrap: 130.6 calories, 6.8 g fat, 0.9 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3.6 g protein, 16.1 g carbohydrates and 3.9 g of fiber.

Lose Weight, Get Fit And Increase Your Activity Level With A Pedometer

Just clip it to your belt or pants.

Try Wearing a Pedometer - It's a Great Motivator to Get Off the Couch!

If you read my January 3, 2010 post, "Get Healthy in 2010 - Three Things You Can Do Now", you may recall that #2 was to "Get Moving". The stats quoted from a recent study were so amazing they are worth repeating.

Exercise can:

- Lower the risk of stroke by 27%

- Reduce the incidence of diabetes by around 50%

- Reduce the incidence of high blood pressure by around 40%

- Reduce the risk of recurrent breast cancer by 50%

- Lower the risk of colon cancer by over 60%

- Reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by approximately 40%

- Decrease depression as effectively as Prozac or behavioral therapy.

The hope of avoiding these debilitating diseases should be motivation enough but I now have a new gadget to help motivate me even more! It's a pedometer and it really works!

What is a Pedometer?

A pedometer is a small electronic gadget that measures how many steps you take each day. I bought the Omron HJ-112 for around $25, but there are many others. See the “top 10 best pedometers”. Here are some of the things it can do: Once you calibrate the length of your step, it records how many steps you take, how many miles you walk each day and how many calories you burn. The Omron even differentiates between regular steps and “aerobic” steps (aerobic steps are those from walking a certain steady pace for over 10 minutes). It also notes how many minutes you walked aerobically. This model also stores 7 days worth of data and the real fancy ones can download your data to a computer for even more analysis. But the most important thing is for you to set a goal each day and for this little guy to tell you if you met it.

How Many Steps Should You Take?

Dr. Catrine Tudor-Locke, a walking behavior researcher, classified pedometer-measured physical activity as follows:

- Under 5000 steps/day as a "sedentary lifestyle index"

- 5,000-7,499 steps/day might be considered "low active."

- 7,500-9,999 might be considered "somewhat active."

- 10,000 steps/day should be used to classify individuals as "active".

- Individuals taking more than 12,500 steps/day are likely to be classified as "highly active".

My FIrst Week

I wanted to walk around 10,000 steps per day but quickly realized that a goal like that would certainly take quite a bit of effort. I found myself walking to the grocery store instead of driving. One day I walked 40 minutes to the post office to mail a letter instead of leaving it in my mailbox for pick-up. I jumped on my elliptical trainer every night while watching the Olympics instead of sitting on the couch. I went to my Zumba dance class and racked up 6,000 steps in an hour. That little pedometer hooked to my belt truly motivated me. Why? Because I, like most people, like to get feedback. It’s one thing to say, “I’m going to be more active” but it’s another thing to say, “I’m going to walk 10,000 steps a day and easily measure to see if I did it. For the amount of “push” it’s given me this week to get moving, it’s the best $25 I’ve ever spent!

How Did I Do?

In my first week of wearing a pedometer, I averaged 8,500 steps, or 3 miles per day. I also averaged 3,700 aerobic steps or 34 minutes of aerobic activity per day. I didn’t reach my 10,000 step per day goal but I am pretty pleased that I had over 30 minutes per day of aerobic activity. I’m also certain that if I weren’t wearing this pedometer, the numbers would have been much lower. I will keep my goal at 10,000 steps per day and hopefully work myself up to that level soon.

I highly recommend this little gadget, especially if you’re trying to increase your activity, lose a little weight and improve your health. Make sure you check with your doctor before you significantly increase your activity.

Vegan or Vegetarian Tuscan Bean Soup with Kale and Cannellini Beans

A Revised Old Favorite

This was one of the first recipes I posted on FoodsForLongLIfe.com. As I was preparing this yesterday for a photo shoot for my cook book, I made some important changes to the recipe. Since it's such a favorite of mine and such a hearty yet low calorie, nutritious meal for these cold winter nights, I thought I would re-post it with the changes.

Great for Weight Loss

This soup is very filling yet is has less than 200 calories per bowl! It's also low in fat and high in fiber. If you are trying to lose weight, this is a very satisfying dish. Make a big pot on Sunday and enjoy it for lunch or dinner during the week.

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Tuscan Cannellini Bean Soup with Kale [serves 6]
Besides all the goodness of kale, the cannellini beans in this soup make it an excellent source of protein and fiber.

1 T extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, diced (1 1/2 cups)
1 large stalk of celery, diced (1 cup)
1 large carrot, diced (1 cup)
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)

1 T of chopped garlic (about 3 small cloves)
One 14.5 oz can of organic diced tomatoes

4 cups vegetable broth

1 bay leaf

4 packed cups raw kale, cleaned and sliced
Two 15 oz cans of cannellini beans
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 T of grated parmesan (omit for a vegan version of soup)

Heat olive oil and sauté the onion, celery, carrots and rosemary over low to medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add tomatoes, vegetable broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Wash the kale well, removing and discarding the center stalk before slicing. Add sliced kale and 2 cans of beans to the pot, bring back to a low boil and simmer, covered, until kale is tender (about 5 to 10 minutes). Turn off the heat, remove bay leaf, add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Top each bowl of soup with 1/2 tablespoon parmesan cheese if desired. Serve with a nice loaf of crusty, whole grain bread.

Per serving: 196.8 calories, 3.8 g fat, 0.8 g saturated fat, 10.3 g protein, 30.8 g carbohydrates and 8.5 g of fiber.

Vegan Collard Greens With Pimentón on Whipped Sweet Potatoes

Collard greens are a nutrient powerhouse!

Remove center stem and cut into 1/2 inch strips.

Pimentón is a Spanish smoked paprika.

What is Pimentón?

Last week while visiting my daughter, she made collard greens with a spice that was new to me. Although I'm no stranger to paprika, I had never cooked with pimentón, a Spanish, "smoked" paprika. Its spicy, smoky flavor went very well with the slowly simmered collards. When I returned home, I ran out and bought this spice and cooked the collards dish once again. I quickly realized that pimentón comes in different levels of "heat" and the one I purchased wasn't very spicy at all. Although both kinds were quite good, the one you buy will definitely affect how much you use in this recipe. The pimentón "picante" is very spicy and would need 1/4 to 1/2 of a teaspoon for a large bunch or two small bunches of collards. If you use "agridulce" or medium hot pimentón, you would use a little more. For the sweet "dulce" version of pimentón, an entire teaspoon of the spice can be used. Just experiment to find the intensity and the flavor that pleases you. I look forward to experimenting further with this delicious spice.

Give Collards a Try!

Collards weren't popular in my mother's household. We ate lots of chard but never any collards. Probably because of her busy schedule (she worked all day at her job and then came home, fed us dinner and worked in my father's store until closing time). Chard takes minutes to braise and collards take much longer to tenderize. But it's worth the wait. Collard greens are a nutrient powerhouse, much like kale. They are a very good source of vitamin A, C, K, B6, riboflavin, folate, calcium, iron, and manganese. One cup of cooked collards is only 49 calories and provides 5 grams of fiber. They also provide protein, vitamin E, thiamin, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and omega 3 fatty acids. Truly one of the most nutrient dense foods around!

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Collard Greens with Pimenton on Whipped Sweet Potatoes

[serves 4]

For the Collards:

2 bunches organic collard greens

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon "picante" or 1 teaspoon "dulce" pimentón (to taste)

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup water

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

For the whipped sweet potatoes:

6 cups peeled and diced sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon salt

Soak the collards in a large bowl of water, rinsing them several times to remove any sand. Drain and remove the center stem. Slice into 1/2 inch strips. Set aside.

Heat olive oil and sauté onion for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Mix in the pimentón. Add the sliced collard greens, vinegar, water and salt and mix well. Cover and slowly simmer until soft, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust the seasonings adding more pimentón or salt, as needed.

Steam sweet potatoes until soft, about 20 to 30 minutes. Place in a mixing bowl with orange juice, maple syrup and salt and whip them with a hand beater until smooth.

Serve the collards over the whipped sweet potatoes.

My Garlic Is Sprouting! What Should I do? How To Make Your Own Garlic Powder.

Garlic begins to sprout when it gets too cold.

Remove the sprout from the garlic clove before slicing.

Sliced garlic on a Teflex sheet ready to dehydrate.

Dried garlic chips in a VitaMix "dry" container.

Sift to separate dried minced garlic from garlic powder.

Sifted garlic powder.

Dried garlic chips, minced garlic and garlic powder.

My Garlic is Sprouting!

My husband and I went on vacation and to save energy, we shut off the furnace. We live in California so we weren't too worried about our pipes freezing. But what we forgot was that garlic starts to sprout when it gets too cold. We had our 200 heads of garlic that we harvested this spring in the house and we were unpleasantly surprised to find about 1/3 of them sprouting when we got home. I had already planted all the garlic that I needed for next season and it was a bit too late to prepare another bed anyway. What on earth was I going to do with all of this sprouting garlic?

When Life Hands You Lemons.....

What's that old expression? When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. So, when life hands you sprouting garlic, why not make garlic powder? I've always wanted to try making my own garlic powder. It always annoyed me to grow hundreds of heads of garlic and then go buy a jar of garlic powder. But I never wanted to waste a beautiful, fresh head of garlic to do this. Finally, here was my chance!

How to Dry and Process Garlic

1. Break the garlic heads into individual cloves

2. Remove the skin, cut off the bottom root area and slice the clove in half vertically, exposing the green sprout.

3. Remove the green sprout intact and slice the remaining garlic into 1/4 inch slices.

4. Place slices on a Teflex sheet and dehydrate at 105 degrees F until crisp.

5. Fill the bottom of a blender about 2 inches with dehydrated garlic slices. I used a VitaMix "dry" container but I believe any good blender will work.

6. Process in the blender until you have the desired consistency. If you want some "minced" garlic granules, stop before everything is processed into powder.

7. Sift the contents of the blender through a strainer. The sifted garlic can be used for garlic powder and what you catch in the strainer can be used as larger granulated or minced garlic.

8. To make garlic salt, mix the garlic powder with fine salt in a ratio of one part garlic to 4 parts salt.

9. Either continue this process until you've used all the dehydrated chips or store the remaining chips in a jar until you need them.

Hearty Vegan Bean Chili with Wheat Berries

Dry, unprocessed wheat berries.

Cooked wheat berries.

Perfect for a Snowy Day

The east coast is covered with snow and by the looks of my family's Facebook pages, my cousins and their children all seem to be staying at home enjoying a "snow day". My husband and I just got back from Minneapolis where it snowed the entire time we were visiting. Snow makes me want a hot, spicy bowl of chili so I thought I'd make that today while I was still day dreaming of beautiful snow flakes.

Have You Ever Tried Wheat Berries?

With wheat being one of the most common foods in most of our households, it's ironic that wheat berries are so uncommon. Wheat berries are just unprocessed wheat from which all wheat products are made. A single wheat berry, or grain of wheat, is made up of the endosperm, the germ and the bran. The germ (containing the highest amounts of vitamins E and B complex) and the bran (containing most of the fiber) are removed when wheat is processed to make bleached, white flour. Over half of the wheat's important nutrients are lost during this process. Eating wheat berries in their natural, unprocessed form provides vitamin B1(thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3(niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6, folic acid, vitamin E, manganese, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, calcium and fiber. Whole grains, like wheat berries, lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other degenerative disorders.

My First Experiment with Cooking Wheat Berries

I love the nutty flavor of wheat berries. But most of all, I love their chewy texture. Although I've eaten various dishes with this delicious grain while dining out, I must confess I had never actually tried cooking them at home. A few weeks ago, while walking through the Marin farmers' market, I came across a vendor selling organic wheat berries. I quickly bought a bag and had been thinking about what to do with them ever since. I finally decided they would make a perfect ingredient for a big pot of vegetarian chili. Their chewy texture might simulate the texture of meat. The result came out exactly as I had hoped. My husband and I both thought the chili had the texture of ground meat but all the health advantages of a vegan chili.

So What's the Downside?

Most of the bad eating habits in this country are because we don't have the time to cook. The one downside of wheat berries is that they take some time to prepare. I soaked them overnight, rinsed them the next day and cooked them for 1 1/2 hours. The good news is that you can make a big pot of them and store them in the freezer for a month. So when you have time on the weekend, make a big pot of wheat berries, freeze them until you need them and use them in salads, pilafs, breakfast dishes, soups and in this tasty and healthful chili recipe!

Why Soaking is Important

Although some recipes state that you don't have to soak the wheat berries, it's important to soak grains and legumes before cooking. Soaking neutralizes their phytic acid content which can bind (and make less available) important minerals like calcium, magnesium and zinc.

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Vegan Bean Chili with Wheat Berries

[serves 6]

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large yellow or red onion, chopped

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, divided

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

One 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies

One 15 oz can black beans, rinsed

One 15 oz can pinto beans, drained

1 1/2 cup frozen corn (or 1 can, drained)

2 cups cooked wheat berries (about 3/4 cups dry)

2 cups vegetable broth

1 sliced jalapeno or 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, minced (optional)

1 medium avocado, diced

To make the wheat berries:

The night before, soak the wheat berries in water. The next day, rinse well and cook in 2 1/2 cups of water with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. After bringing to a boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until they reach the desired texture. Drain and set aside. You can do this ahead of time and freeze the wheat berries until needed.

To make the chili:

Sauté the onion and pepper for 5 minutes, add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. Stir in half the cilantro, the chili powder and cumin. Add the tomatoes, black beans, pinto beans, corn, cooked wheat berries and vegetable broth. For additional "heat", add sliced jalapenos or chipotle in adobo sauce to taste. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and gently simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust salt if needed. If desired, add fresh black pepper to taste. Place in bowls, garnish with the rest of the fresh cilantro and diced avocado and serve.

Per serving: 309.6 calories, 5.8 g fat, 0.8 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 12.4 g protein, 54 g carbohydrates and 12 g of fiber.

Vegan Mexican Chocolate Cake - Get Ready For Valentines Day!

Bake in an 8 inch pan for 25 to 30 minutes.

Carefully remove the wax paper from the bottom of the cake.

Cool the cake on a rack with top side facing up.

February Makes Me Think of Chocolate

With less than 2 weeks until Valentines day, I started thinking about healthy chocolate desserts. Last year I posted one of my favorites - Raw Tropical Chocolate Truffles. Today I experimented with an old favorite, Vegan Mexican Chocolate Cake. What's fun about this recipe is that it mixes cinnamon and cayenne pepper with the chocolate and vanilla flavors for a very interesting taste. It rises beautifully without eggs or egg replacer from just the baking soda and the vinegar. To make it a bit more healthy, I use my favorite White Whole Wheat flour for extra fiber, I cut down on the amount of sugar and instead of making a high calorie icing, I just dust the cake with a bit of powdered sugar. It's quick and easy and delicious! Serve it with strawberries or raspberries and for an extra treat, top it with a small scoop of vanilla soy ice cream.

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Vegan Mexican Chocolate Cake [serves 8]

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour (or all purpose flour)

1/2 cup organic Sucanot or cane sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup cold water

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 to 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut wax paper to fit the bottom of an 8 inch pie pan and place in the bottom of the pan. Grease the sides of the pie pan with a vegan margarine or olive oil.

Combine flour, Sucanat, cocoa powder, baking soda, cayenne pepper and cinnamon in a large bowl and mix well. Stir in the water, vanilla, vinegar and oil until combined.

Pour mixture into the cake pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until you can insert a tooth pick in the middle and it comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool in the pan, on a rack, for 15 minutes. Turn the cake pan over on rack, remove the cake onto the rack and gently peel off the wax paper from the bottom of the cake. Turn the cake back over so it is cooling on the rack with the top facing up and cool another 15 minutes. Dust cake with powdered (confectioner's sugar), slice and serve with berries and/or soy ice cream.

Per serving: 185.3 calories, 7.6 g fat, 1.3 g saturated fat, 1.3 mg cholesterol, 3.5 g protein, 26.5 g carbohydrates and 3 g of fiber.

Raw Kale Chips With Added Omega 3 - And Other Healthy Snacks For Superbowl Sunday

Cut kale into 2 inch squares or strips after removing stems.

Ground English walnuts are rich in omega 3.

Mix oil and seasonings well into the kale by hand.

Seasoned kale ready for the dehydrator.

Yes, You Heard Me Correctly, Kale Chips!

The first time I heard about kale chips, I was skeptical. But like so many others, I was hooked after my first bite! There are lots of recipes for these. Some people bake them in the oven while raw foodists dehydrate them to preserve their enzymes and nutrients. I dehydrated most of mine but I also tried baking some in the oven at 200 degrees and both techniques turned out great chips. They taste amazing and could possibly could be the healthiest snack on the planet! As I've told you in past posts, kale is truly one of the most nutrient dense foods around. Read more about kale and see more of my kale recipes.

Experiment With Different Flavors

This recipe is a simple combination of my favorite Italian ingredients (garlic and EVOO, of course) with a big focus on omega 3. To maximize this essential fatty acid, I add some flaxseed oil and English walnuts yielding a whopping 2 grams of omega 3 per serving! See more Raw English Walnut recipes high in omega 3. But you can make this recipe to suit your tastes. Instead of garlic powder, try using cumin, turmeric, curry or chili powder. For ground nuts, you can substitute raw ground almonds, brazil nuts, sunflower, hemp or sesame seeds for the walnuts. You can also mix in some nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor. Nutritional yeast is especially high in B-complex vitamins, protein and a host of other nutrients. See more recipes and information on nutritional yeast.

Healthy Snacks For Superbowl Sunday

Kale chips make a great snack for Superbowl Sunday (coming soon!). Try some of these other delicious and healthy snacks and appetizers like Raw Vegan Walnut and Mushroom Pate, Raw Hummus with Sprouted Garbanzo Beans, Cherry Tomato Salsa, Roasted Tomato and Mango Salsa with Arbols, Vegan Antipasto, Raw Vegan Walnut and Spinach Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms and Guacamole and Raw Jalapeno Corn Chips.

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Raw Kale Chips [4 servings]

1/4 cup raw English walnuts

10 large leaves of kale (a large bunch)

2 teaspoons cold pressed flaxseed oil

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon sea salt (more or less to taste)

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (or spices of your choice)

Grind the English walnuts in a food processor, VitaMix or coffee grinder (one that is not used for coffee) and set aside. Clean and remove center stems from kale. Cut curly kale into 2 inch squares. If using dinosaur kale, cut into longer strips. Put in a large bowl. Combine flaxseed oil, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic powder and mix well. Add mixture to the kale and rub into the kale with your fingers. Mix in the processed walnuts. When thoroughly combined, put on Teflex sheets. It should take 2 to 3 sheets depending on the type and size of kale. Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 6 to 10 hours or until crisp and dry. This time could vary so check occasionally. If you dehydrate at a lower temperature, it will take longer. If you don't have a dehydrator, put your oven on the lowest setting. I baked some at 200 degrees for 30 minutes and it came out perfect but check your kale OFTEN because these can overcook in a hurry.

Per serving: 119.9 calories, 8.3 g fat, 0.9 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3.6 g protein, 10.1 g carbohydrates, 1.8 g fiber, 2.0 g omega 3 and 3.3 g omega 6 fatty acid.

Lose Weight, Help Prevent Type 2 Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome, and Improve Cholesterol & Triglycerides With a Raw Food Diet - Real Life Testimonial

Kannan before and after a 41 day raw food diet -27 pounds lighter.

A festive dinner blend of raw food and traditional Indian Cuisine.

A Friend and Colleague Gets Troublesome News

I met Kannan when we were both high Tech CEOs in Silicon Valley. We were members of a small group called “CEO Leadership Forum”. The group met monthly to discuss our businesses but we often talked of our personal interests and passions. Since I was also going to school and working on my PhD in Holistic Nutrition, specializing in Raw Food Nutrition, I would often speak to the group about raw food diets. Kannan and others were always politely inquisitive (of course you never know when people are really interested or if they think you are crazy when you talk about raw food diets). When I left Silicon Valley two years ago to devote my time to studying and writing about nutrition, I remained friends with Kannan and his wife and we stayed in touch. I made sure to send them an email each time I posted a new article or recipe on my blog.

At his last doctor’s appointment, Kannan was given the bad news that he was a “border line” Type 2 diabetic and was told to watch out for Metabolic Syndrome (several risk factors that occur together increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes). Some of his risk factors were worrisome:

Weight

At 5 feet, 5 inches and 166 pounds, Kannan had an unhealthy Body Mass Index (BMI) of 27.6. BMI is an indicator of total body fat that is related to disease and death. For a healthy BMI between 18.5 to 24.9, he should never weigh more than 149. Calculate your own BMI.

Cholesterol

Even with a mostly vegetarian Indian diet, Kannan’s cholesterol profile was disappointing. Total cholesterol and LDL were high and HDL, his good cholesterol, was too low making his cholesterol/HDL ratio an undesirable 5.0. To have a “low risk” of cardiovascular disease, you want a ratio of 4.0. A ratio of less than 3.4 would be an indication of a “very low risk”. I encouraged him to also get tested for CRP and homocysteine that I believe are better markers for cardiovascular risk. None-the-less, the doctors would like to see an improvement in his cholesterol.

Triglycerides

Kannan had very high triglycerides. Many people who suffer with diabetes or heart disease have high levels of triglycerides so this is a very important indicator. Over the past 4 years, Kannan’s levels have been as high as 268 and never below 162. Normal is less than 150 mg/dL. High triglycerides combined with high LDL or low HDL (Kannan had both) are associated with a faster build up of atherosclerosis. Artherosclerosis, which is the buildup of fatty deposits in arterial walls, can increase the risk of getting a stroke or heart attack.

Glucose Levels and Pre-diabetes

High blood glucose levels is an indicator that your blood sugar is not getting taken into the cells adequately and could be a sign of “insulin resistance”. Insulin is a hormone made in the pancreas that helps the body assimilate glucose for energy. Insulin resistance is where the body is not using insulin properly causing the pancreas to have to significantly increase its production of this hormone. When the pancreas finally gives up trying to keep up with the body’s needs, the level of sugar in the blood rises. This eventually leads to diabetes. Normal fasting blood sugar levels fall between 70 and 99 mg/dL. Kannan’s levels were a dangerous 146 mg/dL and had been as high as 193 mg/dL in a test taken several years ago.

Metabolic Syndrome

Besides insulin resistance and high blood sugar, there are other indicators that lead to diabetes and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Metabolic syndrome is defined as having any three of the following conditions:

- A waist measurement of 40 inches or more for men (35 inches for women)

- Triglycerides of 150 mg/dL or above

- HDL below 40 mg/dL for men (below 50 mg/dL for women)

- Blood pressure of 130/85 mm Hg or above

- Fasting glucose levels of 100 mg/dL or above

Kannan had met the criteria for both triglycerides and fasting glucose and was on the borderline of 40 mg/dL for HDL. This is why his doctor warned him of metabolic syndrome! Clearly Kannan had to do something quickly or he would be at risk for diabetes and heart disease.

Kannan's Annual 41 Day Ritual

Every year Kannan makes some kind of sacrifice for 41 days. What started out as a religious and spiritual routine based on the Indian lunar calendar, ended up as an annual self-improvement ritual between November 1st and December 11th. One year he gave up rice, a key staple of the India diet, and all other grains except oats. Another year he ran twice a day, every day for 41 days. This past year he called me and told me he was interested in going on a 41 day raw food diet. Luckily I had quite a few raw food recipes on the Foods For Long Life blog so he had plenty to choose from. He and his wife modified some of the recipes with more familiar Indian spices and ingredients.

Kannan's Typical Diet

Before his 41 day raw food diet, Kannan would typically start the day with oatmeal or a Dosa (an Indian crepe made from rice and lentil flour). For lunch he’d enjoy rice and vegetables. Afternoon snacks were typically deep fried Indian treats and dinner was comprised of Indian bread or rice with a vegetarian entrée. When he ate out, which CEOs often do, he admitted he indulged himself in rich and unhealthy foods.

During his 41 day raw food diet he would start each day with a fruit and vegetable smoothie or raw fruits in chia pudding or yoghurt. Lunch would be a nice big raw organic salad with tomatoes, dried fruit and nuts. He would snack on fruits, nuts and either soy or hemp milk or raw goat milk. For dinner he would eat raw vegetable soups based on the blog recipes but he would add some Karela (bitter gourd or melon known in Ayurvedic practices to help lower blood sugar) or Methi (Fenugreek seeds, also common in Indian cooking and known to help treat diabetes and reduce cholesterol). He also added turmeric (long known for its anti-inflammatory properties) to most recipes and some days his wife would sprout some beans for his dinner (I hear she is a master at sprouting!). I really like the way he added familiar foods and flavors to my recipes. Technically he wasn't 100% raw but adding a few non raw items like soymilk and yoghurt helped him succeed.

Impressive Results

Weight and Waistline

After 41 days, Kannan lost 27 pounds, over 16% of his body weight. This gave him a healthy BMI of 23.1. His lost 3.5 inches from his waist and went from a 37.5 inch waist to a svelte 34 inch waist.

After only 24 days into the diet, Kannan had some blood work done. Even with 17 days to go, the results were quite impressive!

Cholesterol

Total cholesterol went down 24%, from 201 to 153 mg/dL putting him in the low risk category from “borderline high”.

LDL was reduced 20% from 122 to 97 mg/dL moving him to “optimal”.

HDL increased 10%, from 40 to 44 mg/dL. This improved his Total Cholesterol/HDL ratio from 5.0 to 3.5 which moved him very close to the “very low risk of heart disease” category.

Triglycerides

Perhaps the most stunning result was a 69% reduction in his triglycerides. His last reading before the diet was 193 mg/dL and after on 24 days it was down to 60 mg/dL. This is well below the 150 mg/dL threshold.

Blood sugar

Fasting blood sugar dropped 20% from 146 to 117 mg/dL, still a bit high but much improved.

Kannan's Reaction to the Raw Food Experience

In the beginning, he felt hungry and got headaches towards the evening. This improved after a few days. (Headaches are common as the body starts a gentle detox from the purity of the diet.) The time for food preparation was something he had to get adjusted to and plan for. Sufficient snacking and drinking enough water was key. It was also a challenge when he went on a business trip and had limited options in restaurants.

Needless to say, both Kannan and his wife were thrilled with the results. He commented that none of the other 41 day fasts and exercise programs had ever produced results as impressive as this. Kannan no longer requires any medication.

In order to maintain his health and weight, he continues to eat one or two raw meals a day and has reintroduced rice and other grains back into his diet. Kannan said, “The good thing about this diet is that I could see my weight reduction almost on a daily basis. The better thing is that other people notice your improvements, including my doctor. The best thing is to get compliments from my dear wife! Thanks Joanne for being a catalyst to help me improve my own health by way of eating a healthier diet.”

Reminder

Before you start a raw food diet or adjust any of your medication, talk to your doctor. You may not experience the same results as everyone’s body and metabolism is different. Now that I’ve reminded you of that, I will tell you that this is certainly not an isolated incident. Go to any raw food potluck and hear other examples of improved health.

Do You Want to Try a Raw Food DIet?

If you (and your doctor) decide you want to try a raw food diet for a week or a month, check out my many raw food recipes and articles. Remember, adding raw plant food to your diet, whether it's just a few fruits and vegetables a day or it's a 2 to 3 raw meals a day, adds healthy enzymes, fiber, phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals to your diet while providing an optimal pH balance for your body.

Broccoli, Shitake Mushroom and Red Pepper Quiche With A Brown Rice Crust -How To Make A Healthy Vegetarian Quiche

Sauté the red bell pepper, red onion and shitake mushrooms.

A brown rice crust is easy to make and is low in calories and fat.

Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of shredded parmesan and bake.

After baking 45 minutes at 375 degrees, let sit for 10-15 minutes.

Beware Restaurant Quiche

When some people see the word "broccoli" or "vegetable" in a menu item, they often get the false impression that the dish is healthy. With vegetable quiche dishes, nothing could be further from the truth. That's because most quiche dishes made in a restaurant are prepared with butter, heavy cream, full fat cheeses and lots of eggs. And that's just the filling! The crust is generally made from refined white flour and butter or lard. It wouldn't be hard for a slice of restaurant quiche to be over 600 calories and contain 40 to 50 grams of fat.

How To Lighten Up A Veggie Quiche

First, the Crust

I was very excited to find ready made, whole wheat and spelt crusts at Whole Foods. At first glance, I thought that would be a healthy choice for my crust. After reading the label, however, I was surprised to find out that one crust contained almost 900 calories, 64 grams of fat and 32 grams of saturated fat. Even though the saturated fat was from "tropical" oils and contained zero cholesterol, I was still put off by the amount of total fat and calories. I found a few recipes that made a crust using a mixture of cooked rice and eggs and was very pleased with the results. To step it up a notch, I used brown rice and an egg white. The resulting crust had half the calories and 1/16th the fat of the ready-made whole wheat crust. It wasn't as convenient as pulling it out of the freezer but it was still pretty easy to make and certainly worth the effort.

Then, the Dairy

You can lower the calories and saturated fat and still get a very nice consistency by using reduced or low fat cheese instead of full fat cheese. In this recipe I use low fat cottage cheese and reduced fat swiss or cheddar. You can also replace cream with soy milk or fat free evaporated milk. To further reduce the calories and cholesterol, you can replace one of the eggs with 2 egg whites. The flavor created by adding a few tablespoons of high quality parmesan on top will give the impression that all of the dairy ingredients are rich and decadent and no one will realize that you've made these healthy substitutions.

Finally, the Vegetables

There is no need to fry the vegetables in loads of butter. Steam the broccoli and lightly sauté the onions, peppers and mushrooms in a few teaspoons of olive oil.

And the Result is...

The following recipe uses all of these techniques and weighs in at around 300 calories a slice with14 grams of fat and only 4 grams of saturated fat. It also provides around 20 grams of high quality protein and almost 7 grams of fiber. That's pretty healthy for a quiche.

Good Menu for a Brunch, Baby or Bridal Shower

A veggie quiche is great to serve at a brunch or shower. Serve with roasted baby potatoes, a big fruit or raw green salad and, for a special treat, Mimosas (a flute filled with half champagne and half orange juice). Enjoy!

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Broccoli, Shitake Mushroom and Red Pepper Quiche in a Brown Rice Crust

[serves 8]

For the crust [you'll need a 9 inch pie pan]

2 cups cooked brown rice

1 large egg white

pinch of salt and pepper

For the filling

2 cups broccoli florets

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 cup baby shitake mushrooms

2 large organic, cage free eggs

2 large organic, cage free egg whites

1/2 cup unsweetened soymilk or fat free evaporated milk

1/2 cup low fat organic cottage cheese

1/2 cup reduced fat swiss or cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)

2 tablespoons fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried)

2 tablespoon parmesan, shredded

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine cooked brown rice, egg white, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Lightly grease a 9 inch pie pan. Press the rice mixture into the bottom of the pie pan and up the sides. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes until it "sets". Remove from oven. LOWER THE OVEN TO 375 degrees.

Steam the broccoli until fork tender and separate into small pieces. Remove from heat and let cool. Sauté the onion, bell pepper and shitake mushrooms until they soften, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Place the eggs and egg whites in a mixing bowl and lightly beat. Add the milk, cottage cheese, shredded swiss or cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, thyme and parsley and mix thoroughly. Add the cooled broccoli and sautéed vegetables and mix well. Pour mixture into the baked rice crust and top with parmesan cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until you can gently shake the quiche and it doesn't wiggle. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Per serving: 304.1 calories, 13.9 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 119 mg cholesterol, 19.8 g protein, 33.2 g carbohydrates and 6.6 g of fiber.