Any Nutritarians Out There?

[DEF1123]

Hello, I was wondering if there are any fellow Nutritarians out there?  If you are unfamiliar with the term, a nutritarian is someone who bases their diet on the most nutrient dense foods available.  It is based on the work of Dr. Joel Fuhrman who has written many books on the topic.  

Hope to meet a few here,

Donna

[Bogdel]

@GershonSurge wrote:

"The vegetables are my 13 vegetable mix vegetables I grated in the food processor. I heated them in the microwave for 40 seconds so the cold vegetables didn't clash with the hot rice and beans."

I would be interested to learn more about your 13 vegetable mix, if you would be willing to share. What are they, and how do you prepare/conserve them. 

Thanks!

[Bogdel]

@GershonSurge, your supper looks great. Very inspiring! 

My dinner for last night was a G-BOMBS salad, of course, accompanied by Cheesy Kale Soup (Dr. F's Recipe). Prep. time, 15 min, when using a pressure cooker.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup yellow Split pees (I used 1 cup, to make it more consistent)

1 onion, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 cups carrot juice or low sodium vegetable broth
15 ounces tomato sauce, no-salt added or low-sodium (see note)
1 pound kale, tough stems and center ribs removed and leaves
coarsely chopped
1/2 cup raw cashew butter
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Instructions:
In a pressure cooker, cover yellow split peas with about 2 1/2 cups of water and cook on high pressure for 6-8 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients except cashew butter and cook on high pressure for 1 minute. Release pressure and blend soup with cashew butter.*
Sprinkle with nutritional yeast before serving.

*Note: I make my own cashew butter by simply blending 1 cup of cashews in a 1/4 cup of water or almond milk (if available). I use my Ninja blender, but any blender should do it. 

To make without a pressure cooker:
Precook the split peas until soft.
Combine cooked split peas with all remaining ingredients except cashew butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until kale is tender (about 15 minutes). Add water as needed to achieve desired consistency. Stir in cashew butter. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast before serving.

Comments: When I first tried this recipe, I was pleasantly surprised. It's nothing like I have had before, but amazingly delicious. I made it part of my go to recipes. The combination of cashew butter and Nutritional yeast gave it that deliciously cheesy taste, without the cheese. I had some extra dandelions that needed to be used, so put them in, along with the kale. Any other green leaves will do it. You just need to adjust the cooking time accordingly. 

Now, here's the pic:

Nutritarian Cheesy Kale Soup

[GershonSurge]

@Bogdel,

It's not always 13. It just happened to be available at the time.

I always include these:

Purple cabbage (not green) - usually 89 cents a pound. Select the brightest one. This is about 1/8 to 1/4 of the mix. The mix doesn't last as long with green cabbage.

Cauliflower - usually $1.49 a pound. I buy the yellow ones as they are higher in antioxidants and look like cheese. They also have magenta cauliflower. About two slices the size of a cell phone.

Broccoli - Usually $1.70 a pound. Use the stems for the mix and save florets for other uses.

Brussell sprouts - usually about $3.00/pound, but I only use three for the mix.

Jalapeno pepper for zing. Usually about 89 cents a pound

The rest is a selection of other vegetables based on the price.

carrots - prewashed baby

radishes

green beans

asparagus (make sure they aren't woody)

celery - get the bunches, not the hearts. The hearts are usually pale meaning few anti-oxidants

zucchini - cheap

celery

Don't include the following:

Onions - the moisture content is too high and makes the mix soggy

Peppers - same as above

Tomatoes - same as above

Kale - use it as a bed or garnish. Same for all the leafy vegetables

I grate everything with the round blade on the top of the food processor. I store it in a pot with the lid cracked. That keeps it from getting soggy. It's a little dry by the third day, but usually, it's gone on the second. 

Today, I made some in just under 15 minutes including cleanup. Line up all the vegetables on the counter starting with the ones that come out of the refrigerator first. Start with the back vegetables first and put them back as you use them.  This way, everything ends up where it was. Have a scrap plate near the cutting board.  

Rinse the parts of the food processor and put them in the dishwasher. 

[GershonSurge]

@Bogdel,

You win on presentation! It looks scrumptious. I'll have to start going to the thrift store and getting an assortment of china and some placemats.

I'm just starting to learn spices. This looks like an Indian dish, so I'd experiment with some of these one at a time. I'd also add some garlic because I add garlic to a lot of things.

[Bogdel]

@GershonSurge,

Thank you! You are very kind. Your dishes look pretty scrumptious, as well. 

Also, thanks for the link on Indian spices. I use some of them, including turmeric (turmeric flavor takes some getting used to, but I read about its health benefits, and try to use it, when I remember). 

[Bogdel]

@ScottHsv, @GershonSurge & @DiabetesFree, 

I totally identify with your reaction on cereals and labels. My husband and I have been buying granola from a farmer's market, convinced that it was healthy, based on the big label. Recently, we looked closer to the ingredients. To our surprise, it was full of similar things as the ones @ScottHsv mentioned. That prompted us to give one of Dr. F's recipe a try, and my husband loves it (I rarely eat granola, but when I tried it, I liked it, too). Here is the recipe (Serves: 10)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup raw almond or cashew butter
1 medium apple, peeled, quartered
1 ripe banana
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons alcohol-free vanilla extract or pure vanilla bean
powder
4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup chopped raw walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup unhulled sesame seeds
1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup currants

Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 225 degrees F.
- Place the nut butter, apple, banana, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
- In a large bowl, mix the oats, nuts, seeds and coconut. Add the blended mixture and toss to combine.
- Transfer mixture to two parchment-lined baking pans. Do not overcrowd the pans so the granola can bake evenly. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. After baking, stir in currants.

[Bogdel]

Thanks, @GershonSurge. Great idea! So, you keep these fresh in the fridge, and just add them you your meals as you cook? 

I wonder if they could also be dehydrated, so you can make more and last longer. I got a small food dehydrator recently, and I am still experimenting with it.

[GershonSurge]

Sometimes, I get criticized for not being succinct in my posts. There is a reason for that. People remember parables for thousands of years. They can be effective memory hooks for long-term memory. I think I'll start clearly delineating the boundaries so people can skip ahead if they like

The Story

Doug Lyle, in his video Dr. Doug Lisle: Secrets to Positive Change, Webinar 02/26/18 said that every animal, including humans, does a cost-benefit analysis before making the simplest choices. He said there are three choices. Eat, Run, and Social Interaction. It crossed the road to get to better food, to run from a fox, or to interact with a rooster. Doug, you missed one -- sleep. For a chicken, that would mean the chicken coupe is on the other side. 

Two chickens were sitting in the bar. One said to the other, "I'm going to go make friends with that cute rooster on the other side." (Social Interaction).

The other said, "You can have him, I gotta pee. Where's the bathroom?" (Pain avoidance)

The first said, "On the other side."

Each chicken focused on their most pressing issue. Today, I'm going to focus on one problem: Kidney disease. Everyone loses about 50% of their kidney function by the time they are 70. The cause is dietary, not old age. The loss can always be slowed, but in some cases, it can be reversed.

Straight to the Point

Dr. John McDougall Discusses Urinary Disease, Webinar 12/22/16

Have a bowl of grapes or other fruit while you watch.

Well, not quite straight to the point. He does discuss other issues like the Trickle-Down Theory of urination.

For those who trickle-down or who can't stand up, or who have been told they have failing kidneys, I suggest watching it. Be chicken about dialysis.

A Conclusion

Dr. Campbell recommends aiming for 80% carbs, 10% fats, and 10% protein. Anytime a person strays too far from this, they are inviting problems that can often be resolved by changing the balance a bit. 

Thoughts?

[GershonSurge]

---

@Bogdel wrote:

Thanks, @GershonSurge. Great idea! So, you keep these fresh in the fridge, and just add them you your meals as you cook? 

I wonder if they could also be dehydrated, so you can make more and last longer. I got a small food dehydrator recently, and I am still experimenting with it.

---

I'm just getting into spices, so don't consider me an expert.

I've kept parsley and cilantro bunches in a canning jar with water in it and kept them right by the stove. They will last for weeks if you change the water every couple of days. For a long-term project, I may experiment with a growing spice rack in my kitchen. I have a spot where the light should be good enough.

The dehydrator is a great idea. Remember, dehydrating intensifies flavors, so don't use much. I have an Excalibur dehydrator I haven't used much. I may start soon. Grated dehydrated pineapple might be an excellent rice seasoning for a rice dish. 

[GershonSurge]

Most of this information was inspired by Dr. Campbell's Plant-Based-Food Guide. Let's focus on creating a shopping list. 

Except for a few things, I shop at King Souper's because it's close, and they have an excellent produce section. I can't afford to go all organic.

In another section, Dr. Campbell suggests making a list of everything you buy and printing copies. When you determine your needs for the shopping trip, say by a weekly menu, circle the items that you need. Then do an inventory and cross off the things you don't need. Using a spreadsheet is good, but it will take updating.

I've found a better way for me that I'll gradually start using.

On the King Soopers website or the site for the store you usually shop at, there is a section for building a list. Make a list of all the items you ever buy and put one of these on the list with a quantity of one. When you get ready to shop, change the quantity to zero for the items you don't need. 

It gets better. The site tracks the items you bought recently and has a section that lists them along with the current price. You can pick up some of those that are on a great sale.

There is also a section that lists the items you bought recently that are on sale.

You can print the list in order of aisle numbers so you only have to take one trip around the store. 

What's that quart of canola oil doing showing up on my recent purchases? Oh yeah, I use it to preserve the wood on my gardening tools. 🙂

Staples are often on sale. It doesn't sound like a big deal to save 20% on something that is already cheap, but these small amounts do add up to more than one would think.  We have an Armageddon box that has extra staples in it. We actually have a go-cart (a bicycle trailer with a handle in the back so it can be pushed). It also has our backpacking gear. If we ever have to leave home, we can take the cart or load the box of staples and the packs in the trunk. It's also our pantry, so the items are rotated frequently. It would be handy to have a free-standing tent in a shelter.

I may post a meal later.

My suggestion is to pick a method you like and gradually improve it one small step at a time. It will be cumbersome at first but will get faster with practice. 

Comments?

[GershonSurge]

Gershon's Yellow Cauliflower Egg in an Orange WheelInspiration for this came from getting some leftover boiled potatoes and beans for a snack. I had some celery that was about a day from tossing and thought of Beetles on a Log (Celery and Peanut Butter). As I made it, I had more ideas.

Ingredients:

Smushed boiled potatoes and beans. (Use a knife and fork to cut them in a bowl like spaghetti)

Celery

Grapes

Yellow Cauliflower

Oranges

Gershon's Homemade Veggie Mix

Hint: Take a picture of everything you make and put them in a folder by themselves. Number them from 0001 to 10,000. The extra zeros keep them all in order. You can put a leading character for breakfast, lunch, snack, etc., so they are grouped. If you like, make a cookbook as you go and publish it on Amazon in a series of books containing about 50 recipes apiece. Given enough time, the books may pay for your food. That's what I'm going to do. 

(Note: If you copy a recipe, the ingredients data is not copyrightable, but the pictures and descriptions are. ONLY use pictures you take as the owner always owns the copyright. If you lift a picture from the internet, you may end up with a bill from the copyright owner.)

[GershonSurge]

How to Make Oatmeal Taste GoodOne of the most popular threads on Fitbit is "Is there a way to make oatmeal taste better?" Many people put three or four packets of refined sugar in it. Some add syrup. Unless it's maple syrup it has a surprising amount of refined sugar in it. Some add applesauce, but that's mushed apples without the skin that contains the antioxidants. Often it's sweetened with refined sugar. 

I've started thinking of building meals in three layers. In this oatmeal dish, there are bananas on the bottom, oatmeal in the middle, bananas and blueberries on the top. I sprinkled just four crushed peanuts on the top and sprinkled cinnamon on it. Every bite has some of nature's sweetness. Let's look at the macros.

There is 16% fat. Dr. McDougall once said that a person can eat up to an ounce of nuts a day if they are lean and trim. I'm there, so I can leave the peanuts on. Others say losing weight is all about calories in - calories out. I agree, but we are after good health, too. Peanuts are healthy, and as long as a person maintains a calorie deficit, they can lose weight and have good health.

Many people say that they have reached a plateau. In this video: How to Lose Weight Without Losing Your Mind, one of the things Doug Lyle discusses at the end is making small changes. He also has a fascinating presentation to show why some people lose weight and others gain while eating fast food. It's not willpower. It's physiological. 

Both the person counting calories and the person trying to meet Dr. Campbell's 80/10/10 guideline can make one small change. Don't add peanuts. Now, look at the macros and the calories.

 Twenty calories less, and almost hitting the guidelines perfectly. Big deal..., who cares about 20 calories?''

Twenty extra calories is about one pound gained in 175 days. Do that six times a day for a total of 24 peanuts, and that's one pound every full moon (about 29 days). 

Small changes can make a difference.

[GershonSurge]

I'm learning so much by following Dr. Campbell's suggestions. Yesterday, I went to the store and spent approximately 20% on staples, 60% on fruits and vegetables and 20% on something special (in this case, it was a pomegranate and a pineapple).

Lately, I've been losing weight faster than I expected even though I was trying to lose weight. Today, I decided to complete a food log. Not surprisingly, I'm maintaining about a 700 calorie deficit. 

For the first time, I started using the notes. They can serve as a good journal. Remember, Fitbit may change something, so save each day to a PDF if it's important to you.

I posted the food log through breakfast. If you want the whole day, let me know, and I'll send it to you.

Notice there are 47.4 grams of fiber. Depending on the source, they recommend 25 grams for women and 35 grams for men. More fiber than this is correlated with fewer heart attacks and less cancer. 

There are only 523 mg of sodium. The reason for this is no processed foods. The daily max is generally stated as 2200-25 mg. There is no minimum that I can find.

59.6 grams of protein exactly meets the often stated need for 1 gram/kilogram. According to Dr. Campbell, the most needed for growth is 13% of calories consumed.

The calorie composition is 78/9/13; close enough to the 80/10/10 Dr. Campbell recommends.

[GershonSurge]

I decided to make fruit salad for an evening snack. I used a fresh pineapple rind for a bowl. Topped with cinnamon and nuts.

[Water_Dog]

Fellow Nutritarian here. I have been doing 100% ETL compliant for 8 months. I have lost 71.5 lbs. Approximate cost for two of us to eat this way is $12/day. 

[Bogdel]

Congratulations to you and yours, @Water_Dog! What a victory! What prompted you to switch to Nutritarian style? Did you experience other benefits, apart from the weight loss? 

[Bogdel]

Great idea! I've been keeping this pineapple in my fruit bowl for quite a while. I'll try your salad version. Keep posting those links and ideas, @GershonSurge. I am learning a lot from Dr. Campbell. Just finished his book, Whole.  

I wasn't very good about logging lately. Logging my soups is harder, because I can only estimate the calories. 

[GershonSurge]

@Bogdel,

I did another salad for lunch today. I realized I was out of rice, so I made whole wheat macaroni and beans. It was delicious.

[Bogdel]

@GershonSurge, Looks Yummy! Pasta is one of my weak points, especially when it looks like the one in your picture. But pasta has the high Glycemic Index (GI) that I want to avoid. So, please, stop tempting me! (smiling). 

Today I blended one of those G-BOMBS salads. I am sipping on it as I type. It's not as appealing as your whole wheat macaroni and beans, but I know that everything that I put in it does something good for my body at the cellar level. BTW, I can see the fruit and veggies on the side. Nice job!

I enjoy reading your posts, and I appreciate your positive influence, as you post great links and very appealing dishes. I am beginning to be a little bit more open to Dr. McDougall (still have reservation about the high starch, but I like some of his other things that he says).  As for Dr. Campbell, I really like his free website with a wealth of articles on any topic I can think of. For that, I thank you!

[GershonSurge]

@Bogdel,

Thanks for all the thanks. I'll try to make a post in the morning about why the only difference between Dr. McDougall and Dr. Furhman is an ounce of nuts a day. Everything else is the same depending on the situation.

Meanwhile, I made an interesting dinner. It's Hawaiian pineapple sweet in the front; Mexican pepper hot in the rear. Eat from the side for an around the world taste experience.