Cholesterol News

I enjoyed this article on Medical News Today.   Have you had your cholesterol checked lately?  Here is a recap:

What Causes High Cholesterol?

1.  Nutrition - although some foods contain cholesterol, such as eggs and some seafoods, dietary cholesterol does not have much of an impact in human blood cholesterol levels.  However, saturated fats do, as well as *trans fat!  Foods high in saturated fats include red meat, sausages, hard cheese, lard, cream and butter.

2.  Sedentary lifestyle - people who do not exercise and spend most of their time sitting/lying down have significantly higher levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) and lower levels of HDL (good cholesterol).

3.  Bodyweight - people who are overweight/obese are much more likely to have higher LDL levels and lower HDL levels, compared to people who are of normal weight.

4.  Smoking - this can have quite a considerable effect on LDL levels.

5.  Alcohol - people who consume too much alcohol regularly, generally have much higher levels of LDL and much lower levels of HDL, compared to people who abstain or those who drink in moderation.

(This list is not exhaustive.  Some diseases, certain medicines, and family history may also impact cholesterol levels).

*Trans fat is found in many processed foods, such as cookies, crackers, snack foods, and other processed foods made with shortening, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, or hydrogenated vegetable oils, including some margarines and salad dressings.  Really, try to avoid! 

Tempeh Salad Sandwich

I know what you're thinking, "What weird thing is she eating now?"  Believe me, it's less weird than hot dogs or chicken nuggets...  Tempeh is made from cooked and slightly fermented soybeans and formed into a patty, similar to a very firm veggie burger.  Many commercially prepared brands add other grains, such as barley, and also add spices and extra flavors.  Although tempeh is made from soy, it has a unique taste and is mildly flavorful on its own.  If you aren’t fond of tofu, tempeh is a great nutritional choice because it is very high in protein, calcium and iron and has zero cholesterol (unlike meat), as well as beneficial fiber and isoflavones.  Tempeh tastes nothing like tofu.  It has a textured and nutty flavor.  If you are cutting back on meat and trying to lower your cholesterol, give this a try.  You can make anything with it.  Let your creative juices flow.

Make a sandwich!

*Most tempeh you buy in the store is pre-cooked, pasteurized and ready to go; however, I highly recommend you steam it for 10-15 minutes anyway because the tempeh will swell and soften a bit which helps it to accept more flavors; and it helps to remove some of tempeh's bitter flavor.  I serve up this salad on toast like a "tuna" sandwich, but it is delicious plain too!

You Need:
You will need an 8 oz. package of Tempeh, found in most grocery stores and natural food stores.  Break up tempeh in big chunks and place in a steamer basket (or use a sauce pan filled one inch with water) and steam for 10-15 minutes.  Cool completely.  You will also need 1/3 cup frozen corn, thawed; and 1/2 cup of frozen peas, thawed.  While tempeh is steaming, you can get the dressing ready:

Tempeh right out of the package

Ingredients:
(8oz. pkg tempeh, peas, corn)
1/2 cup chopped dill pickle
2 T sweet pickle relish
1 T Vegenaise vegan mayo
1 T lemon juice
2 tsp. stone ground mustard
1/2 tsp. dried dill seasoning
handful of fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 salt
pepper to taste

Directions:
Mix dressing, add peas and corn, add cooled tempeh (break it up a bit with your hands), mix thoroughly.  Serve on toast, a bed of lettuce, or eat plain.  You can also add other veggies to your taste such as, chopped red onion, celery, cucumber, or carrots.  Make it the way you like it, but don't be silly, just TRY it!  Makes 4 servings.

Recipe inspired by The Kind Life.

Breakfast Scramble

On the weekends when I have more time, I like to make a tofu scramble for breakfast.  There is something very satisfying about eating vegetables for breakfast.  They say if you eat a healthy breakfast, it will set you up for healthy eating all day.  This is a perfect time of year to use veggies from your garden to add to your breakfast scramble.  Tofu is low-fat and a good source of calcium, protein, and iron.  It is also known to lower LDL cholesterol.   Tofu may impact you if you have a soy allergy or a thyroid dysfunction (so avoid) otherwise, I believe the health benefits from tofu out weigh any negative connotations.  I eat soy (tofu, miso, tempeh, soy milk) as part of a well-rounded diet of whole foods.   As you can see from this blog, I also eat beans, quinoa, nuts, legumes etc. for additional protein (not just soy).

I can make extra firm tofu taste like scrambled eggs or chicken nuggets.  I am THAT good.

4 oz. of organic, extra firm tofu
1 T reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 T green taco sauce
1/4 cup diced red bell peppers
1/4 cup diced summer squash, what ever veggies you love
Generous handful organic spinach leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Take a paper towel and gently squeeze out the liquid from the tofu.  Then crumble it up in a bowl and set aside.  Spray a saute pan with oil and cook spinach and veggies for 5 -7 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add in tofu , soy sauce, taco sauce and warm through.  Done.  Serve with additional hot sauce or salsa and sweet cornbread for a very satisfying, filling breakfast.

Banana Oatmeal Chip Cookies w/ Flax

These little gems are a cross between a cookie, muffin and scone.  They are packed with nutrients, fiber and protein~a perfect energy snack!  I used whole wheat flour, but you could use spelt or any non-wheat flour.  I like to eat two for breakfast with my tea or coffee.   They contain ground flax seeds.  I like to include ground flax seeds in my diet as much as possible~in baking recipes, on top of my cereal or oatmeal, in a smoothie and in pasta dishes.  Flax is full of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and phytochemicals called lignans.   Lignans may help prevent Type 2 diabetes, reduce peri-menopausal symptoms, and prevent breast cancer.  Flax seeds are very low in carbohydrates and help lower blood cholesterol.  Ground flax seeds are more easily digested compared to the whole seed.  If you don't have any in your pantry, pick some up at the supermarket as soon as possible!   This recipe is adapted from Oh She Glows.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour (or spelt, or soy flour)

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt, optional

1 Tbsp ground flax seed

1/4 cup organic soy milk

1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp expeller pressed canola oil

1/2 banana

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 tsp. salt (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a non-stick mat.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.  Next, add in the liquid ingredients and stir well.

3. In a small bowl, mash the banana. Stir in the mashed banana, chocolate chips, and walnuts into cookie mixture.

4. Spoon onto prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches apart.  Bake 12-15 minutes.  Cool on rack for 10 minutes before serving.  Makes 1 dozen.

Leek & Lentil Shepherd's Pie

Ahhh, comfort food.  Okay, so this isn't traditional Shepherd's Pie, but not lacking in flavor!  It's my own delicious, savory version, using lentils for protein instead of lamb or beef.   Of course, there are mashed potatoes on top to give it the "pie."   I thought I would throw in some leeks, a good source of dietary fiber, folic acid, calcium, potassium, and vitamin C.  Leeks are easier to digest than standard onions, and have antiseptic, diuretic, and anti-arthritic properties.  Using left-over mashed potatoes is great.  You'll need about 6 cups.  Whether making homemade mashed potatoes or a box mix, please refrain from using cow's milk and butter.  This will make the recipe completely fattening and unhealthy.  I'm trying to help you lower your LDL.  Help me, help you!   *When I make mashed potatoes, I use unsweetened soy milk, Earth Balance butter, sea salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika.  All in all, it's a healthy meal your family will love.  Just make it.

Ingredients:

6 cups vegan mashed potatoes (about 3-4 large russets)
3 cups cooked lentils (I cheated and used already cooked lentils.  Otherwise, simmer 1 1/2 cups of dried lentils with 3 cups of water or veggie stock about 40 minutes)
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
2 Roma tomatoes, washed and diced
2 large carrots, diced
2 leeks, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons canola or safflower oil
1/4 cup of red wine, optional

Butternut and Balsamic

Spring and summer are upon us, so time for all those summer fruits and veggies.  Hold your horses!  I still like to eat winter squash, namely butternut squash.   I don’t like to prepare it from the skin and roast it because I don’t want to run my oven in the summer.  Thankfully, you can buy it already skinned and cut up in a bag.  Butternut squash, a superfood, is very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium.  It is also a good source of Vitamin E, Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium and Magnesium, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Potassium and Manganese.  It also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.  It is proven to help prevent the oxidation of cholesterol in the body, which helps maintain proper levels of cholesterol and reduce the possibility of heart attacks or strokes.  The fiber in this vegetable may be a benefit in reducing the risk of colon cancer.  Wow-za!  Who is not eating this stuff?

**You can stove top steam the butternut squash cubes or microwave in the bag.  I’ve discovered that it is so delish with Balsamic vinegar drizzled on top.  I buy a really good Organic Balsamic and keep it in my fridge for just such occasions!  No salt or butter is needed for this flavor explosion!  A party in your mouth baby.  Give it a try.

Let's Live Longer!

What is this I hear about cutting out carbs to lose weight?!?   In this month's Health magazine, there is an article on page 14 about the secret to living longer.  What’s the secret they say?  Eat more fiber!  "People who load up on it seem to have a lower risk of dying early from any cause."  Fiber includes wholes grains, fruits and veggies.  But extra servings of whole grains has the biggest affect on longevity.  Here's what whole grains can do for you today: 

*protect you from heart disease and lower your cholesterol level

*ward off certain cancers

*reduce your risk of diabetes

*promote digestive health

*keep weight off (you heard me!)

I’m sorry, aren’t all carbohydrates fattening?  Don’t they raise blood sugar and insulin levels and make our bodies store fat? Well, that depends on what type of carbohydrate we are talking about. Both whole grains and refined grains are high in carbohydrates, but their effects on the blood sugar differ.  Refined grains (white flour, white rice) quickly raise blood sugar, leaving us feeling drained and hungry; while the fiber in whole grains helps slow down this rise, leaving us feeling full so we are less likely to pig out.

What kind of whole grains will help you live longer?  I’m so glad you asked:

*cracked wheat (including kamut and spelt, cousins of wheat)
*brown rice

*corn (including whole cornmeal and popcorn)

*steel-cut and rolled oats

*whole rye

*barley

*millet
*amaranth

*quinoa (technically not a grain, but has the same composition and gluten-free)

C'mon peeps, get with the program.   It's the insides of our bodies we need to worry about because we can't see those parts. **Make sure you are eating tons-o-fiber, and extra whole grains. 

How Sweet is your Oatmeal?

This is not quite a recipe for oatmeal.  You know how to make oatmeal.  And you know that it is super healthy for you.  Oats are full of vitamins, minerals, protein and a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber.  Insoluble fiber's cancer-fighting properties are due to the fact that it attacks certain bile acids, reducing their toxicity.  Soluble fiber may reduce LDL cholesterol (bad) without lowering HDL cholesterol (good). Oatmeal lowers blood cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart disease.  It is another food I think of as a superfood.  So why on earth are we ruining it with so much sugar?  Read below for healthy ideas and tips for your oatmeal.

*Try buying just plain old Quaker Oats, you get way more for your money.  Buying prepackaged, instant oatmeal means extra salt and sugar your blood-sugar level does not need.  White table sugar is high on the glycemic index scale and causes your blood sugar to spike and then lower too quickly.  When THAT happens, the glucose gets digested too fast and then we are hungry again 5 minutes later.  White sugar is like CRACK. It's addictive.  Try Brown Rice Syrup.  It is lower on the G.I. than white table sugar.  It digests slower, leaving you satisfied and fuller longer.  It is thick like honey and has a slight vanilla flavor.  I even use it to replace white sugar in some baking recipes. Stevia is another sugar alternative that is zero on the G.I. scale.  Look here for a great article on the different kinds of sugar.

*In my oatmeal:  pinch of sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 Tablespoon of Organic Brown Rice Syrup, and topped with fruit!

Note: Brown Rice Syrup is sold in most grocery stores now.  Check the baking aisle next to all the sugars.