food for thought: forks over knives…

so many of the chronic illnesses we suffer from can be alleviated with food. that’s right, food. not pills or magic potions, but healthy and vibrant plant-based foods. you all know that i don’t eat meat and yet still i suffer from high cholesterol…i think i told you that for me, my arch nemesis is cheese…and eggs. i’ve really reduced my egg intake, but the cheese? ah, the cheese…it’s a tough one.

we all can look around and see that we are no longer are a healthy nation. when i was growing up, there was no such thing as childhood diabetes or childhood obesity. and now those two words are uttered so often it’s heartbreaking. literally.

but what if you knew, truly knew that diabetes, obesity,  heart disease and high cholesterol could be prevented simply by taking a good long look at your plate? wouldn’t you want to make this simple change? i don’t want to get all preachy, but i’ve seen the benefits first hand. if you’re like me with cheese and you can’t imagine your life without your burger or your bacon, that’s fine…we just need to make those foods we love smaller and less frequent on our plates. now when i have cheese, it’s a really special cheese. and i savor it.

i really urge you to see forks over knives for yourself. it’s not often a film can change your life, but this one just might!

Related articles

• ‘Forks Over Knives’: Digging up reasons for a plant-based diet (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Forks Over Knives Doc Says Veganism Is Better Than A Coronary Bypass (blisstree.com)
• ‘Forks Over Knives’ review: A sharper point needed (sfgate.com)
• Forks Over Knives – MUST SEE!!!! (autoimmunephoenix.wordpress.com)

meatless monday recipe: spinach and watercress soup…

so, i didn’t get the job. i have to admit, i was disappointed. but i am happy i made it that far in the process. happy i met some amazing people. happy i saw a possible glimpse into my future (i’m not giving up on our dream of living and working in austin).

and über happy i got to see air force one land before my flight took off! of course it makes sense, but i never thought about the fact that the president’s motorcade travels with him. the passengers watched, like little children, with anticipation. first, a military plane landed and the motorcade drove out of the big belly. then, the airport went silent. no “do not leave your baggage unattended” announcements, it was eerie. police cars and ambulances arrived on the tarmac. and then, one lone plane approached in the sky. it was awesome! and totally worth my flight being delayed. especially since the irishman came and picked me up from LAX.

so, after the whirlwind that was the last 3 weeks, i am back to my job (despite my disappointment, i do enjoy the people i work with) and back to this blog. i realize i need to find more balance in my life (how many times have i said that?) and i really need to find more joy. our birthdays are coming up next month and i already know i’m working the entire weekend…so we’ll have to figure out a belated (and cheap!) way to celebrate. i’m still hoping to get my tattoo and i suppose the greatest gift we’ll be able to give each other will be two days off in a row. together.

it’s a pretty small and doable dream, right?

okay, onto meatless monday!

i’ve used variations of this gordon ramsay recipe and they are easy peasy, fast and delicious! plus, with all the crap shows he now hosts on tv, it’s good to remember that he is an amazing and passionate chef. you can serve this soup hot or cold, so it’s perfect no matter where you live.

i love the frenetic energy he has in these videos given how tired i am, a lickety split meatless meal is exactly what i need right about now!

Related articles

• 25 meatless monday recipes from food 52… (modernest.com)
• #meatlessmonday recipe: chickpea, spinach and tomato soup… (modernest.com)
• Meatless Monday: Cold Cucumber Yogurt Soup (chicagonow.com)

meatless monday recipe: pan-fried gnocchi with radicchio, leeks and ricotta salata…

image from herbivoracious

i’ve been away from these pages for quite awhile. it feels like time is on hyper speed and the month of april flew by. there doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to get everything done, let alone blog about all that’s been going on. in addition to earth month at work, we had team appreciation week (loads of fun) and i’m taking a little detour pursuing what i believe to be the perfect job! < i don’t want to say too much, and i still don’t know the outcome, but it’s encouraging just to know a job like that exists.

so with all that said, i have tomorrow off and i’m itching to not only eat a proper meal, but to challenge myself with a cooking technique – i just want to turn on some music and let my mind wander in the kitchen. i don’t want to be anywhere near a computer. do you ever get that feeling that you just want to make something? something in real life, not in pixels? i feel like my eyeballs are constantly reflecting the glow of this laptop…

i’ve watched enough top chef episodes to know that making a perfect gnocchi is an artform (like roasting the perfect chicken or cooking the perfect egg)…since i’ve been told i’ve mastered the chicken < should i be talking about that in a meatless monday post? and i’m hit or miss on the egg, why not add my own elimination challenge and go for brokey with gnocchi?

oh, and on a side note, am i the only one who finds this season’s top chef masters a bit boring? and who is curtis stone anyway? wasn’t he the dude who would walk up to random shoppers and go home with them to cook a meal? does he even own a restaurant? what exactly qualifies him to invest in america’s next great restaurant? and why is a host a judge? i don’t think i’m cranky gramma on this one, it seems time magazine agrees…

but i digress…

michael’s dish doesn’t really fit into my nutritional plan (which, i confess, has fallen by the wayside…guilty admission:  i had a pizza last night). but he assures his readers that this recipe for pan-fried gnocchi with radicchio, leeks and ricotta salata is doable. and i think that gnocchi, like risotto, is one of those “you made this?!?” dishes that are sure to please, impress your guests and give you a baseline for lots of variations and experimentation.

so, wish me luck!

Related articles

• Meatless Mondays: Why It Matters and How I’m Hoping You’ll Help (blogher.com)
• 25 meatless monday recipes from food 52… (modernest.com)
• Meatless Monday: Oven-roasted pepper and gnocchi with feta cheese (nami-nami.blogspot.com)