Cyd Notter

Author and Nutrition Educator, Founder of The "Plan A" Diet™

Oil-Free Pumpkin Bread (REALLY good)

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In my kitchen, pumpkin bakery isn't just for fall weather - I love it anytime!

So while searching through my 'bread' folder, I came upon this recipe I had printed back in 2010. The time to make it was obviously overdue!

Oil-Free Pumpkin Bread, by www.fatfreevegan.com, was simple to make and I must say it was the most flavorful and moist pumpkin bread I've ever baked (the pumpkin was noticeably prominent and yummy).

The recipe calls for "egg substitute equivalent to two eggs." I made flax eggs. One TBS ground flax and 3 TBS water, blended or whisked until frothy = 1 egg. (So for this recipe, I used 2 TBS ground flax and 6 TBS water, whisked.)

I also used whole wheat flour, and added about 1/2 cup walnuts.

Give this one a try. It's an official "keeper" in our house, and would probably make great muffins, too!

 

The Best Places to Eat Out

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   Photo on VisualHunt - Greek Basil Wild Rice

If you follow a whole food, plant-based, no-added-oil diet, you know that eating out can be a real challenge!

In this brief video, Dr. McDougall says that "eating out like a war zone!" But he's right when he suggests that ethnic restaurants are your best bet - Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Thai, and Indian, just to name a few.

Of course, nothin' beats home cooking for health and variety, but there are ways to eat out without compromising your health.

We'd love to hear some of your tips, too!

 

Instant Pot Lasagna Soup

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Guess what Santa delivered last month (via a gift from friends)? A brand new shiny Instant Pot!

A quick search for plant-based I.P. recipes revealed hundreds, of course, but this one from veganricha.com caught my eye: Instant Pot Lasagna Soup! I was in the mood for a tomatoey pasta dish, and this recipe seemed rather easy.

This was my first experience with an Instant Pot (I know, I know, I'm a late bloomer!) I've always used a Pressure Cooker (which is very similar), but I love the sauté feature with the Instant Pot!

Here's what I did differently for this recipe: It calls for lasagna noodles broken into small pieces, or your pasta of choice. So I chose whole-wheat penne shells (5 oz., or about 1/3 of the 16-oz. box). I did not add the optional tomato paste (I'm sure it would be great), but I did add a bit more tomato puree than called for. I also added the optional fennel seed because I love its aroma and flavor.

Tip: This recipe comes together quickly, so have all your veggies chopped and ready to go.

Lasagna Soup turned out like a pasta dish rather than a soup, but you could add more broth if you choose. There are several variations/options listed on the recipe. Top with home-made Faux Parma, if desired. Easy and delicious!

Plus PACKED with fiber (11 grams), protein (14.5 grams), and is less than 10% fat!

 

Join My Book Launch Team

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Photo on VisualHunt.com

Let's Do Launch!

I'm excited to announce that The "Plan A" Diet book is in the hands of the printer! It won't be long now until I'll have copies in hand, and the book will be available for pre-order on Amazon.

A Book Launch Team helps create momentum and plays an important role in the book's initial "lift-off!" I'm looking for a great team of "Launchers" to help do that successfully!

Launchers are committed volunteers who read a complimentary copy of the book before anyone else (in digital form), and agree to post a review and share on social media.

For complete details and instructions on how to sign up, please click here.

Spots are limited, so don't delay - inquire today 🙂 - Would love to have you on the team!

 

Artificial Sweeteners: not so sweet for your health

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        Photo credit: CME FISH on Foter.com / CC BY-NC

Artificial sweeteners seem like attractive alternatives to sugar because they’re intensely sweet and add no calories to your diet. Such sweeteners are widely used in processed foods such as soft drinks, candy, jellies, dairy products, puddings, and pretty much anything labeled “sugar-free.” The most popular fake sweeteners on the market today are Equal and NutraSweet (aspartame); Splenda (sucralose); Sweet One, ACK, and Sunett (acesulfame); and Sweet ’N Low (saccharin).

I notice a lot of people drinking diet sodas and adding fake sweeteners to their coffee, tea, and even food, just to save a few calories. But is that really a good idea? Consuming chemically altered, man-made products which are not found in nature DOES have it's consequences. Fake sweeteners in general seem to have one thing in common - they all negatively affect our health, even in small concentrations.

Here's a few reasons why we should take a pass on fake sweeteners:

  • Increased fat storage and the risk of obesity
  • Increased risk of metabolic syndrome
  • Induces glucose intolerance and affects A1c levels, contributing to type 2 diabetes
  • Linked to hypertension
  • Alters our gut bacteria (which has been observed to increase rates of irritable bowel, inflammatory bowel, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease), and detrimental for those who already suffer these conditions

Artificial sweeteners made in a laboratory contain no nutrition and should be avoided. Stevia is the only packaged sweetener I’m comfortable recommending for beverages. To date, there are no known health issues when stevia is used sparingly. Other alternatives include date paste or date syrup, which are made using only whole dates, or natural sugars used sparingly as shown in my previous post.

To learn more, check out Dr. Greger's videos:

Splenda side effects
Aspartame and the Brain
Does Aspartame Cause Cancer?

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 (GW)

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