Cyd Notter

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

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    • Food Topics
      • How Are Soy Curls Made
      • What’s the big deal about fiber?
      • Artificial Sweeteners – What you should know
      • Which food has 8x more cholesterol than beef?
      • 3 Big Reasons to Include Berries in Your Diet
      • Success Tips for Changing Your Diet
      • Suffering from Carbophobia?
      • What about alcohol?
      • The Slippery Slope of “Eating in Moderation”
      • A Nutrition Pop Quiz
      • Protein and Calcium
      • Aren’t Starches Fattening
      • Oils
        • Coconut Oil – Yes or No
        • Oils – what you should know
      • Eating Enough Fruits and Veggies?
      • Do You Have a Holiday Game Plan?
      • Making Only One Change?
      • America’s Love Affair with Bacon
      • Is it Safe to Eat Soy?
      • Are gluten-free diets for everyone?
      • Planning to diet this January? Do this instead.
      • Fabulous Flax Seed Has it All
      • How Important is the Glycemic Index?
      • Eating Out at Restaurants or Parties
      • Healthier Halloween Options
    • Health Topics
      • Common Barriers to Change
      • Omega Fatty Acids
      • Inflammatory and Anti-Inflammatory Foods (Printable List)
      • What is Vitamin B12 and how much should I take?
      • Why exercise?
      • 5 Reasons to Skip the Charcuterie Boards
      • MEN: Prostate Stats You Should Know
      • The Aluminum in Our Foods is Strongly Linked to Dementia
      • Diet and Gallbladder Disease
      • Infants are Being Fed Junk Food by Their First Birthday
      • 4 Things Necessary for a Successful, Healthy Diet
      • Habits – Good or Bad?
      • Is it too late to start eating healthy?
      • Making Small Changes but Expecting Big Results
      • Family and Social Pressure
      • Genes, Schmenes – It’s most likely the food
      • Is a plant-based diet safe for children?
      • Which Processed Meats Should We Avoid?
      • Gut Bacteria and Our Diets
      • Diet & Breast Cancer Prevention
      • Statins – Don’t Believe Everything you Read
      • Diabetes – “Manage” or Reverse?
      • The Health Benefits of (a little) Unprotected Sun
      • Making Changes Stick
      • Evaluating Research
      • Vitamin D and Sunshine
      • Featured in Health Science Magazine
    • Faith Related
      • Addressing Biblical Objections to a Plant-Based Diet
      • The mathematical odds that Jesus is who He said He is…
      • Poem: Lessons from a Bike Ride
  • Recipes
    • Southwest Burgers with Low-fat Green Chile Sauce
    • Easy, Fat-free Hummus
    • Chocolate Sweet Potato Frosting
    • Date-Sweetened Berry Jam
    • Berry Rice Cake Bites – by Vicki Brett-Gach
    • Pasta Fagioli Stew
    • Iced Beverages
    • Frijoles Charros by Mark Cerkvenik
    • Black Bean Quinoa Salad with Tangy Date-Lime Dressing
    • Easy Braised Onions & Green Beans
    • Best Blueberry Pancakes
    • Vegan Sausage Patties
    • Zucchini Bean Burritos
    • Minestrone Soup (Easy!)
    • Rainbow Kale Slaw
    • Gingerbread Biscotti
    • Instant Pot Pineapple Chili
    • No-Flour Corn Muffins
    • BBQ Soy Curls
    • Carrot Cake with Glaze
    • Blueberry Oat Bran Muffins
    • Choco-Mint Nice Cream & Sauce
    • Homestyle Squash and Pinto Beans
    • Barley Burgers
    • Chocolate Orange Nice Cream (and Sauce)
    • Easy Instant Pot Risotto
    • Easy Meals and Desserts
    • Recipe Links
    • Pumpkin Raisin Muffins
    • Roasted Veggie Pasta
    • Zucchini Muffins
    • Fat-free Green Chile Sauce
    • Tofu Lettuce Wraps
    • Creamy Chickpea Pot Pie Soup
  • Upcoming Events
  • Resources
  • Testimonials
    • Amanda G. – Loses Digestive Issues and 115 lbs.
    • Tim P. – Off all 8 Meds!
    • Cindi R. – Reversed Blocked Carotid
    • Doug M. – Doc says “Cured!”
    • Denise V. – At Peace with Food and Body Image
    • Linda Z. – Autoimmune Skin Disorder now Dormant
    • Olga A. – Improved Cognitive Function
    • Kim C. – Relief from “Getting Older”
  • Blog
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Just in time for grilling! BBQ’d Seitan Ribz (Easy!)

June 17, 2020 By Cyd Notter

Oh my, these "ribz" by Susan Voisin at the Fat Free Vegan Kitchen are perfect for summer grilling (or baking in the oven).

Very easy, too!

The main ingredient is Vital Wheat Gluten, which you can buy in the Bob's Red Mill Section at Fresh Thyme, Whole Foods, some Jewel stores, or you can order it online. Health food stores in your area might carry it, too.

Vital Wheat Gluten (also known as "wheat meat" because of its texture) is a versatile meat substitute which can also be used to make such dishes as Holiday Roasts and Italian Sausage.

Note: As explained in the recipe notes, the longer you 'knead' this mixture, the chewier it gets. I only knead mine for about 20 seconds because I prefer a more tender texture.

Serve with corn on the cob and smashed potatoes with Golden Gravy and you're in business!

I'd love to know if you give this recipe a try 🙂

 

Filed Under: My Blog Tagged With: 'Plan A' Diet, barbeque, BBQ, Grill, grilling, Plant Based Diet, plant based recipes, plant-based nutrition, Ribs, The Plan A Diet, vegan, vegan ribs, vegetarian, whole food plant based, whole foods

Habits – Good or Bad?

May 28, 2020 By Cyd Notter

Why do we have a hard time following through with our decision to eat a healthier diet? In my book The “Plan A” Diet, I've listed 12 barriers to change that I’ve observed over the years. One of those barriers is habits. Here’s an excerpt from the book):

Habits become an issue when the dependency on a pattern of unhealthy eating prevents you from being willing to make changes. Grocery store purchases, fast food joints, and foods associated with certain traditions or memories can become so routine they’re hard to give up and you’re unsure how to replace them.

Read the rest of the article here...

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Filed Under: My Blog Tagged With: 'Plan A' Diet, diet habits, eating habits, healthy habits, Plant Based Diet, plant-based nutrition, The Plan A Diet, vegan, vegetarian, whole food plant based

How Diet Affects Depression

May 21, 2020 By Cyd Notter

(Updated 5-25-24)

Did you know that the foods you eat every day...                                              

...can greatly influence your mood and behavior?

Yep, we already know that diet greatly affects our mental health, and this article titled "Diet and Depression - Exploring the Connection" from the Forks over Knives website further confirms it.

 

Adobe Stock Free Image

 

Our gut bacteria, inflammation levels, blood flow, brain health, and so much more, can all be negatively affected by consuming fiberless, high fat foods common in the Standard American Diet (SAD). Such foods can also have a profound effect on our risk of depression.

The answer to optimal physical AND mental health:

A low-fat, whole food, plant-based diet comprised of potatoes, yams, beans, rice, corn, squash, legumes, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and lots of good clean water (see food pyramid).

Dr. Joel Fuhrman writes extensively about how mood disorders and depression are strongly linked to nutritional deficiencies and imbalances.

Are inflammatory foods a factor? Can an anti-inflammatory diet help with depression? Absolutely. Watch Dr. Greger's video here. 

In this short video, Dr. McDougall also explains some easy, natural remedies for depression. Please take a look.

Are you ready to get started?

Watch this free webinar to learn which foods are optimal. 

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Intelligent people are always eager and ready to learn. (Proverbs 18:15, GNT)

Filed Under: My Blog Tagged With: 'Plan A' Diet, depression, diet, disorders, faith based, healthy eating, mood, Plant Based Diet, plant-based nutrition, The Plan A Diet, vegan, vegetarian, whole food plant based

How to Prevent Pandemic Weight Gain

May 7, 2020 By Cyd Notter

During these days of a pandemic lockdown, I'm seeing a lot of social media posts poking fun at the amount of weight people are gaining as they hang out around the house and don't have much to do.

Would you like to reverse that trend while still eating delicious, satisfying foods whenever you're hungry? (Notice I didn't say eat whenever you're bored or stressed - that's a topic for another day :))

There is nothing wrong with your appetite, and there's nothing wrong with you willpower! This short video by Dr. McDougall sums it up nicely.

Folks are overweight not just because they're eating too many calories, but because they're eating too many FAT calories. The body is DESIGNED to store fat; that's the body's normal response when we take in too many calories from fat.

The solution is this:

  1. Eat a low-fat diet centered around starches (rice, corn, potatoes, beans, legumes, whole grains, fruit, vegetables).
  2. Don't overeat. Eat whenever you're hungry, but stop when you're comfortably full. Don't starve, don't stuff.
  3. Moderate exercise NEVER hurts, and benefits you in so many ways besides weight loss.
  4. Remember to drink lots of good, clean water every day.

It's easy to munch on junk food and high fat desserts when its constantly at your disposal during this lockdown...but if gaining weight is a struggle you'd like to finally overcome, then follow Dr. McDougall's and The "Plan A" Diet's advice. I can HELP you do this! Not only for weight loss, but your precious health depends on it, too.

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Filed Under: My Blog Tagged With: 'Plan A' Diet, diet, faith based, lockdown, pandemic, Plant Based Diet, plant-based nutrition, The Plan A Diet, vegan, vegetarian, weight gain, weight loss, whole food plant based

5-Minute Game Changer Cheese Sauce

April 30, 2020 By Cyd Notter

Are you ready for a quick and yummy, nut-free cheese sauce? Give this 5-Minute Game Changer Cheese Sauce recipe by the entertaining Jill McKeever a try. The recipe is listed below her video, and it's definitely a keeper!

Notes:

  1. The recipe calls for a jar of roasted red peppers, but in the video she specifies "fire-roasted" red peppers. I'm not sure if the jar I used said "fire-roasted" - I don't believe it did - but the cheese was still delicious!
  2. This recipe makes a LOT. I have the 'shortie' style Vitamix blender which holds 48-oz, and this recipe wouldn't fit. I had to blend it in two batches. I recommend making HALF of this recipe (unless you're having a party or planning to share it).
  3. You will definitely need a high-powered blender, one that heats up the food the longer it blends. This recipe has corn starch, making the cheese sauce thick as it gets heated up in the blender.

So far, we've used this cheese sauce a number of ways. We spread it on Barley Burgers, used it as a dip with home-made tortilla chips, made cheesy baked potatoes with broccoli, and used it on Tostadas! It would be great for mac-n-cheese, too (but you may have to thin it out a bit).

I'd love to know your thoughts if you give this one a try!

 

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Filed Under: My Blog Tagged With: 'Plan A' Diet, faith based, Jill McKeever, Plant Based Diet, plant based recipes, plant-based nutrition, The Plan A Diet, vegan, vegan cheese, vegetarian, whole food plant based

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