Cyd Notter

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

Bruschetta Cheese Ball

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This Bruschetta Cheese Ball recipe from Sophia at www.veggiesdontbite.com is a definite keeper! We made it for a Thanksgiving appetizer and plan to make it again on Christmas Eve (if we don't eat it all before the party!)

No dairy and no added oil - just nuts, vinegar, garlic, bread crumbs, and spices. Please don't omit the sundried tomatoes and fresh basil - they really add to the flavor and make this tangy cheese ball delicious!

Note: As the recipe indicates, you don't have to go through the process of straining the mixture overnight to form a ball. Instead, you can just serve the mixture as a dip if you prefer - which is what I did.

We spread it on Whole Foods 365 brand "Woven Wheat" crackers and it was a hit!

This recipe was one of many included in the Holiday collection by Terri Edwards at www.eatplant-based.com. Check out the other recipes there as well.

If you make this cheese ball, let me know what you think!

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Olga – Improved Cognitive Function

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I met Cyd at a new church I attended in 2013 and we connected right off the bat. She invited me to spend a week or two with her in Florida just after a few weeks of meeting her. Since I’m retired, I jumped at the chance to leave Chicago weather to swim and sun in Florida.

Cyd was very open about how she chose to follow a whole food plant-based (WFPB) diet and asked if I had a problem with that. In my mind I’m saying, of course not, just invite me to Florida and I’ll eat whatever you’re making. So I jumped at the chance to spend time with my new friend and experience WFPB eating.

Read the rest of her story here.

Chocolate Ice Cream from Squash?

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Are you ready to try something completely different and EASY?

When the Engine 2 Team sent out a blog post showing Five Plant-Strong Squash Recipe ideas, I was eager to look into it because I love to bake squash in the fall. I was NOT expecting to see a recipe for Chocolate Ice Cream, however!

Just five simple ingredients. A bag of frozen squash, 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (or cacao) powder, 1/4 cup almond milk, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and 1 tsp vanilla. Put all into a high-speed blender, using the tamper to mix the ingredients together until it reaches a sorbet consistency.

Don't do what I did, though. Using a Vitamix, it seemed like the texture wasn't getting very smooth and impatience got the best of me.  I added more almond milk when I shouldn't have, and it affected the consistency. It turned out a bit runny but still good. Lesson learned. Give the blender all the time it needs to process everything smooth, which is only a few minutes.

On a scale of 1-10, I'd give this recipe an 8 for flavor, and an 8 for texture (but my fault). My hubby liked it more than I did. Will I make it again? YES. Low-fat, nutritious chocolate ice cream in about 5 minutes? I'm in.

Butternut squash is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol, and Sodium. It is also a good source of Vitamin C and Folate and a very good source of Vitamin A and Manganese.

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Mint Chocolate Chip Bars

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If you're a fan of anything "mint chocolate chip" (as I am!), you'll enjoy this easy No-Bake recipe from Brandi at the vegan 8 website.

No-Bake Mint Chocolate Chip Bars have only 7 ingredients and are a yummy treat to be savored sparingly - a little goes a long way!

The only difference I'll make in the future is to choose a different crisp cereal. The bars didn't turn out as "crispy" as I'd hoped, but still good!

These would make a nice addition to your Christmas Cookie gift plates.

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Which Veggie Burgers are considered C.R.A.P. (Calorie Rich and Processed)

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I read an interesting post today by Jeff Novick (Jeff is an expert dietitian affiliated in part with the McDougall program).

In the post, he describes an on-line debate that occurred over the "Beyond Meat" veggie burgers, and he gives reasons why the "Beyond Meat" burger is not a healthy choice. If we're going to purchase processed products once in a while, label reading is important! We usually don't have to go any further than the ingredient list.

Another interesting tip: Now that food manufacturers are no longer required to reveal the percentage of fat in a product, Jeff explains how we can tell the percentage of fat by doing just a bit of math. He mentions The Impossible Burger (I'm not familiar with that one) and shows how that product is 53% fat (with 41% of that being saturated fat).

Here's the link to Jeff's post.

Making your own plant-based burgers at home is easy and delicious! Here are just a few of the hundreds out there.

Fat Free Baked Mexican Black Bean Burgers (the Vegan 8)

Sweet Potato Curry Burgers (Jeff Novick)

McVeggie Burgers (Dr. McDougall)

White Bean, Wild Rice and Almond Burgers (Dr. Fuhrman)

Savory Lentil Mushroom Burgers (FatFree Vegan) 

I'd love to hear about your favorites too!

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