Cream of Asparagus Soup

Cream of Asparagus Soup

This is a delicious soup rich in Glutathione, the master antioxidant.
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
2 pounds green asparagus
1 large onion, diced
2 Tbsp. vegan margarine
Salt, to taste
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
5-6 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions:
1. Wash and then trim the hard ends off the asparagus and discard. Cut the asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces.
2. In a heavy pot over medium-low heat, sauté the onion in the margarine until translucent.
3. Add the asparagus, salt, and cayenne pepper and cook approximately 5 minutes.
4. Add 5 cups of vegetable broth and simmer for approximately 15 minutes.
5. Pour half the soup into a blender, add 1/8 cup soy milk, and blend until smooth. (Add the remaining broth if a thinner consistency is desired.)
6. Pour into a bowl and set aside, then blend the remaining soup and soy milk.
7. Pour all the soup back into the pot over low heat.
8. Add lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

New Year… New You!

How are you coming along with your “New Year Resolutions”?  Especially the ones you made regarding eating healthier, taking better care of your body and adopting an exercise program?

How would you like to, not only lose weight, but build a healthier body? It’s easier to stay healthy when your environment is healthy.  So… where do you start?  How do you create a body that’s healthy from the inside-out?

Time for a change

Over the holiday season, my mother and I both gained between 8 to 10 pounds! We gave ourselves the month of January to get back on track. Mom has had better results than I have over the past weeks, as I had several after-holiday gatherings. I still have 5 more pounds to go!

I’ve been told, “The hardest part about doing anything… is getting started”. Once you get started, a game plan will help you stick to your goals and will help you to achieve them. Everyone’s goals are different; some may want to shed those last stubborn 10 pounds. Others may want to reduce the amount of animal protein and dairy consumed, and for some it may be a complete lifestyle change.

Whatever your goal, stick to it and you will achieve it!

Allow yourself time, as it could take weeks, months or even years to see the results of the goals you have laid out for yourself.  Regardless of how long it takes, remind yourself, “All things are possible.” I did not say easy – I said, “Possible”.

Did you know it takes 21 days to form a habit? We hope to empower you with the knowledge and support you need to establish a new habit.

We have some healthful tips and great tasting recipes to burn fat and build muscle.

I am glad we are on this journey together!

Pamela
Editor of Our Community Kitchen

Real Food (vs Dead Food) Makes you Thin and Healthy!

What is “real” food? Real food gives life and has the right balance of vitamins and nutrients. There’s a misconception that if you eat less you will lose more weight. The fact is, if you eat more real food, you will lose more weight.

Real foods are:

  • fruits
  • vegetables
  • whole grains
  • legumes
  • wild caught fish

Dead foods lack nutrients and enzymes and have no real flavor, so chemicals are used to enhance flavor and as preservatives. These are examples of dead foods:

  • processed foods
  • refined sugar
  • red meat
  • extra salt

Continue reading “New Year… New You!”

Welcome to Our Community Kitchen

Our Community Kitchen is the place to find answers to all your questions about what it takes to transition to a “plant-strong” lifestyle, as well as recipes and tips for creating great tasting, vegetarian meals for your entire family.

We are all at different stages of our journey, and in the beginning it will be different. Don’t become discouraged – this isn’t a sprint – you may want take “baby-steps” before you are able to start running. The goal is to replace any nutritionally-deficient foods you are currently consuming with healthy, life-giving foods.

Whether you have recently made the decision to adopt a more plant-based diet, looking for alternatives to your favorite meals or just looking for some new “quick and healthy” recipes, Our Community Kitchen will be here to assist you along the way.

If you are just getting started, you may have questions like:

  • Where do I start?
  • What should we eat?
  • How will I make school lunches for my kids?

Another great place to start is by watching the movie, Forks over Knives.  If you haven’t seen the movie yet, we urge you to watch it on Netflix or better yet, get your own copy to share with your friends and family!

Continue reading “Welcome to Our Community Kitchen”

Thanks-vegan Fun!

Hi and welcome back to “Our Community Kitchen”.  If a friend forwarded this newsletter to you and you would like to receive Our Community Kitchen newsletters, click here to subscribe.

The holidays are already upon us!
And it’s time to give thanks for all we have and all we hold dear.  At Ask Dr Garland we’re thankful for YOU, our faithful customers, who have made it your personal goal to eat healthier.

We have a funny Thanksgiving story to share with you, as well as fantastic plant-strong recipes and several handy tips for cooking and baking plant-strong.

Do any of you enjoy Thanksgiving as much as I do?
This is my favorite time of the year! Time for cooking, spending precious time with family, friends, watching football games, playing board games and eating all the delicious foods which we’ve waited 364 days to enjoy.

No other holiday is so centrally based around food.

You can eat healthy over the holiday season without giving up great taste and packing on the pounds. The holidays are about celebration, not deprivation.  With planning and preparation there’s no need to give up delicious eats.

If you are new to plant-strong lifestyle…don’t worry we will get through this together. Relax! Breathe!

You can have an amazing holiday feast and eat vegetarian, all at the same time!  We would like to assist you with making a great meal that’s healthy and tasty for you and your family! Creating new food traditions now will hopefully propel your family to carry them on for generations to come.

Whether you believe it or not, most of our loved ones are not even aware we’ve used healthy alternatives while creating their favorite dishes. If we don’t say anything they won’t know.!

It tickles me to hear people “oohhhh” and “aahhh” over something I’ve made. Then, when they learn what it was you hear, “I never thought it would taste so good”.  I generally wait until my friends or family have had seconds before I disclose the ingredients!

One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned from the two generations before me is no matter what you cook, season your food to enhance the flavors.  It makes a difference to all dishes.

Remember… no one likes the taste of cardboard.

What’s your family’s favorite Thanksgiving recipe?  Send it to us and let us turn it into a fabulous healthier version. Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving tradition?  We would love to hear your stories.

Here’s to our journey!

Pamela
Editor of Our Community Kitchen

Continue reading “Thanks-vegan Fun!”

"Meals that Heal" Recipe Book

Nearly 30 years now in my extraordinary journey fighting cancer, the one thing that kept me alive and strong enough to fight another day, were the gifts that God’s messengers – healers and herbalists, doctors and believers, gave me in the form of special “Meals that Heal”.

I collected these special meals in my bulging notebooks and on scraps of paper all these years, passing them out to others I met along the way who were also on their own personal journey of recovery.

Hippocrates, who many consider to be the original doctor, is credited with saying,

“Your food should be your medicine; your medicine should be your food.”

Truer words have never been said or more powerfully in the understanding of how important our diet is in first preventing and then overcoming disease. “Dis-ease” occurs because we are out of balance for a prolonged period of time. We are literally “with out ease”.

The demands of life today are starkly different from those of our parents and grandparents. Most of us rush through our day, eating breakfast on the run, lunch at our desk and if we do stop and sit down for dinner, the food is often take-out, fast food, or pre-packaged, processed foods. No wonder we have an epidemic of diseases!

Our “Meals that Heal” use fresh fruits, vegetables and grains available at any grocery or health food store, delivering the vital nutrients our bodies desperately need to heal and restore the natural balance and “ease” in our lives.

The recipes and messages of the healing power of foods are available to you to start using for tonight’s first dinner with God. They are simple to make and can be stored in the refrigerator or freeze to reheat when needed.

Click here or on the book cover to purchase your copy.  To help support our mission to Heal the World, One Person, One Pet, One Plant at a Time, we charge $14.97 per copy to keep our “Clinic Without Walls” going.

Try a new recipe each week and let us know your favorites, and also which have healed you in some way. I have my favorites, they’re all in the book!  Enjoy and remember to thank God for creating them.

“Look after yourself because no one else but God will.”

WG

P.S. If you would like to receive additional recipes and tips on making great tasting vegetarian meals, we encourage you to sign-up for Our Community Kitchen, a monthly newsletter on incorporating a “plant-strong” diet into your life.

Organic Produce – Is it worth the money?‏

Hi and welcome back!

Today’s issue is about organic produce, and whether or not it is worth the extra money.

Summer is less than two weeks away!  As the grass gets greener and flowers start to bloom, the world seems to get much more colorful. For me, that means my meals seem to get more lively too.  Farmers markets are now in full swing, with a bounty of fresh produce.  I thought that a farmer’s market meant organic produce.  I’m not sure why I thought this, but it is not always true.

Sometimes a farmers’ market is just a way for farmers to sell off excess produce.  If you are seeking organic items, ask about growing techniques and if you find some are not organic find out what they use on their crops and when they last sprayed.

What does it mean to be organic? PickYourOwn.org explains it this way:

“The USDA has put in place a set of national standards that food labeled “organic” must meet, whether it is grown in the United States or imported from other countries. USDA’s National Organic Program regulates the standards for any farm, wild crop harvesting, or handling operation that wants to sell an agricultural product as organically produced. After October 21, 2002, when you buy food labeled “organic,” you can be sure that it was produced using the highest organic production and handling standards in the world.”

I like the PickYourOwn website. It has a great deal of information. You can look up farms in your area that have places where “you pick.”  It also provides crop calendars, and for those of you brave enough to attempt it, there are instructions for canning, freezing and making jam.

I love the idea or organic food, but I must admit, I am not always pleased with the appearance. I have purchased organic apples at local our grocery store and if you hold it next to a conventionally grown apple, you will notice the differences immediately. The organic apple will not have the sheen of the conventional one, nor will it be free of little bug holes.  Also, the color may seem a bit dim.

So, I wonder, are the conventional ones made to look more appealing because they really aren’t good for us?  Why shine them up?  If they weren’t shiney, would they lose their appeal? And what kind of wax/oil is used to get that shine?

And then there is the cost. If a farm is not using chemicals, fertilizers or pesticides, I’d figure the cost of growing a crop would be lower, yet items grown organically can be as much as fifty percent more than their conventional counterparts.  Why so much more?

Some say organic farmers have to go through quite a lot of hoops to be certified as organic or that they have to spend more for natural compost and soil preparation.  Also, there is the idea that smaller crops have to be grown,  and due to poor soil, crops must be rotated every year.

Whatever the reason, when it comes to finances, no matter how health conscious we are, everyone has a budget.

Perhaps in response to our dilemma, the TODAY Show ran a segment about “The Dirty Dozen” – twelve fruits / vegetables that should always be purchased organic.

The Dirty Dozen
Organic Fruits (Any fruit with a thin skin or a skin that can be eaten)

  • Apples
  • Cherries
  • Grapes
  • Nectarines
  • Peaches
  • Pears
  • Raspberries
  • Strawberries
Organic Vegetables (Any vegetable with a thin skin or a skin that can be eaten)

  • Bell Peppers
  • Celery
  • Potatoes
  • Spinach

The Dirty Dozen Dilemma
The theory behind this dirty dozen list, is that any fruit or vegetable that has a thin skin or a skin that is eaten (strawberries, apples, potatoes) should always be organic.

Any item with a thick skin that is removed before eating (think banana or pineapple) could be non-organic. The thought being that any pesticide residue would be removed with the skin. I don’t know if I agree with this. Aren’t the chemicals and/or fertilizer in the ground leeching into the seed that becomes the plant?

And what about items not on the list, like broccoli, cauliflower, mangos and blueberries? Wouldn’t they also “need” to be organic?

I’ve realized that no matter how well intentioned I may be, the fact remains that the produce I grew up on is not the same as the produce available today.  Soil conditions have degraded over the years and in an effort to produce more food for market, farmers have turned to pesticides, chemical fertilizers and preservatives.  I can only do so much.

So, this year, in addition to attending the Farmers’ markets, I’m attempting my own version of organic produce by having a garden. I’ve never had a garden before.  This is due mainly to my propensity for over-watering house plants.  (My husband has suggested drip irrigation, so hopefully, we’ll grow something.)  We aren’t using any fertilizer or pesticides – just water (with a few drops of Life Transfusion Liquid Minerals added every now and then), sunlight and seeds. We’ll see what happens.

As for whether organic produce worth it or not, only you can decide for yourself. Each family has to decide what they can afford and how they can best incorporate organic produce into their lifestyle and budget.

Next Time:

Summer will be in full swing, so next time, lets focus on some lighter fare, refreshing drinks, and maybe a dessert… or two!

Salmon, Couscous, and Asparagus with Black Bean Salsa

Serves 4

Since we are a family in transition, we don’t eat beef, pork or poultry, but we do eat some fish. This week’s recipe is a quick dinner that can be made in 25 minutes or less. It is one of my go-to meals when I haven’t had time to try a new recipe.

Ingredients:

Fish (3 oz. per person)

Asparagus (2 bunches)

Couscous

1 – 14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 – small tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/3 of a medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

Red onion

Cilantro

Olive oil

1 Tbsp. lime juice

Cumin

Garlic powder

Directions:

Fish: Wash the salmon (or fish of choice), place on foil and season with lemon, or our favorite, Greek seasoning. Wrap up the salmon and place on a baking sheet to put in the oven at 400. (Leave some room on the tray for the asparagus). The fish will take 10-15 minutes depending on how thick it is. It is done when it flakes easily.

Asparagus: Rinse the asparagus and snap off the dead ends. Arrange on the baking sheet next to the foil wrapped fish. Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil to coat and sprinkle with coarse salt. Put the tray in the oven. The thicker the asparagus, the longer the cook time, about 10-15 minutes for thick and about 7 minutes for thin ones.

Couscous: takes about 10 minutes. Boil the water, stir in the couscous, cook for 5 minutes and let it sit for 5 minutes. Follow package instructions accordingly.

Bean Salsa: While the fish, asparagus, and couscous are cooking, make the salsa. Drain and rinse 1 can of black beans. Place in a medium bowl along with the tomato, cucumber, 1 tablespoon each of finely diced red onion and cilantro. Drizzle with juice of half a lime (1 tbsp) plus one tablespoon of olive oil, a teaspoon of cumin powder, dash of garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

When everything is done cooking, arrange the couscous on a plate, top with bean salsa, roasted
asparagus and a scattering of the cooked fish.

Recipe courtesy of Laura Aychman

Getting Ready with Meat & Dairy Alternatives

As I mentioned in my introductory article, I will share with you recipes and tips that I’m learning, as my family and I transition to a plant-based eating plan.

There are two schools of thought when it comes to implementing change: 1.  Change is swift and complete.  2.  Change occurs gradually over time.  While either could be true and useful, I would recommend that if you do not have a pressing health issue, you make your transition as stress-free as possible. You don’t need to throw out all the “bad” food in your pantry, but if you choose to do that, take the time to donate any usable items to your local food bank or shelter. In the thread of gradual change, as you run out of things, purchase plant-based alternatives.

Now, off to the grocery store.  My first tip:  Go to your local grocery store with fresh eyes and extra time.  We are all creatures of habit and if you’re like me, you know exactly where things are in your grocery store.  You go in, get what you need & get out as quickly as possible.  When you give yourself time, you can  make this trip an adventure to see what treasures you can find.

You may have heard to shop the perimeter of the store because interior aisles have less healthy options.  This is true for the most part.  The produce section is where you will spend a great deal of time choosing your fruits and vegetables, however you will also venture into the aisles containing ethnic foods, grains, pastas, dried and canned beans, rices, frozen fruits and dairy and meat substitutes.  This is why the first trip to the grocery store should be a way for you to familiarize yourself with what is available, not necessarily to purchase.  Go aisle by aisle. Continue reading “Getting Ready with Meat & Dairy Alternatives”

Dr. Vegetable Will See You Now!

The greatest healing doctor of all time in my book was Hippocrates who said these immortal words:

“Your food should be your medicine, your medicine should be your food.”

The greatest healing foods on the planet are the wonderful gifts that God gave us in his original Garden of Eden:  succulent fruits, juicy vegetables, yummy nuts and bountiful grains.

But good as all this is, so many people find “going Vegetarian” just too difficult.  Well, sit back, we have the answer for you!  It’s called, “Community Kitchen“.  (Click on the link if you’d like to start receiving this newsletter.)

Come on in, take a seat and get healthier by the spoonful.

Wayne Garland



Thinking about eating Vegetarian?

a photo of Laura Aychman
Laura Aychman

Hi, my name is Laura.

When I first began at the company, my husband Dale would make comments about changing to a vegetarian diet. For as long as I have known Wayne, he has been a vegetarian and a strong advocate for no dairy.

While I could understand the health benefits, I wasn’t compelled to revamp how I cooked. I felt our diet was already healthy.  We seldom ate red meat, but we did eat chicken, pork or fish, with a good mix of vegetables, almost every night.

In October 2010, we had the opportunity to watch a pre-screening of the movie “Forks Over Knives.” (The film is coming to theaters in May and I recommend you go see it.) Sitting in that darkened banquet hall, I was stunned at the information shared on the screen.  I had heard most of it before, but the term “plant-strong” appealed to me. And to my delight, it appealed to our 11 year old son Jacob too.

We left the movie that night thinking we have to change how we eat. And then reality set in – we have to change how we eat! This meant I would have to change how I cook.  Thoughts started rushing through my head about where would I start?  What would we eat?  How would I make the kids’ lunches?

I was overwhelmed just thinking about it.  I wondered, “Is there a class I could take?  Where do I find someone to teach me to cook this way?”

Continue reading “Dr. Vegetable Will See You Now!”

Soothing Seaweed Soup

This powerful Thyroid-enhancing soup not only provides essential Iodine from Kelp sea vegetables to nourish the entire thyroid “factory”, but it is also high in amino acids and antioxidants and is practically a total meal in itself.

This and other miso soups, when properly prepared, can have an extraordinary effect on one’s energy, leaving one calm yet alert.

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 piece of approx. 4″ x 4″ kelp dry sea vegetable from health food store
3 oz. Soba noodles (Or you can use Udon or Ramen or your favorite!)
6 cups pure, filtered water
½ cup julienned carrot strips, 2″ to 3″
¼ lb. tofu, firm or extra firm, diced
¼ cup red pepper strips
3 Tbsp. light miso (barley)

Optional:
1-2 tsp. grated ginger
Few drops of toasted sesame oil
Sliced scallions for garnish

Continue reading “Soothing Seaweed Soup”