But where do you get your protein?

Twice this week I have been asked, by two different health care professionals, where I get my protein.  This is a common response to finding out you enjoy a vegan diet* and it never ceases to amaze me how much the protein myth has got its teeth into our culture.  I want to say, but I'm afraid it would sound rude, have you ever seen a gorilla?  Or a chimp?  Their diet is mostly leafy greens, which are loaded with protein by the way.  And they could tear your head off with a casual swat, that's how strong and powerful they are on their vegan diets**.

You can take one look at a gorilla and see that protein is not an issue for them.  It's not for us either but rather a long standing myth making people think they need animal products. Protein is just a chain of amino acids and they come in many varieties. Pure, unadulterated food from the plant kingdom is the highest quality, most easily assimilated protein we can eat with leafy greens topping the list.

There is a ton of literature out there on this topic, so I am not going to try to encapsulate it in a blog post, but I will steer anyone who would like to know more to the following books:  THE CHINA STUDY, by Campbell and GREEN FOR LIFE by Boutenko.

* I do eat raw organic honey on rare occasion--vegan police don't come after me!
** Gorillas eat about 3% insects, but it's 97% plant food otherwise.

Tweet

Blendtec Blender Jar Upgrade

Blendtec, the makers of my fabulous blender, have upgraded their blender jars.  They are now BPA free, larger, and have a much more comfortable grip.  The upgrades make a big difference with a bigger and better blade, and a lid that has an easy open hole on top for adding ingredients while blending.  If you have a Blendtec with the older jar, check this out, it's a big upgrade and well worth it.  Find it HERE.

Tweet

Raw Family Signature Dishes: A Step By Step Guide by Victoria Boutenko

This was a great idea, a step by step guide to raw foods by one of the pioneers of the raw food movement, Victoria Boutenko. Raw Family Signature Dishes takes you through fifteen raw foods recipes, holding your hand the entire way. This book demystifies raw food cuisine and makes it completely accessible to all.

The layout is straightforward and Victoria's writing style is (as always) enjoyable and informative. The photos go through each step of the recipe and there's an equipment list with sources in the back of the book.

I think it's a good book, I would recommend it, especially for beginners (like me). I would have preferred maybe a few less steps and more recipes, but it's simplicity is very comforting and almost like having an experienced friend in the kitchen with you.

Tweet

Book Review: Green Smoothie Revolution by Victoria Boutenko

One of my favorite books is GREEN FOR LIFE, by Vicoria Boutenko. This book had a big effect on me, convincing me for the first time in my life to eat kale. I always tried, but never liked it and only ate it dutifully and smothered with earth balance when I did. Green For Life taught me to put leaves of raw kale in my blender with fruit for an ultra nutritious beverage/meal. I got that book two years ago and green smoothies have been a big part of my life ever since and for that I'm grateful to Victoria.

Her latest effort, GREEN SMOOTHIE REVOLUTION, has about 150 recipes for those needing ideas. There are also many stories of how individuals were able to transform their health by the simple addition of green smoothies into their diet. Public health could be completely revolutionized by following Victoria's advice, so I think it's an apt title.

After two years of green smoothies, I feel like I can't live without them. I often joke that if my house were on fire, the first thing I would grab after my son is the blender. You get hooked. My son loves them too, we drink them several times a week, and in the summer, at least once a day. Green smoothies are for everyone, not expensive, and she even tells you which greens you can find through foraging.

There is an interesting back story. Her family had some health issues the medical system failed to cure or even provide manageable care for. So she did a ton of research and her family transitioned to a raw food diet. Their health dramatically improved and then hit a plateau at one point. After doing extensive research on the chimpanzee diet, Victoria realized the missing link was greens. The story is fascinating, illuminating and very exciting. Why wasn't this obvious to all of us all along--it's so simple!

Green Smoothie Revolution stands on its own, but I would highly recommend Green For Life first. You don't have to be a raw foodist or even heading down that path. This is for everyone, and that's the beauty here, it's accessible to all. If you feel like you need to boost your nutrition levels or know anyone who is suffering from ill health or a chronic condition, these books could be potentially life changing. Highly recommended.

Tweet