Fruit and Stuff

Tag: plant-based

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  hibiscus tacos recipe

  Posted at 1:37 pm by Mary Ann Lesh

  Sep 17th
  hibiscus nutrition

  Hibiscus flowers are used in Mexico to make a cold, sweetened beverage called “agua de jamaica” or to brew a relaxing tea that can also be used to treat hipertension (high blood pressure). The flowers are usually discarded after brewing, but they can be used as a meat substitute. I have discovered in the process that I can get a lot more beverage from a batch of flowers than I thought. The chewy texture resembles shredded beef or pork, and they absorb the flavors of garlic and onion when sauteed. If you don’t live in Mexico, you may be able to find hibiscus in a supermarket or Mexican grocery, or you can order it on Amazon. These tacos got a hearty thumbs-up even from the non-vegans at my house in Cancún.

  PREP: 20 min COOK: 15 min, medium heat NON-STICK SKILLET MAKES 8-10 TACOS

  PRIOR TO MAKING THE TACOS: Cover 1 c HIBISCUS FLOWERS with water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and steep for 10 minutes. Strain and keep the liquid to make tea or beverage. Repeat with the same flowers 2 more times, until the liquid is very light in color. Drain the flowers well and set them aside.

  INGREDIENTS

  hibiscus flowers, 1 c, boiled and drained onion, 1/2 c, finely chopped, for sauteeing garlic, 2 cloves, peeled and chopped olive oil, 1 Tbsp for sauteeing salt to taste corn tortillas, 8 lettuce, 1 c, finely chopped onion, 1 c, finely chopped fresh cilantro, 1/2 c chopped (optional) salsa, to taste (about 2 Tbsp for each taco)

  INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Sautée 1/2 c FINELY CHOPPED ONION and 2 CLOVES OF GARLIC, PEELED AND CHOPPED in 1 Tbsp OLIVE OIL until onions are soft and transparent

  2. Add 1 c WELL-DRAINED HIBISCUS FLOWERS and SALT to taste

  3. Cook thoroughly over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, turning with spatula

  4. Place hibiscus mixture on a fresh hot corn TORTILLA, add LETTUCE, chopped ONION, CILANTRO and SALSA

  Recommended side dishes are refried beans, Mexican Rice, avocado slices, and cold agua de jamaica. ¡Buen provecho!

  Posted in RECIPES | Tagged hibiscus flower tacos, Mexican, mexican food, Mexican vegan, plant-based, plant-based tacos, tacos de jamaica, vegan, vegan tacos
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  amaranth facts

  Posted at 6:56 pm by Mary Ann Lesh

  Sep 6th

  Amaranth (español: amaranto) is a pseudocereal grown for its edible starchy seeds; it is not in the same botanical family as true cereals such as wheat and rice. Amaranth can be boiled and eaten as a cereal like oatmeal or added to granola and many other dishes. It must be cooked in order to be digested. Amaranth, which is gluten-free, is a good source of fiber, protein, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and iron.

  Nutrition Facts: 1 cup (246 g) cooked amaranth
  calories 250 carbohydrates 46 g copper 18% DV fat 5.2 g iron 29% magnesium 40% DV manganese 105% DV phosphorous 36% DV protein 9.3 g selenium 19% DV

  Posted in FOOD FACTS | Tagged iron, plant-based, vegan, vegan cheese, whole food plant-based
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  chia facts

  Posted at 6:47 pm by Mary Ann Lesh

  Sep 6th

  Salvia hispanica, commonly known as chia (español: chia), is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, native to central and southern Mexico and Guatemala. It is considered a pseudocereal, cultivated for its edible, seed. The word “chia” is derived from the Nahuatl word chian, meaning oily. It is rich in calcium, phosphorous, and other minerals. Chia seeds may be added to other foods as a topping or put into smoothies, breakfast cereals, tortillas, and bread. They also may be made into a gelatin-like substance or consumed raw. The gel from ground seeds may be used to replace the egg content in cakes and is a common substitute in vegan baking.

  Nutrition Facts: 1 ounce (28 g) of chia seeds
  calcium 18% DV fat 9 g fiber 11 g magnesium 30% DV manganese 30% DV omega-3 5 g phosphorous 27% DV protein 4 g

  RECIPE:

  Chia Egg Substitute

  Posted in FOOD FACTS | Tagged chia, egg substitute, plant-based, vegan, vegan cheese, whole food plant-based
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  curcumin / turmeric facts

  Posted at 3:52 pm by Mary Ann Lesh

  Sep 6th

  Curcumin (español: curcuma) is a bright yellow chemical produced by curcuma longa plants. It is the principal curcuminoid of turmeric, a member of the ginger family. There is some confusion in the two names because curcumin is a component of turmeric. Turmeric is better for some conditions, while curcumin alone is better for others. Turmeric, commonly used in Asian food, is the main spice in curry. Turmeric or curcumin is recommended for pain and inflammation, such as that associated with osteoarthritis. It is also used for hay fever, depression, high cholesterol, a liver disease, and itching. Some people use turmeric for heartburn, thinking and memory skills, inflammatory bowel disease, stress, and many other conditions, but there no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

  WARNINGS: In small amounts, turmeric has few reported side effects, though there have been reports of nausea, dizziness or diarrhea. You should consult a health professional if you are taking therapeutic amounts of turmeric or curcumin.

  Sources: Wikipedia / WebMD / healthline / Today

  Posted in FOOD FACTS | Tagged curcumin, curry, plant-based, turmeric, whole food plant-based
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  nutritional yeast facts

  Posted at 3:45 pm by Mary Ann Lesh

  Sep 6th

  Nutritional yeast (español: levadura nutricional) is a deactivated yeast, often a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae sold in the form of flakes or yellow powder. Its strong flavor is often described as nutty, cheesy, or creamy. Nutritional Yeast can be used as a flavor enhancer in cheese substitutes, mashed or fried potatoes, scrambled tofu, and popcorn. Even in small amounts, nutritional yeast is a significant source of some B–complex vitamins. Some brands are fortified with additional B12. It has approximately 9 grams of protein in 2 tablespoons. It provides 9 amino acids that the human body cannot produce and 5% (unfortified) to 20% (fortified with B12) of recommended daily iron.

  WARNINGS: In large amounts, the high fiber content may cause digestive discomfort, and high niacin content can cause facial flushing. Some brands may contain tyramine, which can trigger migraines in some individuals.

  Sources: Wikipedia / healthline

  Posted in FOOD FACTS | Tagged B12, levadura nutricional, nutritional yeast, plant-based, saccharomyces cerevisiae, vegan, vegan cheese, whole food plant-based

• YOUR CHOICE

  Posted at 11:08 am by Mary Ann Lesh

  Aug 27th

  

  Animal products are bad for everyone’s health, but eliminating them flies in the face of thousands of years of habit, tradition, and even religion. It takes courage, patience, and tolerance to live a meat-free life in a meat-driven world. I try to not make a big deal of it. Good manners require me to respect others’ decisions about what to eat and what to serve, but they also require others to respect my choices when I say, “No, thank you.” I don’t define myself by a label. I am not A Vegan or A Vegetarian or A WFPB. I am a human being who most of the time chooses to eat plants and nothing else.

  Whether you follow someone’s plan or make it up as you go, you will benefit from becoming conscious of everything you take into your body. Ask yourself what it is doing for you and what it is doing to you. Acknowledge your reason for taking it in, whether you eat it as food, drink it as beverage, or swallow, inject, snort or smoke it as therapeutic or recreational drug.

  Fruit and Stuff is mostly about improving health through food choices, and this blog has the Do-It-Yourself Plant-Baser in mind. My hope is that everyone will switch to plant-based and make it their way of eating for as long as they live. In addition to personal health, there are moral, spiritual, and environmental reasons to do that.

  If you are following a prescribed plant-based diet for a specific health outcome, by all means you should comply with the requirements of that diet and the recommendations of your health care provider, but long-term success is more likely if you assume responsibility for your health and your choices. You may choose to adhere strictly to a prescribed eating plan, but that is YOUR choice, and YOU, not the experts who designed the plan, must make decisions every day about what you eat, what you think, and how you live. You alone will enjoy or suffer the consequences of the plan you choose.

  Posted in RESOURCES | Tagged compliance, eating plan, health, health care provider, plant-based, requirements, responsibility
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  agar-agar facts

  Posted at 8:30 pm by Mary Ann Lesh

  Aug 22nd

  Agar or agar-agar (español: agar) is a jelly-like substance, obtained from red algae. Agar has been used as an ingredient in desserts throughout Asia. It is used as a laxative, an appetite suppressant, a gelatin substitute, a thickener for soups, in fruit preserves, ice cream, and other desserts, and as a clarifying agent in brewing.

  Source: Wikipedia

  Posted in FOOD FACTS | Tagged agar, Asian desserts, gelatin substitute, plant-based, thickener, vegan, vegan cheese, vegan desserts, vegetarian, whole food plant-based

• About Fruit and Stuff

  When I switched to plant-based living after a lifetime of meals planned around a main course of meat, I immediately felt positive effects and found it surprisingly easy, even fun, to change my habits and explore new ways of enjoying food. Fruit and Stuff is a collection of some of the many things I have learned since I started the journey. Even if you are not ready to give up meat, you will benefit from adding more plant foods to your daily meals. I hope you’ll find something useful here. The most recent articles appear first on the Home page, and the tabs at the top of every page are for locating any article, past or present. The Glossary links to facts about plant-based foods, the Recipe tab will direct you to the recipe index, and the Resources consist of news and opinions about plant-based living.

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