Bulgur Wheat and Flaxseed Pilaf

Bulgur Wheat Pilaf with Flax Seed

2 cups uncooked bulgur wheat

2/3 cup flax seed

4 cups water

1 bunch green onions, chopped

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

2 tbsp lime juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (or 1/8 cup dried)

1 tbsp dried basil

1 tsp marjoram

1/2 tsp pepper

Preparation:

In a medium pan, combine bulgur wheat,flaxseed and water; add onions, tomatoes and peppers. cover and simmer, 15 minutes. 

Remove from heat; let stand, for 5 more minutes.

Add lime juice, parsley, basil, marjoram and pepper.

 and serve.

Dr. Ornish and Dr. Esselstyn...adapted for me

Dr. Ornish's Spectrum diet: These are his recommendations but I am combining his work with Dr. Esselstyn's who recommends no animal products at all...

I like that Dr. Ornish treats the whole body and advises nutrition,  meditation and exercise changes in the lifestyle to heal the heart. But I like Dr. Esselstyn's view on fats so I am mixing them together and making it work for me.
I am still keeping it very simple, oats, rice milk, bananas, Beans/ Peas and brown rice and just a bit of bran cake :) lots and lots of water and I am off the coffee now. Changes are happening fast. The chest pain is better today. The weight is coming off.

A list of the things that I want to eat right now, they must be readily available or I won't eat them or go find them... So I changed Dr. Ornish's list a bit and took some things away because I don't know what they are or/ I don't like them, I added no oils where he listed some, and I added maple syrup and honey to this list where they actually fall farther down on the optimal choices on his list.. so here goes:

Healthful Choices

Fruits	Fresh; choose locally grown fresh fruit when available. Apples, Bananas, Berries, Cranberries, Cherries, Figs, Grapes,  Lemon, Lime, Melon, Oranges, Papaya, Pomegranates, Rhubarb, Tangerines, Watermelon, Dried fruit, without added sugar (Cherries, Cranberries, Dates, Mango, Papaya, Raisins)
Vegetables		Fresh, frozen or low-sodium canned: Choose locally grown fresh vegetables when available. Artichokes, Arugula, Asparagus, Bamboo shoots, Bell peppers (red, green, yellow or orange), Bok choy, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots or celery, Cauliflower, Celery, Chilies, Chinese celery, Corn, Cucumber, Dandelion greens, Edemame (soy beans), Eggplant, Escarole, Fennel, Garlic, Ginger, Grape leaves, Green beans, Green leafy vegetables, Jicama, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Mustard greens, Napa or Chinese cabbage, Okra, Onions, Parsnips, Pickles, Potatoes, Radicchio, Scallions, Seaweed, Shallot, Spinach, Squash, summer and winter, Sun dried tomatoes (not in oil), Swiss chard, Tomatoes, Tomato paste, Tomato sauce, Water chestnuts,
Grains/Cereals		100 percent Whole grain bread, bagels, English muffins, pita bread, 100 percent Whole grain low-fat crackers (Woven Wheat, Finn Crisp, Wasa), Amaranth, Barley, Brown rice, Buckwheat, Bulgur, Corn, Corn tortillas (not fried), Couscous (whole wheat,) Faro, High fiber whole grain cereals (containing at least 4 grams fiber per 100 calories and less than 5 grams sugar), Hominy grits made without fat, butter or bacon, Kasha, Millet, Oatmeal, Oats, Pasta made from whole grain, Polenta, Polvillo, Potatoes, Quinoa, Rice crackers (whole grain), Rye, Soba noodles, Spelt, Sweet potatoes, Tabouli grain salad made without oil, Tortillas (fat free), Udon noodles, Wheat, Wheat berries, Wheat tortillas (fat-free), Wild rice, Yams
Legumes		Fresh, dried, frozen, canned (no added salt), jarred (no added salt), vacuum sealed (no added salt): Black beans, Black-eyed peas, Cannelinni or butter beans, Chickpeas (garbanzo beans), Fava beans, Great white northern beans, Italian white beans, Lentils, Lima, Mung beans, Navy beans, Peas, Pinto beans, Red beans (kidney beans), Sprouted beans, Wax (yellow) beans
Protein		Hummus made without oil or Tahini, low fat Tofu,
Dairy and dairy substitutes		Enriched oat milk, Enriched rice milk, Enriched soy milk,
Fats/oils		None
Herbs, spices and other flavor additives		Broth (vegetable, mushroom), Chili flakes, Flax seeds, Fresh or dried herbs and spices, such as allspice, cinnamon, basil, cumin, curry powder, corriander, parsley, oregano, etc., Garlic, Green chiles (canned),  malt powder, Mustard, Natural vanilla, Pepper, Plain and flavored vinegars, Poppy seeds, Rice wine vinegar, low sodium, Salsa or picante sauce, Vinegars, Yeast, Wheat germ
Sweeteners		Stevia, Honey, Maple Syrup
Beverages		Green Tea (iced and hot), Caffeine free herbal teas (iced and hot), Fruit juice can be used in recipes

Apple Bran Cake

Apple Bran Cake

Core and slice 3 apples and place in a saucepan with 1/4 cup water, cover and cook till soft. Put in a blender or mixer and mash with skins and juice, add 1 cup Bran ( I used Bob's Red Mill) 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. baking powder. Pour Batter in a bread pan, I used a glass 9 x 4 inches.
Bake for 35-45 min at 350 degrees. Done when knife inserted in the middle comes out dry. serves 12
(nutrition estimates from MyFitnessPal.com: 121 cal, 28 g carbs, 1 g. fat, 3 g. protein)

Red Beans And Rice

Red Beans Soaked overnight. Rinse and cover with fresh water,
Add one medium onion, diced small, and two cloves garlic minced
cook till beans are soft about an hour,
add cilantro, bell pepper, tomatoes, cumin and any other seasonings to taste! Cook for about 15-20 minutes more and Serve over Brown Rice! yum!!

If Money was no object? Healing the Heart...

Doing good today, focusing on healing my heart...
I have no voice because of my cold but I am focusing on one day at a time eating plants! 
I love this video it so inspired me! If I have a heart attack today or tomorrow or next week? did I do what I needed to do? I loved my family the best to my ability, I could face Jesus with Joy because I loved the people that He gave me to love, I have nothing to offer Him but what He did for me and I believe that He is proud of me for being me... 

It is funny how my perspective is changing. I really like not eating animals... I remember that day that we were behind the truck filled with cattle carcasses. It was horrifying to see the bones with some flesh still stuck to them. If I could do anything, I would love my family, I would serve as a nurse in India or Africa, I would ride my bike and not drive a car. I would try to spread the word about love, loving Jews, Muslims, Christians, Mormons... Those that hate and do not love. If I could do anything I would be like Jesus and love until I die.

Green Beans

Lemony Green Beans adapted from Kashi:

Ingredients

• 1 pound organic green beans, trimmed
• 1 tablespoon minced onion
• 1 tablespoon  lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Bring an inch of water to a boil in a large saucepan fitted with a steamer basket. Add green beans, cover and cook until tender-crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat.
2. Meanwhile, whisk onion, lemon juice, mustard and pepper in a large bowl. Add the green beans and toss to coat. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving to blend flavors. 
3. yummy!!

Black Eyed Peas

Tonight's supper:

Black Eyed Peas
One package dried peas soaked overnight
I added finely diced onions, tomatoes, red peppers, lemon juice and pepper
Served over Brown Rice

Splurges and Keeping it Simple

So I ate some pancake today (no butter just a little maple syrup) with my grandson, we shared so I don't feel quite as guilty about it and I used oil in the Vegan Chili Recipe that we will be eating with our baked potatoes tonight for dinner. The family is not adhering to the same restrictions as I am so they will be adding cheese and sour cream etc.. to their dinners I am sure.

I plan on keeping to the diet guidelines 98% of the time and allowing little bits of splurges to keep my sanity.
This week I want to focus on simple recipes.

Breakfast: 5 grain oats cooked in the microwave with water and then about 1/2 cup of rice or almond milk ( I am going back and forth between the two) a banana and/ or some blueberries on top.
I will get more creative as time goes by. My coffee is also getting a little bit of rice milk or almond milk to get used to not having 1/2 and 1/2.

Lunch: Salad and homemade apple chips

Dinner: tonight will be vegan chili and a baked potato and salad...

Simple, Simple, Simple... later on I will experiment with more ingredients and menus.. This week the key is Simple!

Vegan Chili

Keri’s  Vegan Chili

4 cloves garlic, minced 
1 cup yellow and red bell peppers, finely chopped 
1 large onion, finely chopped 
1 cup carrot, finely chopped  
1 can corn (rinsed) 
1 can black beans (rinsed)

1 can light red kidney beans (rinsed)

1 can chili beans (rinsed) 

1 large can (about 2 pounds) diced tomatoes with juice 

2 tbsp cumin 
2 tbsp chili powder 
½ tsp. Black Pepper 
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder 
2 cups water

2 tbsp CHIA SEEDS

Sautee the Onion and garlic in a large stew pot on the stove in a small amount of water until they are translucent. Add the peppers and carrot and cook until they are softened. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 25-30 minutes. Allow to set on stove for a few hours and then refrigerate overnight. The next day, heat and serve.

The Dietary Rules

The Dietary Guidelines
1. Do Not eat meat; chicken or fish.
2. Do Not eat any dairy products.
3. Use oat, almond and nonfat soy milk sparingly.
4. Use Maple Syrup, agave nectar and honey for sweeteners.
5. Use Corn Starch, Chia Seeds and arrowroot for thickeners.
6. Do not eat eggs, egg whites or egg substitutes.
7. Do not use any oils
8. Use whole grain or whole wheat products.
9. Use Brown Rice.
10 Do not drink fruit juice.
11. Do Not eat nuts.
12. Eat soy products cautiously.
13. Use light, low fat silken tofu 
14. Do not use salt.
15. Eat any fruit and vegetables and legumes except avacado and coconut.