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May/June 2011 – Evolving Appetites

Welcome to Evolving Appetites’ bimonthly newsletter. Short, informative and hopefully fun to read veggie bits. Let us know if we don’t deliver on this – we always love feedback from our readers. Contact info is at the bottom of the page.

In this issue

• Veg health: Plant-based power for athletes
• Good Veg News – “What to eat?”
• Recipe(s) of the month: May – Walnut hemp burger; June - Raw ginger carrot soup
• EVENTS update – Toronto Veggie Pride Parade; Hungry for Change (Free movie screenings)

Veg Health – Plant-based power for athletes

Just recently at a business breakfast someone noticed my plate looked a lot different than everyone else’s and commented on it. I try to avoid discussing my food preferences at meal times, but this one was point blank and I couldn’t avoid it altogether. So I just said “I don’t eat meat or dairy” and tried to leave it at that. However, the curious inquirer replied, “I’m vegetarian, but I work out, so I eat eggs and dairy for the protein”. I just nodded but I couldn’t resist throwing in “I work out too” before quickly changing the subject.

Folks, some of our top athletes around the world fuel themselves with plant-based food and reach peak performance goals. Body builders, professional basketball, hockey and tennis players, ironman champs and Olympic gold medal winners have all excelled in their respective fields

Plant-fueled superstars Canadian ironman Brendan Brazier – creator of Vega products and author of “The Thrive Diet” and “Thrive Fitness” Robert Cheeke, body builder Georges Laraque - former NHL brawler who has played for the Montreal Canadiens, Phoenix Coyotes and Edmonton Oilers Retired NBA star John Salley Gold Medal Olympian Carl Lewis who achieved his best track performance on a vegan diet This list is by no means exhaustive - but if these heavy weights can thrive on a plant-based lifestyle, so can you!

on a purely plant-based protocol (see side bar below).

The challenge is to make sure you’re getting enough calories for your activity level. If you’re doing heavy duty training, then eating nutrient dense foods in sufficient quantity will ensure you’re meeting all your body’s needs. Athletes still follow the basic four NEW food groups (pcrm.org) – Vegetables, Legumes/nuts/seeds, Whole Grains and Fruit. However, while the rest of us who are not professional athletes have to watch our fat intake, athletes have a little more flexibility on this front – but still need to make sure they’re getting the good quality fats – nuts, seeds, avocados (as opposed to refined oils or processed foods).

So the whole-foods, plant-based mantra still holds true for athletes – but they just need to eat more of all that good stuff. And be sure to include a source of B-12 and Vitamin D.

You may also want to consider some readily available products developed specifically for athletes by an athlete: I’m a huge fan of Vega products developed by Canadian ironman Brendan Brazier. I use the “Whole Foods Health Optimizer” powder every day in my green smoothies, and occasionally consume Vega energy bars for quick and easy nutrition. [I don’t normally promote specific brands/products in this newsletter – but these are products I’ve been using for 4+ years, and feel comfortable enough to vouch for them.]

For expert advice on meal plans, I highly recommend Brendan Brazier’s “The Thrive Diet” – it includes 12 weeks of meal plans and 100 easy recipes.

A typical day from “The Thrive Diet” looks like this (week 3, day 2 – p.174):

See below for Walnut Hemp burger and raw carrot ginger soup recipes from “The Thrive Diet”

DISCLAIMER: This site does not provide medical advice. This web site is for information purposes only. The nutritional information on this site is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health practitioner with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read on this web site.

Evolving Appetites and its owner accept no liability for any injury arising out of the use of material contained herein, and make no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the contents of this publication.

The relatively new documentary “Forks over Knives” is going strong since its release – it recently launched in Toronto, and is high on my list of things to do. I’m hearing great things about it, and quintessential movie critic Roger Ebert has given it 2 thumbs up.

But, until I can get myself to a movie theatre to watch Dr. Campbell and Esselstyn’s brilliance on the big screen, there’s a 4.5 minute short I stumbled upon titled “What to eat” that’s definitely worth your time. Watch it here for free and witness the transformation of a typical westerner’s eating habits.

Walnut Hemp Burger - from “The Thrive Diet” p.232

These tasty burgers are quick and easy, and very filling.

Put all ingredients in a food processor. Process until well blended. Process less if you prefer coarser texture. Form into 2 patties. Serve raw or, if you prefer to cook them, lightly cover with coconut oil and bake at 300 F for 35 minutes. Alternatively, lightly fry over medium heat until golden brown, flipping once.

Raw ginger carrot soup - from “The Thrive Diet” p. 244

This is an especially easy soup to digest. Because of the ginger, it has a warming effect whether served warm or cold.

Grate carrots. In a food processor, process avocado and water. Once smooth, add carrots, ginger and sea salt. Process to desired consistency. Stir in cilantro and serve.

Editor’s note: I added a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to this and it took the soup to a whole new level of yummy!

Events update:

Starting on Asquith Avenue (Yonge/Bloor – next to the Toronto Reference Library), the parade will travel south along Yonge Street to Queen Street, west along Queen to James Street, north on James to Trinity Square which is adjacent to the Eaton Centre (15 city blocks)

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Tell us what you think – is the newsletter too long, too short, or just right? What would you like to see more of? Less of? Tell us your veggie success story, and we’ll publish it [we reserve the right to edit for space and clarity]. Contact us at info@evolvingappetites.com

DISCLAIMER: This site does not provide medical advice. This website is for information purposes only. The nutritional information on this site is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health practitioner with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

Evolving Appetites and its owner accept no liability for any injury arising out of the use of material contained herein, and make no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the contents of this publication.