PLACE PICTURE

HERE

WRWELLNESS REBOOT

Wellness Reboot

Learn Everything You Need to Know to: get healthy and fit | lose weight| feel great | restart your health

WITH: CHRISTY MORGAN AND AUSTIN BARBISCH

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learn knife techniques

eatdelicious

meals

Table of contents04 What is a Wellness Reboot?Introduction to the program and why it’s impor-tant to reboot your health.

05 Getting StartedTime to set your intention and learn tips for tran-sitioning to a plant-based diet.

06-10 What Can I Eat?We’ll share with you the WR Plate, and all about the elements of a plant-based diet.

11My Diet Philosophy

12 How to Save MoneyLearn tips and tricks for saving money.

13-15 Stocking Your Pantry & KitchenWhat goods to stock your pantry with and the kitchen tools you need for the reboot.

18 Cooking Techniques for VegetablesWe’ll show you how to read labels and tips for eating out at restaurants.

21 Meal Planning $ 28 Day Menu PlanLearn tips on meal planning and get a sample 28 day menu plan of delish food.

23 Reading Labels & Eating OutWe’ll show you how to read labels and tips for eating out at restaurants.

25 Do you need supplements?What are good supplements to take?

04 Common Foods GlossaryDon’t know what something is? Check here first to find the definition.

PG 16

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The Wellness Reboot is a program for individuals and businesses. We provide educa-tion in healthful eating habits and lifestyle changes that can easily be incorporated into your daily life. Improving your overall health is more than just lowering the number on the scale. You must reset or reboot the way you eat and live. We’ll show you how it’s done. And it will be fun!

Give us 28 days to give your mind, body, and spirit a new start. This program is designed to incorporate all elements of well-being; foods that nourish your body, exercise and fitness that supports your health goals, and knowledge you need to live a healthy, vibrant life.

Is this a cleanse? Sort of. We like the word reboot because this program gives you a new start. The program is designed to help you get off addictive foods that aren’t serving your greater health. So you will be cleansing and may experi-ence a detox depending on your current diet. But there is no deprivation on this pro-gram. You get to eat plenty of delicious food while learning

the tools you need for contin-ued success.

This is not the usual cleanse in a box type program. You get individualized attention and constant connection with me and others in the group, making it far superior to other types of wellness programs.

- Christy Morgan

What is TheWellness Reboot?

CHRISTY MORGANYour Nutrition Coach

AUSTIN BARBISCHYour Fitness Coach

well*ness defined

1. the quality or state of being healthy in body and mind, especially as the result of deliberate effort.

2. an approach to healthcare that emphasizes preventing illness and prolonging life, as opposed to emphasizing treating diseases.

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01 GET EDUCATED Going plant-based requires a new way of thinking about food. There are tons of resources now both in book form and online. Your family and

friends may be shocked or not supportive about your decision to cut out animal foods. Educate yourself on why this is a wonderful way to live so you can have an informed con-versation with them about your new way of life.

02 LEARN TO COOK Since you are exploring a new way of eating, you may need to brush up your skills on cooking delicious vegetarian food. If you have cooking

classes near take a few. Grab some great cookbooks and make a commitment to try at least 2 new recipes each week. Explore your farmer’s market and try new vegetables. After going plant-based my taste palette and food choices opened wide. Now I eat things I had seen at the grocery store, but didn’t know how to prepare.

03 HAVE THE PROPER TOOLS Cooking for yourself can be a drag and take a lot of time if you don’t have the proper tools in your kitchen. Your most important tool

and investment is a good knife! Even if it seems expensive, a good knife will last you a lifetime and will save you SO much time in the kitchen. Also, invest in a bamboo or wood cutting board. (see page x for Equipment List)

05 GOOD, BETTER, BEST POLICY Throwing out everything in your fridge and pantry and starting fresh can be daunting. Instead of getting rid of everything all at

once, start adding in healthy foods like whole grains and green leafy vegetables. Then you can slowly start transitioning out the nasty foods (meat, poultry, fish, dairy, processed foods, sugar, etc). Use the “Good, Better, Best Policy” when choosing foods. If the better or best option is available to you then take it.

04 BE GENTLE WITH YOURSELF If you can’t go whole hog overnight, then start by having 2 plant-based meals a day (or as much as you can). Once you start add-

ing in the “good” stuff, then you can start removing the “bad” stuff from your diet. Once you have eliminated the nasty stuff you’ll be on your way to feeling good. But, remember that our bodies go through a detox period once we change to a plant-based diet. So you might feel like crap before you start feeling good. Just stick with it and drink lots of water.

Getting Started Tips to help you transition to a plant-based diet

06 SEEK OUT VEGETARIAN/VEGAN COMMUNITIES Since eating plant-based is not mainstream everywhere yet, it’s important to find other people like you to share

your experiences with, have a potluck with your local community, or find events like Meet-up.com in your town. Start to frequent the veg restaurants near you and if there are none, see if your local favorites will start to offer more vegan options. Don’t be afraid to get out there and connect with more vegetarian/vegan people.

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What can I eat ON THE WELLNESS REBOOT?

One thing you will NOT feel on the Wellness Reboot is deprived. Even though this program is like a cleanse you get to eat all you want. Within reason. We focus on WHOLE FOODS, and leave the junk, processed foods behind. You get to eat your fill of whole, unprocessed plant foods,

which will leave you satisfied. There is no starving or fasting. It is easier for your body to adjust to a healthful way of eating when you add in the good stuff while slowly taking away the not-so-good foods. The Reboot is full of deli-cious cooked and raw foods for optimal health.

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What Should I Avoid?There are a few things you should try to reduce or avoid during the Well-ness Reboot to get the most of the program. You can do anything for 28 days! Meat of any kind Dairy of any kind Alcohol Processed food Refined sugar Trans fat Caffeine Preservatives Additives

• Eat whole foods• Reduce and eliminate the “Avoid List” below• Increase vegetable consumption• Don’t eat past 8pm or 3 hours before your bedtime• Drinks lots of water throughout the day• Chew your food well• Get plenty of sleep each night (7-8 hours)• Eat until your 80% full, do not overeat• Exercise at least 3 times per week• Start each morning with 8 ounces hot tea with lemon• If meal prep is too intense, double up on recipes and eat leftovers for meals• Eat whole food snacks and smoothies if hungry during the day

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Wellness Reboot Basics

Plant-ProteinWhole

Grains

Green Vegetables

Vegetables(and fruit)

The WR Plate

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When you think about your plate and how you are going to fill it think it terms of the WR Plate. This includes a whole grain, a plant-protein, a vegetable and a green vegetable. But you are not limited to having those ele-ments layed out. It could mean that you have tacos with veg-gies and beans inside with a side of steamed broccoli. The tortilla is your grain, beans for

protein, and your greens on the side. Or maybe you have a big leafy green salad with chopped veggies, toasted nuts, and quinoa sprinkled on top. Or maybe you don’t feel like hav-ing a grain for that meal and you eat Raw Tacos with Mock Tuna meat (from the 28 day menu). Don’t feel like you must stick to this 100% of the time. It’s just a good way to see what

foods you should have on a daily basis.

Personally, my only rule is that eat protein and a green veg-etable at every meal, even breakfast. That way I know I’m getting good vitamins and minerals, and getting muscle building protein since I’m an athlete.

Sometimes it looks like a noodle bowl with rice noodles, seitan, pickled veg-gies, and steamed broccoli like the Vietnamese Bun

Examples of the WR plate

It can include all the elemtns individu-ally on the plate like above.

Sometimes it’s a big salad that includes all the elements.

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Vegetables and FruitVegetables and fruit are staples of the plant-based diet. I en-

courage you to gorge on them. They are packed with the mi-cronutrients, vitamins, and minerals we need for good health and longevity. See page X for different methods for cooking

vegetables .

Green VegetablesWhy do we give green vegetables their own place on the

WR Plate? Because they are super important to have at every meal! Greens are low in calories and fat, full of minerals and

nutrients like Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium, Folate, and Manganese; all needed for optimal health.

Plant-based Protein Beans are a powerhouse of nutrients, iron, vitamins, and fiber,

and free of cholesterol and saturated fat, making them the ideal source of plant-based protein. See page X for my favor-ite beans listed in order of highest protein content along with

other protein sources from soy and wheat gluten.

Whole Grains/Psuedograins They are close to the perfect food and have been eaten by

traditional cultures for ages. Grains supply the complex carbo-hydrates that our bodies need for brain function, blood-sugar regulation, and metabolism stabilization, and they help keep

our digestive tracts running smoothly, all while keeping us centered.

Elements of the Plant-based Diet

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I don’t count calories or fat.

This may be hard to believe but I don’t count calories or fat. When you eat a balanced whole foods vegan diet it’s more important that you eat a variety of plant foods, do not overeat, and get regular exercise than it is to obsess about the numbers. Every body is different. Some people thrive better on a high raw diet, some feel best on a high grain/starch diet, some people can eat whatever they want and have no consequences. For most of us what works in our diet changes all the time. What works for you today may not work for you tomorrow, next week or even next year. Unfortunately, many of us are so far removed and discon-nected from our bodies that we don’t know what works at

So the 20% are those instanc-es when I eat vegan out at restaurants, where I know they cook with more oil, sugar, and salt than I do at home, where I may have fake meat prod-ucts (like that yummy not-dog and fries below), and desserts made with sugar. It allows me to enjoy myself when I’m out-side my house without feeling guilty. And since I’m in good health, that 20% “whatever goes” vegan diet does not lower my immunity or put a dent in my health. I have been living by this principle for the last 9 years and it hasn’t led me astray. I haven’t had a cold or the flu in all this time.

This is what works for me. Peo-ple who have serious health conditions may not be able to do the 80/20 rule. People who are new to the plant-based diet could benefit from doing 100% healthy and unprocessed for 30 days to 3 months to de-tox the junk out. That’s what The Wellness Reboot is all about. You will learn how to eat healthy and make lasting changes. Then you can play around with your diet to see what works best for you.

I’ve noticed over 10 years of being vegan the way I feel is caused by an accumulative ef-fect of being a healthy vegan. My health continues to improve year after year.

all. Are you in this boat?

In order to eat healthfully, but remain flexible and realistic in my personal diet I follow the 80/20 Rule. Most of the time my diet is made up of whole foods, no sugar, very little oil, no bread, no alcohol, and of course vegan. That means I keep my home kitchen sort of a temple. I don’t buy junk food, ice cream, cookies, fake meat products, or non-organic pro-duce. That stuff has no place in my house because I will just eat it up. I cook and eat most my meals at home. This allows me to feel my best, have ener-gy throughout the day, but still enjoy time out with friends.

My Diet PhilosophyTHE 80/20 RULE

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01 EAT SEASONAL PRODUCE Buy produce that is in season. It tends to be cheaper or on sale and it

tastes fresher. It didn’t have to travel thousands of miles to get to your grocery store.

02 BUY LOCAL Visit the farmer’s market or join a CSA to find the best deals on organic produce that is

grown near you. If you can’t afford to go organic maybe there’s a farm nearby you can volunteer at in exchange for organic produce.

03 BE FLEXIBLE/HUNT FOR SALES Even if you made a list of groceries you must get, be flexible. If a recipe calls for brown rice, but quinoa is on sale for cheaper can

the quinoa be substituted? If you love soy milk, but the almond milk is on sale get it in-stead. Same goes for produce. If a recipe calls for kale, but collard greens are cheaper get them. Buy what’s on sale and adjust your menu. For items you buy often, keep an eye out for sales and coupons and buy extra when you can get them cheaper.

05 BUY FROM BULK BINS ressi duciendit as di simo volum esequi alit alitess quam faciend ellandiur,

omnim nam, qui dent dus num

04 STAY AWAY FROM JUNK FOOD Vegan junk food like chips, crackers, cookies, faux meat, and

things in packages tend to be expensive and overpriced. Don’t buy them if you are on a budget. Make things from scratch whenever possible.

Money Saving TipsEATING A PLANT-BASED DIET IS EASIER THAN EVER AND IS ONE OF THE LEAST EXPENSIVE WAYS TO EAT HEALTHY. THESE TIPS WILL SAVE YOU MO’ MONEY.

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Buy from bulk bins whenever possible.

Spices basil bay leavesblack peppercaraway cayennecelery seedchili powdercinnamon coriandercumin, whole and groundcurry powderdill weedfennel seedsgaram masalagingermarjoram mint nutmeg oreganopaprikaparsleyrosemarysagetarragon thyme turmeric white pepper

Whole Grainsbarleyblack forbidden ricebrown ricebuckwheatcornhato mugimilletoatsquinoaspeltteff

Beansanasazi azukiblack-eyed peascannellini (white beans)favagarbanzo (chickpeas) great northerngreen lentilskidneylimale puy (French lentils) mung beans navypinto red lentils split peasturtle (black beans)

Nuts and Seedsalmondsbrazil nutschia seedshazelnutspumpkin seedssunflower seedswalnuts

Salt/Seasoningsbarley miso coconut aminoshimalayan pink salt sea saltshoyu (soy sauce)tamari white miso

Baking Stuffapplesaucearrowrootbaking powder

baking sodabarley flourbarley maltbrown rice flourbrown rice syrupcoconut palm sugarcorn meallemon extractflax meal garbanzo/fava flourmaple syrup mint extractnut buttersoat flourvanilla extract wheat pastry flour

Condiments/Vinegarapple cider vinegarbalsamic vinegarbrown rice vinegardijon mustardnutritional yeastred wine vinegarsauerkrautstone-ground mustardunsweetened ketchup vegan worcestershire saucevegenaise or vegan mayon-naise

Pantry Basics

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BAKING STUFF Grab large stainless steel bak-ing sheets, a loaf pan, and a 6 muffin tin. Silicon bakeware is great becasue it doesn’t need oiling. Have parchment (not waxed) paper on hand, and a sturdy rolling pin. Additionally, make sure to get a digital timer. If you don’t trust your oven, grab a thermometer to make sure your oven is not run-ning too hot. Lastly, ice cream scoops are handy for easy scooping and filling of muffin tins and for measuring out cookie dough.

other tools & equipmentPEELER AND GRATERSIf your produce is organic you don’t need to peel it. Just buy a vegetable scrub brush and scrub it under running water. But for the times that you do need a peeler, it’s good to have a few on hand, both the usual straight kind and the Y-shaped. The kind you slip on one finger is a bit awkward to me. As for graters, my favorite brand is Microplane, but the standard box variety will do just fine.

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01 CHEF KNIFE The most important thing in your kitchen repertoire are good knives. All you need is three knives:

a chef knife that is used for almost everything, a paring knife for small jobs, and a bread or serrated knife for slicing bread or soft fruits, like tomatoes. Those last two knives can be any brand re-ally; save the dough for your main knife. My favorite are Global, NHS, and MAC knives.

02 BAMBOO OR WOOD CUTTING BOARDS Get rid of your plas-tic cutting boards (save them for meat products, if using,

and keep separate for safety). Buy a nice thick bamboo or wood cutting board, one that is at least 20x15 with a juice groove.

03 PRESSURE COOKER Cooking fresh beans is a snap in a pressure cooker. My favorite mid-range brand is Fagor.

04 MESH STRAINERS One large stainless steel colander will do the trick for draining pasta and veggies. Get a vari-

ety of styles and sizes of mesh strainers for other jobs: a two-inch with a handle for catching seeds when juicing citrus, an eight-inch with a handle for sifting flour, an eight-inch stand-up for washing/straining grains, and a skimmer, which is essential for blanching vegetables.

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MY FAVORITE TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE KITCHEN 01

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MEASURING SPOONS AND CUPSThese are essential until you become so ad-vanced that you can eye measurements. Get glass (not plastic) liquid measuring cups, at least one four-cup and one two-cup, stainless steel dry measuring cups that usually come in a set, and a couple of sets of stainless steel mea-suring spoons.

STEAMER BASKET I like to have both the stain-less steel steamer basket that opens up and the bamboo kind that has many layers.

other fun stuffSUSHI MAT Sushi mats come in handy to make sushi, but also for space savers by covering a bowl with a mat, then putting another bowl on top and so on. This is great when soaking both grains and beans in separate bowls.

SPRAY BOTTLE This is great to have to put oil in to make your own pan spray, instead of buy-ing the aerosol stuff from the store. I like the stainless steel kind as opposed to the plastic kind. Personally, I would put coconut or grape-seed oil in the bottle, but put whatever oil you would like.

05 VITAMIX OR BLENDER A good blender is essential. I could not survive without my Vitamix. The reason you need both

a blender and a food processor is the blender is for the more liquid things, like smoothies, dressings, and pureed soups.

06 STAINLESS STEELS COOKWARE Essential pans are a small saucepan, large stockpot, and both large and small sauté/

skillet/fry pan. You want to have lids that fit all these pans as well.

07 MIXING BOWLS I like to keep glass and stainless steel bowls of various sizes for prepping.

08 FOOD PROCESSOR Fun tools to have in your repertoire are a Microplane zester and a citrus reamer. Adding citrus juice

(i.e., lemon, lime, orange) and citrus zest is a lovely way to turn a regular recipe into something gourmet.

09 MICROPLANE ZESTER Fun tools to have in your repertoire are a Microplane zester and a citrus reamer. Adding citrus

juice (i.e., lemon, lime, orange) and citrus zest is a lovely way to turn a regular recipe into something gourmet.

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DICINGDicing is cutting a vegetable into small cubed pieces. That usually means cutting the vegetable the long way first, then turning it to cut in the other direction. The size of your dice depends on how wide you cut these rows. You would use this cut anytime you want your vegetable in uniform pieces.andaesc iasinctus.

DIAGONAL CUTAlso called a bias cut, cutting on the diagonal means you position your vegetable at a 45-degree angle on the cutting board while aiming your knife in the same direction as you cut. The angle to which you have your knife will determine how long the diagonal cut will be. Used mostly for sautéed vegetables, stir-fry, and soups.andaesc iasinctus.

JULIENNE CUTThis describes the cutting of vegetables into uniform, matchstick-sized pieces. Begin by neatly cutting the veg-etable on the diagonal at about 45 degrees. Next, stack one to three pieces and slice into strips longways. If some of your strips come out thicker than others, you can al-ways go back and slice them thinner. Use thicker match-sticks for sautés and thinner ones for raw salads. iasinc-tus.

Knife TechniquesIn an ideal world we would all be born with knife skills. Learning proper knife techniques can save you time, heartache, and frustration (and fingers in many cases). If possible take a class near you or watch videos online. But, the best way to learn knife skills is to practice. So get out that fancy new chef knife and get to choppin’! Below I describe the most com-mon used cutting techniques.

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HALF MOON/QUARTER MOON CUTThis is achieved by cutting a round vegetable like a zuc-chini in half lengthwise, putting the flat side down, then cutting perpendicularly down the vegetable in whatever thickness you desire.. To do a quarter-moon, cut the halved piece in half again lengthwise before cutting down the vegetable. This cut is beautiful and great for any dish. aesc iasinctus.

CHIFFONADEA chiffonade is a fine slice or shred of leafy vegetables or herbs. You would use this cut for lettuce in salads, wraps, or tacos and with fresh herbs like basil. To chif-fonade, simply stack a few leaves, roll them into a ci-gar shape, and slice. Remember to remove any tough, woody stems that you want to exclude from your prepa-ration.ndaesc iasinctus.

MINCINGMinced food is chopped finely into tiny bits. I use this tech-nique especially for herbs and ginger. Mince the ingredi-ents using a rocking or chopping motion, so that the front or tip of the blade maintains contact with the cutting board, while the back of the knife moves up and down, back and forth, doing the work. Use the sides of the knife to “pile” the ingredients repeatedly, as you continue mincing into

SHREDDINGShredding is usually done with cabbage and carrots for dishes like cole slaw, and can be done by hand or with a food processor. To shred by hand, first remove the wilt-ing outside leaves of the cabbage. Cut it in half down the center, then cut those pieces in half again. Carefully cut out the stalk. Put the flat side down on the cutting board and straight slice down one side of the cabbage until it’s all in strips. asinctus. 17

Stir-frying/Sautéing

These are basically the same thing. But there are two different ways to sauté ex-plained below. The trick to the perfect stir-fry/sauté is how you cut each vegetable and knowing the timing of when each veg-gie goes into the skillet. The thicker you cut the vegetable, the longer it will take to cook. A root vegetable is going to take longer than a water-dense or green veggie, such as cabbage or kale. The most impor-tant first step is that the skillet be hot, so when the veggies go in, they start to sizzle immediately. This will lock in the flavor and nutrients.

Oil Sautéing

This is the most common way to do a sau-té, but we skip it for the Wellness Reboot.

Water or Broth Sautéing

Water sauté is the same process as the oil sauté, but it’s a healthier, lower-fat way of cooking. Just know that the veggies will not taste as rich. Instead of oil, I coat the bottom of the skillet with about one-third to one-half cup of water or vegetable broth. When it begins to sizzle, lovingly place the veggie that requires the longest cooking time (usually the hardest/thickest) into the oil with a pinch of sea salt. This adds flavor

and moves along the cooking process. Stir the veggies around until well coated with oil and shake the pan back and forth to pre-vent sticking. This is when I turn the flame down to about medium. Add in the next vegetable and stir it around. Sometimes I will put a lid on so the veggies steam and cook faster, or I put a touch of water in the pan if the vegetables begin to stick. Con-tinue adding veggies. This is when you’ll stir in any dried spices for a dish. The most water-dense vegetable will go in last. De-pending on the vegetable and how thin you cut it, it may not need to cook for more than a minute. Remove from heat to a platter or bowl to help slow down the cooking pro-cess so the veggies stay crisp. Depend-ing on how many veggies and the cutting styles of each, this process should take no more than 10 minutes.

Grilling

The grill is not just for meat, poultry, or fish. I like to marinate veggies, tofu, and tempeh before I put them on the hot grill. Brush the marinade over the vegetables while they cook. This is a quick style of cooking, which makes it perfect for summer, but not so good for heartier root veggies. Stick with things that cook fast, like water-dense sum-mer vegetables.

Cooking Techniquesfor VegetablesVEGETABLES CAN BE COOKED IN A NUMBER OF WAYS TO MAKE THEM PLEAS-ING TO THE TASTEBUDS!

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Blanching/Boiling

Blanching is a technique of submerging veg-etables into boiling water. The type of veg-gie, its freshness, and how you cut it (shape and thickness) will determine how long it stays in the water. It’s quick and easy, and the process allows the vegetables to hold onto almost all their nutrients. It’s good any time of the year and helps you stay hydrated. Your pot size will be determined by how many vegetables you plan on cooking at one time. If it’s just a small amount for you or one other, a small pot will be fine. You don’t need to fill it all the way. Leafy greens are going to shrink considerably in size. You will need a skimmer for this. Bring a small, medium, or large pot with two inches of water to a rolling boil with a tiny pinch of salt. Submerge your vegetable (least bitter and lighter in color first) into the boiling water. Allow the veggies to bubble around for about 15 seconds for water-dense veggies and up to 45 seconds for harder vegetables. I personally like my vegetables just tender and not overcooked. Never walk away from the pot. You can usu-ally tell it’s time to pull them from the water when the color gets really bright. Keep in mind that unless you shock them with cold water after you pull them out, the veggies will continue to cook. Pull them out very quickly from the boiling water.

Boiling is when you leave the vegetable in longer and cover with a lid. Root vegetables like squash and sweet potato would need more time and be boiled.

Roasting/Baking

I love roasting and baking vegetables during the colder months of the year. It’s so warm-ing and comforting. Certain veggies, like root vegetables, are just made to be roasted. You can do it two ways. Cut in chunks or cubes and toss with a little olive oil, sea salt, and spices. Or you can cook them sans oil by placing the veggies in a casserole dish with sea salt and a tiny amount of water in the bottom, cover, and bake. As with any cook-ing method, cooking time depends on the thickness of the vegetable and the way you cut it. The trick to getting all your veggies to cook evenly is to cut the heartier veggies smaller than the water-dense veggies.

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Steaming

I use the steaming method to warm up food more than using it as a regular technique. I prefer to blanch/boil veggies because I feel like you are less likely to overcook them. There’s some debate as to whether steaming holds the most nutrients in the vegetable. Try both ways and see which you like the most. To steam, get a small, medium, or large pot, depending on how much you are going to steam at one time. Ideally you want to have only one layer of veggies inside the steamer basket to make sure that nothing gets under-cooked. You only need a small amount of wa-ter in the pot; just enough as to not go above the steamer basket. Bring to a boil, cover with a lid, and set a timer. The time depends on the vegetable, the size, shape, and thick-ness you cut the vegetables. Most veggies shouldn’t take more than five minutes.

Stewing and Braising

These are two cooking methods that I don’t use often but they are great for colder weather or when we are feeling like you want something comforting. Braising is typically cooking one type of vegetable slowly in a small amount of stock or water. The veggies release their juices, creating a burst of rich flavor. Stewing is cooking different types of veggies slowly by cutting them into chunks, bringing them to a boil, and simmering on a low flame, covered. Stir occasionally.

Frying

This is something I rarely do, even though fried foods sure taste good! If you are eating a healthy plant-based diet, having something fried every once in a while is not going to kill you. You just won’t find any recipes during the Well-ness Reboot or many in my cookbook Blissful Bites that use this technique. In the future if you feel like something fried use the shallow frying technique, which involves using a frying pan with about one-fourth to one-half inch of oil in the pan. Heat oil over medium/high heat before adding the vegetables. When you put the veg-gies in the pan, they should sizzle and jump around. Cook on both sides till crispy, then drain on a paper towel.

Cooking Techniques For Vegetables Continued

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28 Day Sample Menu Plan

Morning Prep

TUESDAYSUNDAY MONDAY

Cook chickpeasCook quinoa

Breakfast Quesadilla with Hazelnut butter

Quinoa, chick-peas and steamed greens with Spicy Almond Sauce

Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Swirl

Dreamsicle Green Smoothie

MOCK TUNA TACOS

BreakfastLunch

SnackSw

eet SnackD

innerEvening Prep

TRAIL MIXSun-dried Marinara with baby carrots and celery sticks

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mudslide

Smoothie

Polenta Pesto Pizza with Italian Lentils

Chickpea, Leek and Sweet Potato Burger with a fresh salad

Pineapple Cornbread Muffin

Toast with hazelnut butter and banana slices

CURRIED TEMPEH SALAD WRAP

PECAN PIE BITES

MAKE LENTILS

Stewed Tempeh in Sun-dried Tomato Marinara Sauce over Polenta with steamed kale.

Make Mock Tuna

Make Mock Tuna Tacos

Make Curried Tempeh

Make Curried Tempeh Wrap

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plant-based protein basicsBeans are a powerhouse of nutrients, iron, vitamins, and fiber, and free of cholesterol and saturated fat, making them the ideal source of plant-based protein. Below are my favorite beans listed in order of highest protein content along with other protein sources from soy and wheat gluten.

Staple beansBlack and Yellow Soybeans Green Lentils (do not need soaking)Le Puy (French lentils) (do not need soaking)Azuki Cannellini (white beans)NavyTurtle (black beans) AnasaziSplit Peas (do not need soaking)Garbanzo (Chickpeas) Great Northern KidneyLimaBlack-eyed PeasPinto Mung Beans FavaRed Lentils (do not need soaking) Soy ProductsMiso Soy milk, yogurt, cheeseTempeh TofuNatto

OtherSeitan – “wheat meat”

Making your own beans is a snap if you purchase a pressure cooker. Follow the basic beans recipe, on page TK, to make pressure-cooked beans. Many people have a hard time digesting beans. If you follow the steps below, you’ll be better equipped to make the best-tasting and most digestible beans you’ve ever had. I prefer to buy organic beans in the bulk bins at my natural food store (page TK).

Washing and Soaking BeansAll beans, legumes, and lentils should be washed to remove any dirt and enzyme inhibitors. Some-times beans from the bulk bins will have stones or other foreign matter mixed in, so be sure to care-fully pick through them while you wash. With the exception of lentils and split peas, I like to soak beans to make them more digestible and save time on cooking. I usually do at least a few hours up to overnight in fresh water. Be sure to drain the soaking water and use new water when ready to cook the beans.

Cooking BeansBeans can be cooked in two ways, on the stove in a pot or in a pressure cooker. Small beans and lentils can be boiled on the stove while other dried beans can be cooked in a pressure cooker to save time. Place beans in water in a heavy pot or pressure cooker. How much water you use de-

pends on whether you are cooking in a pot or pressure cooker. In a pressure cooker, you need water just to cover the beans. In a pot you’ll need about 3 1/2 cups per cup of dried beans. Always add a one-inch piece of kombu with the beans to aid in digestion, or you can put in bay leaves (or both). Kombu also adds many trace minerals and a light flavor to the beans. If using a pressure cooker, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If cooking in a pot, lower the flame and cook until beans are tender (time depends on the bean). With either method, you will season at the end. Do not put salt in at the beginning.

All canned bean brands at the writing of this book, save for the Eden brand, have BPA in the lining of the aluminum cans, so it’s best to avoid canned beans except when in a serious time pinch. BPA stands for Bisphenol A and is a chemical used when making plastic that is harmful to our health. Most of the recipes offer the option of using fresh beans or canned. If you do decide to use canned beans, be sure to drain and wash them thoroughly.

2/3 cup of dried beans = about 1 1/2 cups cooked = about one 15-ounce can of beans

Tempeh and TofuThere’s quite a bit of controversy about soy products these days. You’ll even find many soy-free reci-pes in this cookbook. Personally, I don’t think that fermented and traditional soy products (tempeh, tofu, shoyu, tamari, miso, natto) are “bad,” but anything in excess is not good. So if you are eating a plant-based diet, choose a variety of protein sources for your meals, not just tofu, and then you don’t need to worry, unless you have a serious allergy to soy.

Depending on what brand of tofu you buy, it may be best to press the tofu to get out the excess water before starting a recipe. If the tofu is packed in water, you will get better results with pressing. To press tofu, remove from package, wrap tofu in a clean dish towel and place on cutting board. Put a plate or another cutting board on top of tofu, then place a heavy item on top on that. This could be anything that is about 3 pounds and not so heavy that it smashes the tofu (a large book works well). Leave for 10-15 minutes.

Tempeh and tofu should be steamed (page TK) or cooked for at least 10 to 15 minutes to aid in digestion. Never eat tempeh and tofu raw. One word of advice–stay away from textured vegetable protein (TVP), analog meat substitutes, and anything that has “soy protein isolates” on the label if possible. TVP is often used in fake meat products. These foods are helpful when you are first transi-tioning to a plant-based diet, but I wouldn’t eat them often. Soy-protein isolate is the stuff people are talking about when they say soy is “bad.”

Seitan – the other wheat meatEven more so than soy, many people have developed an allergy to wheat and gluten, because it’s in every processed food you can imagine. Seitan is the protein that’s left when you remove all the bran and germ from wheat flour and is a great protein source for vegetarians. Its meat-like texture is very versatile, and allows you to create recipes to please both omnivore and herbivore. I don’t use it much in this cookbook, but I do in the most delicious barbecued seitan recipe, on page TK, you’ve ever had!

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How To Eat OutONE OF THE MOST COMMON STRUGGLES WHEN GO-ING PLANT-BASED IS EATING OUT AT RESTAURANTS. READ BELOW FOR TIPS ON GETTING GOOD GRUB WHEREVER YOU GO.So many people said they don’t know what to do when they go out to eat with friends or for business. It’s my ex-perience that you can get a decent vegan meal anywhere in the world as long as you know the right questions to ask.

Surprisingly chain restaurants have more healthy options available with most having a separate menu listing aller-gens like wheat, dairy, and eggs. This makes it easy to find out which menu items are vegan. Chain restaurants are very consistent with their food since each restaurant across the country uses the same recipes. So if one location has vegan black beans, another location in a different state will most likely have vegan black beans (but always ask to make sure).

Since everyone is concerned about weight gain and heart health many chains now have special “Heart-Healthy” or “Low Calorie” menus or a heart icon denoting healthier choices.

If you have to eat at a chain for a busineslunch go straight to this section on the menu or look for the heart icon. That’s usually where you’ll find op-tions that are veganizable and dressings without dairy.

If you call ahead and speak to the manager, you can see if they can accomodate you with a special meal. Every fine din-ing restaurant I have been to has jumped at the opportunity to make me something special. The chefs like to be challenged and come up with creative deli-cious meals using ingredients they have on hand.

These things can be found at almost every restaurant: steamed veggies, a baked potato without butter, salad with veggies and plain beans, whole grain pasta, sourdough bread, avocado/guacamole, fruit, hummus with raw veggies and crackers, veggie stir-fry, french fries, vegetable sand-wich, chips and salsa, veggie fajitas with corn tortillas, non-dairy soups, make your own salad.

Types of Restaurants That Always Have Vegan

Options

IndianItalian

AmericanMexican

ThaiVietnamese

JapaneseChinese

Middle EasternMediterranean

LebaneseMoroccan

Chains That Have Vegan Options

California Pizza Kitchen Chili’s Chipotle

Gordon BierschJason’s DeliKona Grill

Noodles & CompanyOn The Border

Pei WeiPF ChangsRed Robin

Taco Cabana

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How To Read a Nutritional LabelAND FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU SHOULD BUY

SERVING SIZEPay attention to the serv-ing size, which is the amount you would eat at one sitting. SERVINGS PER CONTAINERThis tells you how many servings you get out of the package. So 2 serv-ings means you should split it into two meals.

CALORIESHow many calories are in each serving.CALORIES FROM FATHow many calories are being consumed as fat. Should be less than 30% of total calories. EX. 280 calories X 30% is 84 calories. The above product is too high in fat.

TOTAL FATI rarely look at this because some healthy plant-based foods are high in fat, but it’s the “good” kind of fat. Like nuts, tofu, and coconut for example. TRANS FAT Avoid this 100%. You don’t want to eat any-thing with trans fat.

CARBOHYDRATECarbs are not evil, but sugar can be. Avoid things that are high in sugar. FIBER, SUGAR, PROTEINFiber is great for you! Carbs are not evil, but sugar can be deadly if it’s from a refined source. Look for foods low in sug-ar. Protein can be found in plant foods as well! 26

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I’m sharing what works for me.

The topic of supplements is often debated. Should we be able to get all the nutrients we need from our food?

For years I was very anti-supplement. All my macrobiotic teachers said that if you eat a healthy diet you should be able to get everything you need from your food. In an ideal world this would hold true. But so many factors come into play when it concerns our diet and absorption of vitamins and minerals. And we need different things at different ages in our life.

First, the soil that our food is grown in is not as mineral-rich as it was in previous years. If you aren’t buying organic your food is heavily sprayed with pesticides and contains lower nutrient content. Secondly, many people have poor intestinal health, are lacking good intestinal flora due to poor diet and overuse of antibiotics, and do not absorb nutrients as well. We all have

different constitutions and different conditions going on inside of us. After being vegan for many years and never taking sup-plements I decided to give them a try. I’m not perfect, I don’t take them everyday, but I’ve noticed I feel much better supple-menting certain things. It’s always a good idea to consult your doctor and get blood tests done to see if you are missing any-thing in particular. What has been discovered, vegan or not, is most people are vitamin D deficient. This is because we spend so much time indoors and the best way to get D is outside with the sun. It doesn’t hurt to take a D3 supplement (a vegan brand is available online). Evidence shows that D3 is more ab-sorbed than D2, If you are vegan the consensus among most is it doesn’t hurt to take a vitamin B-12 or B complex supple-ment. I didn’t start taking one until I was 8+ years vegan and it does seem to help with mental clarity and fatigue for many.

If you get your blood work done you may be in fact B-12 defi-cient, but this doesn’t just apply to vegans. My father was really anemic as an omnivore and B12 deficient (who ate mostly carbs and no veggies) and he is no longer anemic after 5 months on a high-plant diet. So this is something everyone should get checked out. In my opinion, if you are eating a healthy whole foods diet you should be get-ting all the other micronutrients (calcium, vitamin C, magnesium, selenium, potassium, etc) from your food. I don’t feel like I need to take a multi-vitamin. And as I said before most people do not even absorb these in pill form. As a woman, I do take iron around my cycle.

Do you need to take supplements?