Superbowl 2018 is tomorrow. Friends! Don’t let your friends eat meat. Chicken may seem like a healthy option, however 99.9% of chickens raised in the US are from factory farms where they are in tight spaces rubbin up on eachothers salmonella and feces, where they’re stuffed with arsenic drugs to make their color pinker and antibiotics to ya know, keep them.. alive.. they are basically turned into mutants stuffed with saline to make them juicy and salty and. EW. Save a friend. Save the world. Share this list. !
Chickens are the most probable reservoir for pathogens causing UTI infections
E. coli and drug resistant pathogens in poultry are found to establish themselves as majority of the gut flora, even when prepared correctly! “Chicken strains were isolated from the faecal sample taken on the day after the bird was handled, prepared, and cooked but before it was eaten. This indicates it was the handling of the uncooked carcass that provided the opportunity for the onward transmission of E. Coli rather than the eating of the cooked product.” 2
Since chickens are fed so many antibiotics (routinely feeding antibiotics by the millions of pounds every year) eating chickens can cause multi-drug resistant bacteria and pathogens to amplify in our bodies.
Even when using the most sanitary practices, bleaching even! Pathogenic fecal bacteria like campylobacter and salmonella from chicken contaminates kitchens surface, sink, and utensils significantly.
In just over 50 years, the number of chickens produced annually in the US has increased by more than 1,400%. The average American eats almost 84 pounds of chicken a year, more than twice the amount eaten in 1970. while the number of farms producing those birds has dropped by 98% !!! , The transformation of the industry to large poultry farms is causing a major pollution problem!
In the “Broiler Belt” (the area which extends from eastern Texas through the southeastern US and north to Maryland and Delaware) chickens outnumber people by as much as 400 to 1.
In a study involving hundreds of thousands of men and women, “our results indicate that meat intake is positively associated with weight gain during adult life in European subjects. The association persisted after adjustment for total energy intake and underlying dietary patterns. Our results are therefore in favor of the public health recommendation to decrease meat consumption for health improvement. The strongest relation with annual weight change was observed for poultry.”
“Women and men with the highest chicken consumption had a greater increase in BMI compared to those with the lowest intake after 14 years. Data suggest that men and women with the highest chicken consumption had a higher increase in BMI after 14 year of follow up, respectively, compared to those who consumed no chicken at all”
Beyond Meat Chicken Strips have 3.5g fat at 130 calories per serving while regular lean chicken strips from Whole Foods have 19g fat and 270 calories per serving!
Workers in poultry slaughtering and processing plants have increased risk of dying from certain cancers- new findings were for cancers of the cervix and penis
Those who slaughter chickens have about 9 times the odds of getting both pancreatic cancer and liver cancers. (even if you smoke cigarettes for more than 50 years you only about double your odds of getting pancreatic cancer vs. those that slaughter poultry have 9 TIMES THE ODDS!
70% of samples of chicken meat from conventional producers in grocery stores across America DO NOT HAVE prohibitory arsenical drug policies to prevent arsenical drugs from being consumed. (arsenic is a known human carcinogen and the FDA Stated, “any new animal drug that contributes to the overall inorganic arsenic burden is of potential concern”)
Since 75% of US population is estimated to be chicken consumers (probably more) estimates suggest industry-wide use of arsenical drugs could result in 8,661 additional cases of cancer over 70 years, or an average of AN UNNECESSARY 124 CANCERS PER YEAR DUE TO CHICKEN!
“Annual production of fecal waste from poultry flocks was 8.8 million tons on a dry weight basis plus more than 106,000 metric tons of broiler hatchery waste. Add this to 37 million dead birds and condemnations at processing plants. When all this waste is added together, the task of keeping the environment clean becomes monumental.”
The leading source of sodium in the American diet for adults is chicken
“Consuming chicken is the most common cause of Salmonella poisoning. A 2014 issue of Consumer Reports published that 97% of chicken breasts found in retail stores were contaminated with bacteria that could make people sick, and 38% of the Salmonella found was resistant to multiple antibiotics.”
About 90% of retail chicken showed evidence of contamination with fecal matter!
72% increased risk of pancreatic cancer for every 50 grams of chicken consumed daily (about 1/4 of a chicken breast)
Growth-promoting drugs fed to chickens could be playing a role in lymphoma and leukemias
U.S. Department of Agriculture exempts birds from its enforcement of the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, which requires that farm animals be insensible to pain before they’re shackled and killed.
I would love to list 80 more tid bits/ articles / info things!! AHH! If you’d like to kick meat and chicken for good, hit me up k.reines1@gmail.com, DM me @vitamin.katie or check out my youtube channel and comment to me here.
Who doesn’tLove pasta? Yes, love with a capital “L”. For these recipes I used banza pasta made from chickpeas. Bean pasta is awesome! It is super high in nutrients like iron and beneficial fiber. Plus it is loaded with protein. It’s gluten free and only takes 7-8 minutes to cook. Obsessed. I particularly like the Banza brand because it looks just like regular pasta and has a really nice consistency. Some bean pastas that I have tried are a little mealy and chalky, this brand is nice and noodle-y. I don’t know how else to describe it 😛 Hope you enjoy these recipes! xo
Mmmm when I had this recipe the first time I could have sworn it had peanut butter and sugar in it with its gingery garlic creamy deliciousness. Its just sesame seeds and dates!? What!? So simple and I can assure you this recipe will not disappoint!
Adapted from Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s Quick and Easy Chilled Sesame Noodles
Serves 6
Ingredients:
8 ounces bean pasta, cooked according to package directions, rinsed under cold water, and drained
1 pound fresh or frozen broccoli florets, steamed
1 pound mushrooms, chopped + steamed (or use another pound of broccoli or any other vegetable you love!)
1 large red bell pepper
6 scallions thinly sliced
For the Sauce
1/4 cup unhulled sesame seeds, lightly pan toasted
1 cup water
2-3 tablespoons raw almonds or cashews (preferably soaked / sprouted)
3 tablespoons lime juice (or rice vinegar / apple cider vinegar)
Steps
In a high speed blender, puree all the sauce ingredients until smooth
In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta, bell pepper, scallion, steamed broccoli, and veggies with the sauce until thoroughly coated.
Divide among 6 plates and serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.
Prescription Pesto
Yaaas pesto :-P. This recipe has got all the medicine in it, and TBH: there is nothing I crave more. This pesto is BOMB. Don’t be fooled by the word, “medicine.” Back in the day when you used to plug your nose to get the stuff down. This powerful pesto has got the most potent DNA protecting and disease reversing foods like greens, turmeric, beans, walnuts, and garlic. And this medicine, baby. Just can’t get enoughhh yuuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pasta. What a delectable vehicle for vegetables! Add your favorite beans, steamed veggies, and tomato sauce and BOOM! An impressive gourmet dinner. While intact grains are the gold standard (grains in their whole form), whole grains, yes including their bran, germ, and endosperm, are milled into a fine flour to make whole grain pastas, breakfast cereals, and other “whole grain” products. A few examples of legit whole intact grains would be steel cut oats, brown rice, quinoa, and millet.
How to tell if the product is WHOLE GRAIN?
Whole grain stamp is on the package
“100%” or “Whole” are used to describe it
The first ingredient listed is a whole grain
Refined grains are not only grains milled into a flour, but their grain was stripped of the nutrient and fiber containing bran and germ! Murder! Refined grains are white / light in color and examples include white bread, cookies, cakes, pretzels, white rice, regular pasta, and anything made with white flour. Darn!
Don’t fret too much! The recommendation is:
Make at least 1/2 of your grains whole grains.
Grains are an important part of a healthy balanced diet for fiber, iron, magnesium, selenium, b vitamins, and lasting energy! Be sure to include them on your plate.
The Taste Test
Well before #1, my personal favorite is ZUCCHINILINI OF COURSE! Which is simply zucchini or summer squash, spirilized to look and feel like spaghetti. I like to mix it with pasta dishes to add bulk, flavor, color, and more veg of course!
#1 Nature’s Promise Whole Wheat Spaghetti: #1 in taste, texture, and nutritional profile. Contains gluten.
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#2. Bionaturae Gluten Free Corn and Soy Spaghetti: Fabulous texture and taste and with 5g protein and 6% iron, this product is ok. Low in fiber
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#3. Jovial Gluten Free Brown Rice Spaghetti: Quite sticky texture, but great flavor and elasticity. Would go great with a sauce. However, low in fiber although whole grain. Brown rice is naturally low in fiber.
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#4. Ancient Harvest Gluten Free Corn and Quinoa Spaghetti: Texture dry and kinda crunchy, but a good source of fiber at 16% daily value and 10% iron!
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#5. Andean Dream Quinoa Gluten Free Spaghetti: Texture was definitely a little sandy. But I must say with 6% calcium, 12% iron, and just barely a good source of fiber at 10% daily value, not bad.
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The Consensus:
The quinoa based gluten free products have a better nutritional profile, but are not as delicious as the lower fiber rice based ones.
Why I personally still avoid Gluten?
Do I go out of my way to avoid gluten?
No. I still enjoy it in moderation. My mom makes homemade bread and pizza with gluten which I eat occasionally. My diet is whole foods based, so I rarely purchase packaged products that might contain gluten.
Do I eat gluten every day?
No. Maybe I eat a gluten containing meal or snack 3-4 times a week. I am generally healthy and do not currently feel any reason to put more effort into seriously avoiding wheat, barley, rye, and foods containing gluten 100% of the time.
Why I make this personal choice:
My sister has ulcerative colitis, which is similar to celiacs in that they are both autoimmune inflammatory intestinal disorders. With a genetic risk factor in my family, I try to not over load the gluten as a personal preventative measure.
Studies linking gluten and autism spectrum disorders autism-and-nutrition-1. The GFCF (gluten free casein free) diet has been shown to help people with ADHD and autism, what else could it be linked to? I am ever curious and after reading such articles have trouble stomaching gluten (and of course would never recommend drinking milk).
Naturopaths recommend avoiding gluten initially when trying to avoid inflammation with an “elimination diet,” along with dairy and other common inflammatory trigger foods. With this in mind, many people have success reversing adverse symptoms like rashes, IBS, fatigue, etc (SO MANY), once they remove gluten from their diet. I grew up with canker sores, weird rashes, and eczema so, avoiding inflammation (and gluten) is in my best interest.
Close friends with celiac disease so it is easier for everybody to find a gluten free delicious option!
While as you could see from the video, a gluten free diet is not recommended for the general public because it tends to have less nutrients. Be a savvy shopper and let me know if you have any questions! Enjoy those intact whole grains and plant yums! xx
School, work, packing for kids, or just want easy healthy lunch ideas; I’ve got you covered! Three of my favorite and most simple lunch combos. Watch this video to get the tips, snacks, and full recipes.
Last week I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Washington DC for a plant based dietitian job interview at the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine. They had me stay at their guest house, The Baker House, with interns who are occupants there for the summer. If you haven’t already heard of the PCRM, it is an organization whose mission is ultimately to provide evidence based expertise to save the world. You can imagine how nervous/excited this wanna-be superhero was for this interview!!!
Back to the ziti- The ladies residing at The Baker House, Sofie and Catherine, are two brilliant, friendly, open minded vegans that became my close friends insanely quickly. Catherine has made this dish a bunch of times and raved how it is always a win. Girl- you got that right! Pool money to make dinner and eat it together!? Of course!!! Which lead me to enjoy the dish that I am sure will get anyone to give more vegan meals a try. Thank you ladies!
1 24oz jar marinara sauce (we used an organic fat-free option plus some that was already open in the fridge)
1 1/2 cups vegan mozzarella shreds (we used 1 bag of daiya shredded mozzarella)
1 lb firm tofu, drained
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast or vegan grated parmesan
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup vegan cream cheese (we used 1/2 of a container of tofutti)
Steps
Boil water and cook ziti to manufacturer’s instructions and preheat oven to 425*F
For ‘ricotta’: crumble tofu in a large bowl and add in nutritional yeast (or parmesan), salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder, and cream cheese. Mix fully with a fork or large spoon.
Mix the cooked pasta, most of the marinara sauce, and ricotta in a large bowl
In a large baking pan, add some marinara to line the bottom, transfer the mixture in, and spread it out evenly.
Top with the rest of the marinara and finally the layer of mozzarella shreds
Cover the dish with foil and bake ~20 minutes, uncover, and cook for another 5-10 minutes.
Eat with a side of greens and those people who actually get you and still like you! 😉 xo
Catherine, Sofie, and I eating takeout from ‘Hip City Veg’ on the Smithsonian Steps
Hope you had a lovely fourth! Unfortunately, after the stress of the RD (registered dietitian) exam (yes! I passed! 😀), I have not given myself a break and managed to get a pretty nasty cold. My 4th consisted of a couch, good books, and the most hydrating foods I could get my hands on. I drank lots of boxed coconut water, ate an entire watermelon, and had a few oranges, cherries, and fresh picked raspberries here and there; that is all that sounded good to me.
This is what I made myself for breakfast today:
Thai coconut curry veg amazingness.
Was going to make a green smoothie bowl of some sort, but was craving something hot and savory. Holy **** it hit the spot. It would be a disservice not to blog about it.
Thai Coconut Curry Soup
Serves ~6 people. 2 ladles per serving.
Ingredients:
Keep in mind I did not measure anything. I am amazed at myself- this is truly a special moment. Perseverance and practice make progress. ! Feel it out, use what you’ve got in the fridge, and at first tread lightly with the spices and continue to add until you’ve got the mastermind punch of spice that you desire. 🙂 Throw some fun in too. Makes it taste better.
2/3 box of low sodium vegetable broth
half of a 1lb bag of baby carrots
2 cloves of garlic (used the tiny holes on the cheese grater to finely mince)
1 large marble sized chunk of fresh ginger, peeled (used the tiny holes on the cheese grater to finely mince)
1 can of coconut milk
~1/2 tsp cayenne (you can always add more if needed)
~2/3 tsp turmeric
~2/3 tsp chili powder
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
1 large stalk of celery, roughly chopped
1 boiled potato, peeled and cubed (I always have boiled potatoes in the fridge, yum!)
1/4 head cauliflower, rough chop
1/4 can of Eden’s black soy beans (mom meant to get black beans, w.e)
4 handfuls of baby kale, roughly chopped (I am so lazy I just ripped it up with my hands)
fresh mint and lime to top / garnish
The products I used
Steps: this is how I made it, I am sure there are better ways…
Pour the veg broth in a med/large pot and bring to a boil with the carrots. (If you decide to substitute winter squash or sweet potato for carrot, I still recommend putting these in first to boil, as well as maybe your cubed potato if it is not pre-boiled already). This allows the carrots to cook and get soft and sweet, as well as add some flavor to the broth.
While waiting for the boil, with the smallest setting on a cheese grater (or just mince), grate the garlic and ginger into the pot. Add in onions, coconut milk, and spices. Allow to boil for about 5 minutes, and turn down heat to simmer.
Add in the celery, boiled potato, cauliflower, and black beans. Let simmer about 2-5 minutes.
I actually put the chopped kale in my serving dish and ladled the soup on top of the kale. I don’t want my kale to lose its beautiful green color or nutrients. Definitely add that in last, after you turn off the heat.
Enjoy with fresh mint and a generous squeeze of lime! Yum!
Make it your own!
I did not plan on making soup today, I simply used the random veggies I had in the fridge and things I happen to find in the cupboard. Play with different vegetables that you might have like bell peppers, zucchini, basil, idk, mm brown rice? Go crazy with it! Nom nom! xoxo much love and good health to you and to me!!
In a city of McDonalds, Whataburger, Wal-Mart, obesity and diabetes, a world saving beacon of health and sustainability opens; fully equipped with the highest quality produce/products, demonstration kitchen, vitamins/herbs/supplements, beauty products, books, and, it’s love!
Natural Grocers 100% Organic Grocery Opens March 15, 2016
Today, I had the opportunity to get a tour of the store with the Corpus Christi Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics group lead by the wonderful dietitian there, Kelsey. I was extremely impressed by this tour. A grocery store tour to dietitians? Please, as if they could learn anything more, but we all did! Like how Kelsey pointed out that the hemp seeds, walnuts, and other unstable fats are kept in the refrigerated section (polyunsaturated fats become rancid very easily, creating free radicals, so they must be kept cool). I have learned this previously but I have never seen a grocery store actually put their nuts and seeds in the refrigerator!
The sign above us says, “100% organic produce,” yes, I am the obnoxious intern that made everybody get in front of the produce section and asked the cashier to take our picture 🙂
The Tour~
Kristen gave us all a LONG list of things that Natural Grocers will NOT carry. Including ingredients that I am quite familiar with like GMOs (genetically modified organisms), hydrogenated oils (trans fats), bleached flours, parabens (mimic estrogen and cause reproductive disorders), dairy products from cows given rBGH (recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone), artificial sweeteners (all of them), and artificial colors and flavors, as well as so many that I have seen before but even I (a nutrition nerd grad student studying nutrition) have seen but no clue what they are!
Ingredients like DBP (dibutyl phthalate) which is a fragrance ingredient, plasticizer, and solvent that is a reproductive and developmental toxin, endocrine disruptor, and a known human respiratory toxin. Also, BHA and BHT (Butylated Hydroxyanisole) and (Butylated Hydroxytoluene) are preservatives that have been shown to be carcinogenic and cause allergic reactions in humans. I could go on..This place doesn’t even carry chemical based sunscreens or antibacterial soaps! Amen!
A few more reasons why I’m in love with this place:
No bags, you have to bring your own! (or they use a cardboard box)
GF (gluten free) items are all marked clearly next to price on shelf
Local is emphasized and marked clearly with a Texas flag on shelf
Lots of cheap “Health Hotline” sale items
Bulk specialty items from mulberries and goji berries to raw buckwheat groats
WIDE variety of vegan items
Reverse osmosis water filter, only $0.25 to refill a gallon
Nutrition experts- these people know their stuff!
To reduce waste and cut cost of items: no deli/freshly prepared items (ever wonder where all the fresh baked goods from Whole Foods goes at the end of the day? Yup, in the trash #wasteful. !
No self serve bulk bins but still has large packages of items in bulk – reduces contamination and food waste
Huge wall of shelves with high quality nutritional reference and cookbooks
They even have cool events like this Saturday they have a gluten free tasting expo and health fair! Aw chocolate avocado pie food demo, and “How to live an alkaline lifestyle” is on Monday April 11th. Check out their website for more info on events.
A little bit about my internship…
I can’t believe it, I completed my food service and community rotations last semester and am now half way through my clinical rotation! Eeek! As a snob from the Boston area who works at a raw vegan cafe called “Organic Garden Cafe” back home, I was nervous that I wouldn’t get to learn new innovations of nutrition while working as an intern in a program that emphasizes the low income communities of South Texas.
I could not be more pleasantly surprised and excited about my feelings towards this internship right now. It brings me such joy and power to have worked with the people of this community. Diabetics who do not know what a carbohydrate is, teen mom’s going out for a cigarette, and people who are truly afraid to lose weight because they have (and their family and friends) have always been big, so if they lost weight, what would they think!? Many of these people do not want to change, and even if they did, where to even start? As my sister, the writer, put it, “You need to learn the script before you can re-write a new one.”
My clinical preceptor now, Shannon Aguilar, has helped me to not only be a much more confident clinical dietitian, but to take it a step further, too. It is one thing to study nutrition, it is quite another to actually care enough to reflect on our own lives and practice what we preach. My preceptor, Mrs. Aguilar, is more than a dietitian, she is also a health coach, and helped me to see how important it is to learn who our audience is before we try to help.
Seeing a grocery store like this open in Boston or Vermont would have been a, yawn. Another natural grocery? But, HERE! I get to see history in the making. These people having access to this kind of world saving expertise is dream come true for me.
There is something really cool about the idea of helping people who really need itANDwant it. I could talk coconut oil and kale to the organic junkies back home all day every day, but that doesn’t reverse our obesity epidemic now does it? I may have thought that my second round match was a mistake, but actually, it was the best eye-opening and invigorating experience. To be able to explain what a carbohydrate is to someone who has no clue? Check. Next: to reverse their disease through diet and lifestyle! No matter where I end up, I hope to make a positive impact and continue to be pleasantly surprised by all that I learn from the experience.
I made these the weekend my beautiful friend Ally came to visit. She LOVED them! These rolls are STUFFED with nothing but veggies and whole plant foods in all their glory. I love this peanut sauce recipe because it tastes BETTER than the processed ish without all the preservatives, colors, oils, salt, sugar, or anything that might make me, you know, depressed! Only happiness fuel for every cell here ladies and gentlemen!
It’s funny- I really don’t like foods that are too spicy. Currently giving myself a lil pat on the back for successfully making a dish with some definite kick, that I can eat without, you know, crying. This is one you’ve got to share with friends. Have fun, sizzle sizzleee
Black Bean and Sweet Potato Quesadillas
Makes about 4 quesadillas
Ingredients
8 whole grain tortillas, 9 inch (I used these gluten free brown rice ones)
1 medium sized sweet potato, boiled and skin removed (save the skin to eat later)
3/4 cup no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
1/2 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed (no salt added if using canned)
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 – 1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced tiny
1/3 cup mushrooms, chopped
1/3 cup red bell pepper, chopped
oil for cooking (like unrefined coconut or olive oil)
Steps:
Using a large frying pan, heat ~1 tsp. oil over medium and sauté onions and garlic for about 5 minutes. Add in mushrooms and red bell pepper and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a separate bowl when finished cooking
In the meantime, using a large bowl, mash boiled skinless sweet potato with a fork with diced tomatos and add in nutritional yeast, cumin, chili powder and mix well to combine. Stir in black beans, jalapeno, and cilantro.
Using the same frying pan as before, heat and spread ~1 tsp of oil over medium heat. Place a tortilla flat on the frying pan and spread ~1/2 cup of sweet potato mixture evenly over the tortilla, then spread ~1/4-1/3 cup of sauteed onion vegetable mix on top of that so it looks kinda like this:
Place another tortilla on top, flip after ~3 minutes of cooking (to flip I placed my plate on top of the second tortilla and flipped it into my plate and slid it from the plate back onto the frying pan)
Using a pizza cutter, cut into 4 sections. Serve with salsa and guacamole. I made avocado cream with 1 mashed avocado and the juice from 2 limes, mixed well. So good! Go pats!
magnesium, selenium, b vitamins, and lasting energy! Be sure to include them on your plate.
VITAMIN KATIE 