I was watching the Biggest Loser last night when Bob Harper (the very handsome trainer) told some of the
contestants that he was going to take them to his house for a meal and show them how he eats….cut to commercial…..
Immediately my kids turned to me and asked, “Do you think that he will announce that he is a Vegan?”
I said, “Probably not, there are sponsors that help to pay for the show and they might not let him actually say that.”
Well, lo and behold, right after the commercial break he tells all the contestants that he eats a vegan diet and then
proceeded to show them the beautiful vegan meal that they were going to have (lots of veggies and whole grains).
It WAS SO COOL! I know that it might seems silly, but it was really awesome for me to see someone in the national spotlight
emphasizing a healthy lifestyle. I have 4 kids who all watch the show and think that Bob is pretty cool. It was neat for them to
see that someone else (a “normal” someone) eats the way that we do. Huge, HUGE shout out to Bob Harper.
Anyway this post is for anyone that thinks that maybe they would like to just dabble in a vegan lifestyle. Two very easy
meals with regular ingredients and loads of flavor. They are also both very “kid-friendly”.
The first meal is a simple combination of quesadillas and french fries – just a healthier version!
Bean and Avocado Quesadilla
2 onions, sliced and sauteed over low heat until carmelized
8 oz of mushrooms sliced and sauteed
1 avocado, mashed
1 can of refried beans
shredded cheese (preferably vegan)
10 tortillas (preferably whole wheat)
Here’s what I did to assemble them –
On one tortilla 1 spread a thin layer of the avocado, on the other tortilla I spread the refried beans and then topped
it with the sauteed mushrooms, onions and cheese. Put the 2 together, lightly brush the outside with Earth Balance
butter and lightly fry on each side until golden brown. The kids loved them!
Maple Sweet Potato Fries
4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ‘fries’
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper
1 TBS sea salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp of cinnamon
Mix all of the ingredients into a large bowl making sure to try and ‘coat’ the fries evenly.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (just to make clean up easier) and spread out
the fries (I actually used 2 cookie sheets for extra room). Bake at 425 F for about 15 minutes
and then carefully turn the fries over and bake for about 15 minutes longer.
Serve immediately – your kids will LOVE them!
Simple Veggie Dinner that even my husband didn’t complain about!
Corn on the Cob
Steamed Broccoli
Baked potato topped with sauteed mushrooms and
Creamed Kale (from Dr. Jeol Fuhrman)
2 pounds of Kale
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
2 tablespoons onion flakes (optional)
Remove the thick stems from the kale and discard.
Place kale leaves in a large steamer pot. Steam 10-20 minutes, until soft.
Meanwhile, place remaining ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Place kale in colander and press with a dish towl to remove some of the excess water.
In a bowl, coarsely chop and mix kale with the cream sauce.
Source: WFM 1-10