Hello my wonderful subscribers! It’s and exciting time at Wellness Warrior Coaching as we continue to grow and expand. My blog has moved and is now bigger and better than ever. Please visit the new location and check it out:

New BLOG address

The version of the blog that you are subscribed to now will no longer be active so if you would like to continue to receive my emails simply visit the new blog address location and enter your email address in the email subscription box and you will be back on the list to get my regular blog posts. The new blog will give you a sense of the new website that is in the works.

In other exciting news it is October and time for Vegan MoFo which stands for Vegan Month of Food. I will be joining thousands of others this month who have committed to blogging almost every day of the month about vegan food. My theme is making a whole foods, plant-based diet easy to swallow in both senses of the word.  I hope you will join me in a continued free subscritpion to my blog.

If you are on twitter you can follow me there too!   @debgleason

Yours in health

Deb

Last night I watched 6 new friends prepare a dreamy vegan Thanksgiving feast at Credible Edibles. After a brief introduction we got started chopping, dicing, slicing and whirling together a full meal consisting of a stuffed vegan roast, garlic mashed potatoes, chunky stuffy, gravy, cranberry sauce, maple roasted squash and to top it all off an apple crisp with vanilla cashew cream. As someone who does all the cooking at home it was so nice to be surrounded by 6 enthusiastic people who made this meal come together beautifully with incredible efficiency. There were lots of stories told and a lot of information shared over the course of the evening. We sat down to enjoy the fruits of our labour at the end of the night and a lot of happy sounds were coming from the table. Everyone left with a full tummy and a pile of new recipes to take home and use the next time they are in charge of a festive meal. I heard at least a couple of people say will be re-creating this meal next weekend for friends and family.

I am just thrilled to be able to offer a class like this, it has been a dream of mine for a few years to get in the kitchen with people who want to learn more about healthy plant-based foods and guide them on a journey that ends with a very satisfying meal.  I am so thrilled that Judi, the owner of Credible Edibles has created this incredible space for the community to come together and learn about good food.

More to come.  Join Donna Davis and I for a couple of classes in October. On October 13th we will be offering a class on Veggie Protein and on October 27th we will offer a class called “Eat for Energy” where we will explore great plant-based foods that will give you all the energy you need for your busy life or your athletic pursuits.

To register please visit the Credible Edibles website or send me an email for more information.

I am very excited to announce that I will be starting to offer vegan cooking classes at Credible Edibles next week.  All of the classes at Credible Edibles are workshop style which means the participants receive instruction and then prepare a 3 course meal together.  When the meal is ready everyone sits down together to enjoy the food they have created. At the end of the evening leftovers and recipes are collected and taken home.

I have been looking for an opportunity to get into the kitchen with the veg-curious for a while and Credible Edibles is the perfect spot.  The owner, Judi Varga-Toth has created a wonderful setting for learning and sharing and her popular “Forks Over Knives” cooking workshop (named after the movie) has been selling out all summer.

My first workshop which takes place this coming Thursday (Sept 29) is called “A Vegan Thanksgiving” and together we will prepare a big festive meal complete with a stuffed tofu turkey, all the trimmings and a mouthwatering dessert.  In October I team up with Donna Davis of the Elation Center to bring you two workshops.  The first takes place on Oct 13 and is called “Veggie Protein” and we will show you everything you need to know about plant-based sources of protein.  You will grow muscles just walking home from this workshop. The next one Donna and I are doing takes place on Oct 27 and is called “Sports Nutrition, eat for energy”. This is great for active people who want to get more energy from their food.

For more information and to register please visit the Credible Edibles website.

Hope to see you there!

So how do we replace the meat?

TOFU

If just reading the word tofu makes you run screaming you need to come to my house for dinner sometime. For some reason most people have one horrible tofu experience which usually involves soft tofu being used in a dish where firm tofu would have been a better choice. I have heard many horror stories about slippery, slimy, mushy blobs. So how do you avoid this less than palatable outcome? Check out this baked tofu recipe on my blog, it is a winner with everyone that tries it. The texture is firm and the flavour is garlicky and familiar. Unless you are making a dessert, smoothie or sauce choose firm tofu.  Crumbled firm tofu can be used to make scrambled tofu for breakfast, or to replace meat in spaghetti sauce, lasagna or chili.

TEMPEH

Tempeh is made by fermenting soybeans and has about twice the protein of tofu making it an excellent choice for athletes. Tempeh is much firmer than tofu and has a “meaty” texture.  It comes in blocks and can be cut into strips, marinated and pan fried, or slathered with BBQ sauce and thrown on the grill. It can also be crumbled and added to the spaghetti sauce, lasagna or chili.  A friend of mine created a wonderful salad with crumbled tempeh, check it out here.

QUINOA

Quinoa is a seed that is not only very high in protein, it is a complete protein containing all 9 essential amino acids. Throw a half a cup of uncooked quinoa into your soup or stew this fall and the protein levels will soar.

BEANS and LENTILS

Known for their high levels of protein beans and lentils are extremely affordable versatile and offer many health benefits beyond concentrated protein.  Soups, stews, chili, burritos are all great places to add these nourishing legumes. Experiment with the hundreds of varieties available including some of the more interesting ones like black beluga lentils. For a quick and simple meal check out my recipe for Easy Rice and Lentils with Squash.

Remember all plants have protein and getting everything you need to heal and repair from the activities of a busy life is very easy to do with a balanced plant-based diet.

Recently we had the chance to connect with Vegan Mainstream, an awesome marketing service for vegan businesses.  They publish a blog, zine, vegan job board, and they offer marketing training. Deb Ozarko chatted with them about our approach to fitness, nutrition and wellness. Check out the feature blog about Wellness Warrior Coaching.

Not very often do I sit down and take in a CNN documentary but last week there was one that really caught my attention. The Last Heart Attack is a one hour documentary produced by Dr Sanjay Gupta, Chief Medical Correspondent for CNN. This was no ordinary hour of television, this was an hour of television that has the potential to save millions of lives. It aired more than once due to high demand and it is now available on the CNN website to be watched at your leisure (click here to watch).

The show starts off with the shocking statement by Dr Gupta that in the U.S. someone has a heart attack every 30 seconds. It is a well known fact that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and second only to cancer in Canada. Dr Gupta goes on to say that “with what we know right now we could see the last heart attack in America”. This is a very powerful statement and one that he followed with a very powerful solution.

The solution that is presented not open heart surgery or a new type of medication, it is simply prevention. So what is the key to this prevention? The key is adopting a plant-based diet. Exercise and stress reduction are also important but diet is the key. Dr B. Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr., a former surgeon, researcher and clinician at the Clevland Clinic states that eating this way will make people “heart attack proof”.

Dr Terry Mason of Cook County Hospital goes on to say that “we’ve eaten ourselves into a problem and we can eat our way ourselves out of it”.  So what is stopping people?  Hopefully less now that this accessible, affordable and non-intrusive solution is now more public.

A few days after the show I found Dr Gupta had posted the following on Twitter “100 years from now, looking back: what will be considered more radical — a plant-based diet or the typical american diet?”.  Not much more needs to be said.

My mission to help people move to a whole foods, plant-based diet for optimal health continues and major media pieces like this one make my work so much easier.  Congratulations CNN for stepping out of the box and shining some light on this well kept secret.

For those that follow my blog I have some big news to report – Deb Ozarko completed her first Ironman race on Sunday! I was there to witness this truly spectacular and very emotional event.  She has been training hard for the last nine months and it all paid off.  I worked with her on her training nutrition and racing nutrition plans and she executed them beautifully. When you race non-stop for over 12 hours you need a constant drip of easily digestible carbohydrates coming into your body and for Deb that meant eating a little bit every 20 minutes all day.  Eating while biking in the mountains around Lake Placid or while running on a hilly marathon course is not an easy task. Many athletes when doing this type of long and grueling event end up with a variety of digestive issues during the race including bloating, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea as well as dehydration and muscle cramping.  Finding the balance in just enough but not too much food, water and electrolytes is challenging. Deb managed to avoid all of the common problems with her vegan powered race nutrition plan.  She crossed the finish line happy (despite her very sore feet).  As a bonus, Deb fund raised almost $3000 for Farm Sanctuary – her favourite animal charity as part of her race. Her fundraising page is still live and as of today she needs only $125 to reach her goal. Congratulations Deb, you are an Ironman, a powerhouse and a truly inspirational human being.

Living with someone who is training for an Ironman triathlon has me thinking about all kinds of good vegan whole foods that will help boost the performance of endurance athletes.  The following recipe is an adaptation from a gel recipe found in Brendan Brazier’s Thrive Diet.  I found the original was not liquid enough to actually squeeze out of a gel flask.  This is a fresh tasting alternative to those super gummy and hard to swallow commercial gels.  I have added some nutritional information so you will know how long the gel will fuel you.

Fresh Lemon Gel

6 fresh Medjool dates with pits removed
Juice of 1/2 of a lemon
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup agave syrup

Chop up dates and add dates and the remaining ingredients to a food processor or strong blender and blend until very smooth.  Use a fine mesh strainer to remove any of the chunky parts that remain and pour into a gel flask.  (Save the chunky parts and roll into a ball for a great high energy snack before you leave the house)

Note: test your flask before you head out the door.  If you did not strain it well enough it may not flow well and you will struggle to get your nutrition which is exactly the opposite of what we are trying to achieve.

A bit about the sugars: Dates are high in glucose and help bring quick energy to working muscles.  Agave syrup is an easily digestible, slow-release carbohydrate which contains an abundance of trace minerals.  It is high in fructose so it is a nice compliment to the glucose found in dates.

This recipe is the equivalent to approx. 9 commercial gels and will provide you with 900 calories, 236 g of carbs and 900 mg of sodium. Commercial gels will be in the range of 90-100 calories and 21-25g of carbs and about 60mg sodium.

The nice part is there is no wasted packaging and the gel tastes fresh and it is easier to consume than commercial gels because it pours out of the flask and into your mouth and does not have to be squeezed.

It can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Enjoy!

Deb Gleason of Wellness Warrior Coaching is now taking one on one clients.  She is offering plant-based nutrition coaching programs that are appropriate for anyone:

• That is looking to transition to a healthier lifestyle with the help of a certified holistic nutritionist and vegan coach
• That would like to experience the health benefits of a vegan diet including substantially lowering the risk for many chronic diseases,  including heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
• That would like to achieve higher energy levels, feel light on their feet and improve their digestion
• That would like to learn about delicious vegan substitutions and see their body return to it’s ideal weight
• That would like to reduce their impact on the planet and the animals we share it with

Plant-Based Diet Transition Program

This program is designed for those who are interested in transitioning to a whole foods, plant-based diet.  It will give you everything you need to move to a health optimizing diet quickly and easily no matter where you are starting from. The following components are including in this program:

Step One: Questionnaire

I start by sending you a detailed questionnaire which will help me to understand what your current diet looks like, your desired goals, and what (if any) concerns you have about your health and nutrition.

Step Two: Consultation 

After I review your questionnaire, I will set up your initial one hour consultation which may be conduction in person, over the phone or via Skype depending on your location.  During this consultation we will discuss:

• What, if any, nutritional issues I see in your current diet
• Recommendations for vegan, whole food substitutions that will help you achieve your personal goals
• Any questions you might have about nutrition as they relate to your lifestyleded to improve the nutritional quality and ease of preparation of your meals

Step Three: Personalized Guide

After our meeting I will send you a detailed personalized guide that will cover what is working, what is not and how to move forward toward healthy, delicious and easy meals. This personal guide will include plant-based nutrition guidelines and recommendations, tips for creating healthy vegan meals including cooking tips, and any other information that you will need to achieve your goals.

Step Four: Meal plan

This program includes a personalized 5 day vegan meal plan (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks) with recipes and an organized grocery list to get you started. The meal plan will be based on your specific likes and dislikes with the goal of making the transition as easy as possible.

Step Five: Follow-up Consultation

A 30 minute follow-up consultation will follow where we will discuss any issues, questions or concerns that have come up throughout the program.  

This transition program includes weekly access to me by email.

The cost for this package is $240

Whole Foods, Plant-Based Menu Planning Program

This service is for those that would like to continue to receive highly personalized 5 day meal plans (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks) complete with recipes and organized grocery lists. The plans will be customized to meet the goals we established in the initial consultation and any follow-up meetings. This service can only be provided once the Plant-Based Diet Transition Program is complete.

You can sign up for the following menu planning options:

Weekly subscription $25/week

Monthly subscription $75/month ($400 savings per year)
Plant-Based Nutritional Consultation
If you are not quite ready for the Plant-Based Transition Program or you would like to take what you’ve already learned further this program will help you achieve your nutritional goals. I start by sending you a detailed questionnaire which will help me to understand what your current diet looks like, your desired goals, and what (if any) concerns you have about your personal health and nutrition.

After I review your questionnaire, I will set up your initial one hour consultation.  During this consultation we will discuss:

• What, if any, nutritional issues I see in your current diet
• Recommendations for vegan, whole foods substitutions that will help you achieve your personal goals
• Any questions you might have about nutrition as they relate to your lifestyle

This consultation will be followed by a detailed report where I summarize all of the ideas we’ve discussed including tips and advice that will assist you in moving toward your goals. Also included in this initial consultation is a personalized 3 day vegan menu plan complete with delicious recipes and an easy to follow grocery list.

The cost for this initial consultation is $125

Follow-up consultation rates are as follows:
30 minutes $50.00
1 hour $95.00
Package of four 30 minute sessions $165.00
Package of four 1 hour sessions $345.00

All prices are in Canadian funds

Get in touch: deb.gleason@wellnesswarriorcoaching.com

There has never been a better time to move to plant-based diet.  Remember that moving toward veganism is a process and not an event.  Just stay true to your own journey and you will find your way to your best health.

Feel free to be in touch if you have any questions about what we talked about today or if you would like to sit down for a one on one consultation on how to move to a whole foods vegan diet.  The best way to reach me while my new website is being built is deb.gleason@wellnesswarriorcoaching.com

As a side note when I got home after the show one of my neighbors let my partner and I know that they found a domestic rabbit in their yard that had been dumped.  We got our animal rescue blankets and cage ready and were able to catch the sweet young rabbit right away.  We took her out to New Moon Rabbit Rescue (they had a table at VegFest today) and she will be up for adoption shortly.  They named her “Tofu” in honour of VegFest! Here are a couple of photos of her already settled into the couch at New Moon.

For those who joined Donna Davis and I for the cooking demo at 2:30 I wanted to share Donna’s recipe and link for her delicious Endurance Curry found on her Elation Centre website.

Endurance Curry

Easy to make when you’d rather run than cook, and easy to make on a busy weeknight. This curry can made ahead of time and it’s even better the next day. It’s Power-Packed with fiber, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and anti-oxidants; and turmeric, garlic and ginger help fight inflammation and enhance heart health. Cook this up tonight!

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil or coconut butter
• 1 medium to large onion peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp chili powder or hot paprika or a shake of hot pepper sauce
• 1 14-ounce can (small can) of tomatoes, or 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 19-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup broccoli florets or diced sweet potato
• 2 handfuls of sliced fresh baby spinach leaves
• ½ can to 1 can coconut milk (add to your desired taste)
• 1 heaped tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves (optional)
• Whole Wheat pita bread to serve

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion for about 4-5 minutes until soft.
2. Stir in the garlic, ginger and spices and sauté for a few seconds then tip in the tomatoes and break them up with a wooden spoon, spatula or fork.
3. Bring to the boil, add the drained, rinsed chickpeas and broccoli or sweet potato, cover the pan and simmer for 7-8 minutes.
4. Chuck in the spinach and coriander if using and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
5. Add salt to taste (you may need slightly more than usual). Add desired amount of coconut milk. Serve with whole wheat pita bread.