Submitted by T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., Jacob Gould Schurman Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University. In the whole-food, plant-based food community, there is a tempest in the teapot and it’s a pretty nutty tempest. By no means am I an expert on nuts—the foods, that is. My views on this topic are entirely based on the scientific research evidence, after professionally being in the field of nutrition for more than a half century. So let’s start with the evidence on nut consumption and human health. It’s easy for me. I suggest reading Michael Greger’s summary of the evidence in his new book, How Not To Die (2015)1. It’s the best recent review, in my opinion. Greger summarizes several studies of recent...
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Submitted by Kim Campbell, director of culinary education. When our kids headed off to college, I had the task of building their kitchen pantries. It wasn’t easy because they were starting from ground zero. You can always add to this list as there are so many great products out there to enhance cooking. But here is what we started with to begin their cooking journeys. Photo courtesy of Pixabay. Beansblack beans, cannellini beans, red kidney beans, garbanzo beans, great northern beans, pinto beans, lentils, split peas Photo courtesy of Pixabay. Grains, flours, and grain productsbrown rice, whole grain pasta, quinoa, whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, whole wheat couscous, bulgur wheat, oats Photo courtesy of Pixabay. Nuts, seed,...
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Here’s a post for you apartment, townhouse and tiny house dwellers. Yes, you can grow fresh veggies and herbs, even in tiny spaces. All you need is sunlight, soil, and the right container. (Yup, there is such a thing as the wrong container!) Bigger containers, in general, work better than smaller ones. Plants won’t get rootbound as quickly, and you won’t have to water as often. Choose containers that suit the space you have, whether it’s a balcony, a small side yard, or a sunny windowsill. Photo courtesy of Pixabay. Containers come in all shapes and sizes, but it’s what they’re made of that’s more important. Glazed pottery containers are durable, easy to keep clean, and come in a variety...
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Brussels sprouts were the vegetable my little brother and I were always threatened with if we complained about the broccoli we were served. I avoided them until I was in my 30s, but there’s no reason for you to make the same mistake! Properly prepared, they are quite tasty and a great source of nutrients. Brussels sprouts belong to the cruciferous vegetable family, along with kale, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, and they resemble tiny cabbages. Harvested when they are about an inch and a half in diameter, they grow best in cooler climates and are often considered a stock winter vegetable in the Northern Hemisphere. Pick Brussels sprouts that are bright green, compact, and firm to the touch. These should...
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Post by Nelson Campbell Here we go again. The government issued new dietary guidelines, and once again they missed the mark. Sure, they advised us not to consume too much sugar, but that’s an easy recommendation to make. Sugar has been bashed for years; everyone knows eating too much sugar is unhealthy. But the elephant in the room is the irrefutable body of scientific evidence suggesting that animal-based foods — dairy, eggs, and all meats (red, white, processed, lean, and fatty) cause changes within our bodies that can, for some, lead to debilitating and deadly chronic disease. Even more astounding, plant-based foods can not only help prevent these diseases, but can sometimes reverse serious conditions like heart disease and type...
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Submitted by Kim Campbell, director of culinary education. The first step toward building a plant-based kitchen is cleaning out the pantry and refrigerator. I recommend you toss or donate (local food banks will take unopened items) all of those food items that are not healthy or considered plant-based. To figure out what stays and what goes, you must understand a food label. Here are my tips for deciding if a product is worthy of remaining on your shelves. Decoding Food Labels Begin by reading the ingredients. Don’t believe what is on the front of the food label. The front of a package is nothing more than a clever advertisement. Ingredients Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. Avoid all oils....
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One of the oldest fruits, the nutrient-rich pomegranate is packed with antioxidants and has been shown to benefit blood vessels and overall heart health. The fruit originated in Persia but is now grown worldwide, generally in warm, somewhat arid climates. Not all pomegranates are grown for food; some varieties are ornamental only and are grown for their flowers. There is even a dwarf variety that can be grown as a bonsai specimen. Pomegranates grow readily from seed but are usually grown from cuttings to avoid genetic variations. The pomegranate has a tough outer skin with clumps of seeds inside. The seeds are eaten raw, either alone or in salads, soups, or other dishes. Pomegranates are a good source of vitamins...
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You’ve probably noticed now you’ve switched to a plant-based diet that you have a lot less waste from prepackaged food, but a lot more food scraps. These biodegrade fairly quickly, but instead of sending them to a landfill, why not convert them into organic compost for your yard or garden? Adding compost to your garden is a great way to add nutrients and beneficial microorganisms to your soil and to condition fine soils, like clay, that tend to clump. Not only can you use food scraps for compost, you can also add some general household waste to your compost pile if you do so carefully. Cardboard, paper, dryer lint (especially from natural fabrics), and wood ashes can all be composted....
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