Welcome to the VeganCoach.com newsletter focusing on everyday vegan advice. The Golden Banana Newsletter is dedicated to assisting you with your everyday vegan cooking and nutrition questions.

This issue will serve as the newsletter for both May and June. I've been cast in a play here in Reno, and it's been taking up all of my time and energy. Whew! You can expect the next issue of The Golden Banana Newsletter around the 1st of July. Thanks for your understanding.

It is my sincere hope that the information I provide on my little website VeganCoach.com assists you in being the healthiest Vegan you can be.

Wishing you a beautiful day! :O)
Sassy

PLEASE NOTE: For an easy-to-view version of this newsletter, or past issues, please visit the VeganCoach.com Backissues Page.

As a Vegan Nutritional Consultant I assist my clients by examining their current diet to figure out areas that might need more attention. It’s nice to have someone you can go to for advice that's YOU-nique.

If you...

• want someone you can call on to take your hand and walk you through the maze of vegan diet and nutrition information that you are constantly bombarded with;
• need someone who can answer all your questions about how to create a successful vegan diet plan with patience and understanding;
• simply don’t have the time to figure out which foods are best for your unique nutritional needs and vegan weight loss plans;
• want to spend your time doing what YOU love instead of spending hours on research;
• have limited special knowledge about food or nutrition -- but you're ready and willing to learn more...

...then working with me, your very own personal Vegan Diet and Nutrition Coach, may be just what you need.

For more information about this service, please visit the Vegan Diet and Nutrition Coaching page.

IN THIS ISSUE:

• Get *SAUCED* With Sass!
• Vegan Tip of the Month
• Grain Recipes Made Easy
• More About Vegan Fats
• A New Global Warming Strategy
• RECIPE OF THE MONTH: Soy-Free Veggie Burger

Get *SAUCED* With Sass!

How To Create Delectable
Meat-Free, Dairy-Free and Egg-Free Vegan Sauces
WITHOUT Recipes!

Spring cleaning. We've all heard this term. Most of us go through our home at this time every year to clean out the dust and cobwebs that have settled in over the long winter's nap.

But did you know that with every change of season it's important to cleanse your body too? I'm talking about cleaning out the insides to allow faster cellular turnover (read: anti-aging), to assist with weight loss, and to gain more energy.

And it's easier than you might think.

Here are some ideas that you may find interesting and helpful in your quest to do some internal spring cleaning:

• Begin each and every day with a tall glass of room-temperature water with a lemon squeeze. Wait 15 minutes or so, and eat a piece of fruit. An apple is best because it has so very many wonderful nutritional attributes while still remaining quite neutral in terms of sugar content;
• Choose one day to drink fresh veggie juice and lemon water only. It's best if the day you choose to do this is a day with very little activity, such as a day off from work. It's important for you to have as little stress as possible so your body can concentrate on repairing what ails you;
• When Jeff and I want to do a complete internal cleanse, we use Dr. Natura's Colonix Cleansing System. I can't say enough good things about this very easy cleanse.
  1. The entire cleanse is 100% vegan;
  2. Contains herbal dietary fiber to move waste through your colon and out;
  3. Contains capsules (called Paranil) made up of 18 high-quality herbs to kill the parasites that are living in your intestines (yes, most people have parasites -- that means you!);
  4. Contains a delicious warm herbal tea (KleriTea) that you drink before bed that helps your intestines to detoxify. It also soothes the nervous system which helps you to sleep at night.

  I've used this cleansing system many times over the course of the past 2 years. And every single time I notice a decrease in weight, a flatter tummy, and WAY more energy. You really can't go wrong doing a healthy cleanse like this. I know you're going to love the results.

  Just be sure to get AT LEAST 2 month's worth of the Colonix package -- you cleanse for 1 month, take a 5-day rest, and then complete one more month. This allows for optimum cleansing.

Happy cleansing! :O)

Dear Sassy,
All I would really like to see is a list of really good and SIMPLE grain recipes. When I cook my entrees, I sometimes want to include a grain side dish, especially if the entree does not have a grain incorporated into it. I'd like it to be easy, because I have already put my heart and soul into the main dish and don't want to fuss with an involved grain dish. Is there any way you can help me out on this one.


-- Denise, Redding, California

Hi Denise,

Your question is a good one. I think a lot of people out there might have the same question, whether it has to do with grains, veggies, beans, etc.

Have you played around with the Vegan Cooking Guide on VeganCoach.com? My intent in creating this was to make it easy to create a dish on-the-fly without a recipe.

When you visit the Vegan Cooking Guide, scroll down the page. You'll see a list of veggies, whole grains, beans, and fruit. Click on any one of them to learn everything you need to know to toss a dish together in minutes. You'll discover how to select, clean, and cook your chosen food, and then the best part: how to flavor it with what you have on hand at any given time in your cupboards and fridge.

Click the "Vegan Cooking Guide" link above to get started. And for a little tutorial of how to use the Vegan Cooking Guide, visit the Vegan Cooking Guide Tutorial.

Hope it helps. :O)

Dear Sassy,
My questions are about vegan fats!

First of all, I am really intrigued by what you have been saying on your site about coconut, so I went out and bought my very first bottle of coconut oil, but it was partially solid! Is this normal? It works and tastes great cooking wise, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't using coconut oil gone bad.

My second question about vegan fats: Is it possible to eat too much healthy fat? For example, if I am eating two tablespoons of your seedalicious topping, 3 tablespoons of coconut oil, almond butter on my toast, and avocado in my salad, is this too much fat for one day?

Ok, I promise this is the last question about fat. I usually roast my veggies with olive oil at 400 degrees, but isn't this past the smoking point for olive oil? Am I turning it into a bad fat when I roast it?
-- Mariah, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Hi Mariah,

All great questions, so let's get started.

1. Coconut oil is a liquid until it is placed in the refrigerator, and then it turns partially solid. It will stay this way, even after removing from the refrigerator. If you have the desire to bring your coconut oil to a liquid state, gently heat.
2. Is it possible to eat too much healthy fat? The answer is not as straight-forward as you might think. But it's not complicated either.

   As a society, we all seem to be overly focused on our fat intake. This has all sprung from the fact that there are just so very many foods filled with unhealthy fats that we've sort of become obsessed.

   Choosing healthy fats makes a world of difference. When the healthy, essential fats you eat come in a whole food package, such as nuts, seeds, olives, avocado, micro-algae, and coconut products, the "fat scare" sort of fades off into the distance because they also contain many other important nutrients we need, such as vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, protein, and fiber.

   Of course, these foods must be part of a balanced healthy diet including foods from each and every food group in the Vegan Food Pyramid, such as grains, beans, leafy greens and other veggies, fruits, and WATER.

   By the way, the recommendation for 2-3 Tablesoons of coconut oil was one small part of a blog written back in February during cold season. After learning about the anti-viral effects of coconut products, I began adding coconut oil to my diet to ward off seasonal sickness. I'm happy to say that it seems to have been a contributing factor as neither Jeff nor myself were sick once this year.

   Now that cold/flu season is over, I still use 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil in my chai tea (or other hot beverage) once or twice a week, but mostly when my body seems to be craving it. Listen to your body, it will certainly tell you what you need.

   As always, I encourage you to do your own research and come to your own conclusions about coconut oil. The book The Coconut Oil Miracle by Bruce Fife is a great place to start.

3. Any and all oils you use are best NOT heated. That means olive oil is best when used in salad dressing, or added to a cooked dish at the very end of the cooking process. However, I realize this can be a tall order. If you have to cook with olive oil, 400 degrees is the upper limit of the heat range without changing this healthy fat into an unhealthy fat.

   Once again, oils are BEST when not heated. Coconut oil happens to be a saturated fat and can therefore take higher temperatures without changing it too awfully much.

Thanks for writing, Mariah. :O)

Dear Vegan Coach VIPs...

I came upon this recently, and thought you might find it interesting too.

How Environmentalists are Overlooking Vegetarianism as the Most Effective Tool Against Climate Change in Our Lifetimes by Noam Mohr

Summary Global warming poses one of the most serious threats to the global environment ever faced in human history. Yet by focusing entirely on carbon dioxide emissions, major environmental organizations have failed to account for published data showing that other gases are the main culprits behind the global warming we see today. As a result, they are neglecting what might be the most effective strategy for reducing global warming in our lifetimes: advocating a vegetarian diet.

Click here to learn more and sign a quickie petition. Thanks very much. :O)

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

I love a great veggie burger. But since I'm trying to avoid soy, it can be difficult to find a good recipe. This one's a winner, and since it's made up almost entirely of vegetables, is TRULY a veggie burger.

This recipe will also show you how easy it is to use water/veggie broth instead of oil for part of the recipe. I hope it will give you some ideas for your next cooking adventure.

Enjoy!

Veggie Burger
Serves: 4 (Recipe can be doubled.)

• 3/4 cup fresh corn kernels or frozen, thawed
• 6 mushrooms, finely chopped
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Dash cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach
• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 1 small potato, peeled and grated
• 1/3 cup flax seeds combined with 1 cup water...blend and measure out 3 Tablespoons to make one "flax egg" (refrigerate leftovers for up to a week)
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs

1. In a large skillet heat 1-2 tablespoons water or veggie broth over medium high heat. Stir in corn, mushrooms, scallions, and bell pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes, adding more water or veggie broth as necessary to keep food from sticking. Add garlic, cumin and cayenne and cook for 30 seconds.

2. Remove from heat and stir in spinach. Add carrot and potato and stir to combine. Add flax egg and season with salt and pepper.

3. Stir in enough bread crumbs so that the mixture holds together. Shape mixture into 4 disks and place on a plate.

4. Chill for 1 hour.

5. Spray just a touch of oil on a non-stick skillet and cook veggie burgers until golden on each side.

Happy cooking!

That wraps it up for this edition of The Golden Banana newsletter.

VeganCoach.com has been created to help YOU. To contact me with questions, comments or suggestions, please fill out the form on my Contact page.

Thanks! :O)
Sassy