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 month is my birthday month (43! Oh my lands!!). And all I want for my birthday is for you to take just a few minutes of your time to read the piece below about John Robbins, author of Diet for a New America. John and his wife Deo need our help, and so I'm shouting it out to you today. Please do what you can. :O)

Today we'll also talk about frying with olive oil -- should you? And we'll also chat about restricting sodium in a vegan diet.

The recipe of the month is Green Beans w/Roasted Shallots, which will help you to take advantage of the abundance of beautiful green beans making their way to your grocery shelves soon.

Hope you enjoy this issue of The Golden Banana, which is actually created by you with the questions you send me. Do you have a question, comment, or something else you'd like to share with our growing community of Vegan Coach fans? Please don't hesitate to fill out the form on my Contact page. I look forward to hearing from you. :O)

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.

Big hugs to you,
Sassy

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

IN THIS ISSUE:

• John Robbins Needs A Helping Hand
• Ice-Cream Free Banana Split
• Is It Dangerous To Fry With Olive Oil?
• The Secret To A Sodium-Restricted Vegan Diet
• RECIPE OF THE MONTH: Italian Green Beans w/Roasted Shallots

Sometimes it's hard for me to comprehend that I've been vegan since 1994. Back then, Jeff and I didn't know many vegans. In fact, the only vegans I felt any sort of connection with was the author of the book (Diet For A New America)that started me on the vegetarian path: John Robbins and his adorable wife Deo.

Jeff and I had the wonderfully good fortune to spend time with John and Deo on a river-rafting trip all those years ago, and through that incredibly special time in our lives, our friendship with the Robbins family was cemented. They are so kind and real and generous with their time -- just good people through and through. They are completely non-materialistic, and live very simple, kind and gentle lives.

Jeff and Sassy on a rafting trip with John Robbins, circa 1994. (That's John on my left.)

That's why it was heart breaking for us to find out that John and Deo (and family) were victims of the Madoff Ponzi scam. The Robbins family lost 98% of their life savings. It's just so unbelievable to me. Nobody deserves to go through this, of course, but it just seemed particularly hurtful that the Robbins would have to suffer such a blow after everything they have done for others, for the animals, and for our world.

Not to mention, they live a beautiful life surrounded by their son Ocean, daughter-in-love Michelle, and their twin grandchildren who have special needs (whose future is, I believe, John and Deo's biggest concern throughout all of this).

Of course, it goes without saying that if John had not written Diet for a New America, I may not have gone vegan all those years ago, surely would not have decided to dedicate my time to creating my website VeganCoach.com which has (hopefully) been able to assist you through your own magical journey.

So, we're all connected in such a beautiful way.

When I discovered that there was a way to actually assist John and Deo, Jeff and I jumped at the chance. I realize times are tough, but please click the link below to learn how you can help.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for anything you can do to help John and Deo, who gave up so much of their time and love to become such a positively huge influence to so many.

Hugs!

Hi Jenna,

Ah, yes, the delectably delicious (and best of all nutritious -- for the most part) vegan banana split, which contains no ice cream. It's so easy to make. And so yummy that you practically inhale it. :O)

This recipe can be found in my Everyday Vegan Diet and Nutrition blog.

Click here to visit the recipe.

Enjoy!

Hi Jen,
Hmmmm, there may be a bit of a mix up in terms here, so let's clear this up.

Olive oil does not fully "hydrogenate" by cooking it on your stovetop. Hydrogenation is the unhealthy (and quite pitiful) process of changing liquid fats into solid fats for various reasons (like longer shelf life). You are right to stay away from hydrogenated anything!

But cooking oil at a high temperature can cause it to oxidize, causing the oil to fill with free radicals, which can wreak havoc on your innards.

But there's a simple little trick you can use that will help to keep your oil at a low temperature and out of harm's way. Add just a bit of water to the oil in your pan before heating so the oil temperature stays low.

I repeat, always add your water to the oil BEFORE you start to heat the pan. Then the oil temperature will stay on the lower end.

How much oil is okay to use? I used to add 1-2 Tablespoons each and every time I cooked. It was almost like I was on auto-pilot, adding the oil without even thinking about it.

Then I started to experiment with using less oil. You'd be AMAZED at how little you need to use.

Nowadays I fluctuate between using 1-2 teaspoons and just a quick spritz of spray olive oil. A friend of mine uses a little mister, which delivers even LESS olive oil than the spray cans. Even a quick swipe of oil with a napkin will usually suffice. And remember, add a little water too. In fact, sometimes you can simply use water alone.

Another benefit to using a very small amount of oil means that you can add more water (if needed) after the pan is hot without worrying about the oil hopping out of the pan and onto your skin. (Because oil burns suck!)

Great question. :O)

Hi Cherie,

I used to be a salt-a-holic. I oversprinkled it on everything I ate. Wow, sometimes it blows me away when I think about it.

But nowadays, I use just a sprinkle here or there while I'm cooking. Very rarely do I add it once plated and ready to be served. The difference, I believe, lies in the fact that I have learned to balance the flavors of every dish I create, and also in the use of more herbs and spices. These two things make such a big difference.

The first place to start is to work on flavoring your dish, then you finish off with balancing it to perfection.

For example, let's say that you are making some burritos which contain an abundance of black beans. You can find the "Beans" page of my site, and scroll down to the Flavor Matches for black beans.

There you will find a list of ingredients/herbs/spices which match black beans perfectly. Choose your favorites that you believe will go together nicely and mix them into the dish.

Then do a taste test.

Do the flavors taste balanced? You will know if you need to work on balancing the flavors more. Your goal is to nicely balance sweet, sour, salty, bitter/pungent and spicy.

Now, there are some ingredients I just naturally reach for when I need to do a final balancing of a dish. For me, these ingredients are:

• Sweet - Agave nectar or maple syrup
• Sour - lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
• Salty - Bragg Liquid Aminos (with naturally occurring sodium) or a light sprinkle of salt
• Bitter/Pungent - black pepper
• Spicy - dried chipotle peppers, chili powder or cayenne

Find your own favorite go-to ingredients that will help you with the final balancing of a dish in a heartbeat.

And remember to experiment with herbs and spices -- they can make such a world of difference to your cooking.

Hope this has helped in some small way?

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

When shallots are roasted for a long time, their sugars caramelize and the flavors intensify, which makes a great contrast to sturdy green beans.

Enjoy!

1 pound shallots, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
1/8 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound green beans, ends trimmed

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Put the shallots on a large piece of aluminum foil. Pour the olive oil and vinegar over the shallots. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly. Fold and seal the foil to create a pouch. Set on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, until tender, browned, and caramelized.

3. While the shallots are cooking, heat a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the beans and cook for 5-7 minutes, until al dente. Transfer to a colander to drain, and rinse under cold water. (You can also steam the green beans until tender, if you prefer.)

4. When the shallots are cooked, remove from the oven, open the foil, add the beans, and toss in the foil to mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Serves: 6

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.

"Working with you, I felt at ease right away. You were very concerned with what I was or was not doing and helping me eat right as a Vegan. I felt like you were a good friend and even a family member."
- Aleta J., Claremont, California

"Last week Sunday, I began following your advice from our coaching call. There was no feeling of coming home and wracking my brain about what to eat, and then passing out before I even make a decision, going to sleep without dinner.

"I've had a fresh and colorful green salad every day, and something good and nutritious to eat in the morning. Thank you so much for your advice. I can literally feel myself getting healthier!"
-- Yvette P., Los Angeles, California

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.

Get *SAUCED* With Sass!

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

Click here to learn more!

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)